# Google Chrome vs Firefox



## Hazmat54 (Aug 10, 2010)

Google chrome any good? Fighting with the Win 7 laptop. Tried to download VLC and a bunch of other stuff changed. My Google toolbar in firefox is now a Bing toolbar. Got fed up with trying to fix this laptop and it says don't unplug it cause it has 24 updates to install. I just left it, it looks locked up. 

My thought was that google chrome might be better able to fight the urge to change toolbars and stuff on its own. 

I just wanted a bigger screen to watch videos. A MacBook Pro could be had with a bigger screen, but heavens the price was high. The Toshiba laptop is even cheaper than an IPad. Cheap is relative I guess. It took hours to restore off my restore disks. I stuck in a DVD with some TV episodes I had converted to MP4 and windows media center started up. Okay says I, I just restored it so I have to download VLC again. Bing bam boom. El crappo again. VLC doesn't even work right. 

Is there bad weather on the internet right now? Should I just stay away until it blows over? Or is this windows 7 even worse than vista.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

VLC is a very popular open source program that people can also download the source code and modify for their own nefarious needs (news link to article) In other words, malware. If you Google, BING, or Yahoo search for VLC, the only SAFE and sure link to use is this one: (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/)

Chrome or any browser nor AV programs will not stop uneducated people from downloading these malicious programs. 

It is these malicious programs that wreak havoc on browser home pages and often cause browser redirects through DNS re-direction methods to more spam ridden and infected websites. 

Depending on the infection, try downloading Malwarebytes and Microsoft Security Essentials. If this combination of programs cannot remove the malware then you are best to highly consider a re-install of the OS and also ensure all MS and other installed sofware updates are in place.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

I love Chrome, even better than Firefox. Its become my browser of choice.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

What is VLC? The media player, or something else? I have the media player installed, without any issues.

If you don't change your windows update settings, you'll be plagued with unnecessary updates. Imho, if it works, why update? I do update my AVG virus updates daily.

Unless you installed extra memory, your box will get bogged down quickly...

Should always be careful when 'installing' software... especially if it's free... they sometimes make money, by piggybacking other software that most folks just click thru without reading.

I use firefox, an older version, and it works great for me.


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## boiledfrog (Jun 2, 2011)

The spell check on Chrome sucks pus filled slug eggs. That google management hasn't fixed this abomination of a spell check program baffles me.


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

The reason I don't use Chrome is because of it's reported invasion of it's users privacy.
Google isn't always your friend. I still like my privacy, howbeit what little I have left anyway.


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## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

I am very happy with my Chrome browser, it is on all of the household computers


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

I tried Chrome a few years ago but found it to be pretty stripped-down from a feature standpoint compared to IE & Firefox. That may have improved, I don't know, but I haven't had any motivation to try it again.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

Nevada said:


> I tried Chrome a few years ago but found it to be pretty stripped-down from a feature standpoint compared to IE & Firefox. That may have improved, I don't know, but I haven't had any motivation to try it again.


Chrome is much improved and I have no reason to go back to FF for daily use other then the fact that I seldom use FF if only as a test browser and or a quick proxy bypass off my network. There are also a lot of Chrome Devs that have created many applications and extensions that rival (and surpass) many of the same Add-ons for FF.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Does Chrome now have an ad blocking application available?


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## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

Windy in Kansas said:


> Does Chrome now have an ad blocking application available?


yes it does a GREAT one!!! Ad Block Plus

I am using it now and LOBE LOVE LOVE it!!!


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

Windy in Kansas said:


> Does Chrome now have an ad blocking application available?


Yes. there is an Chrome extension for AdBlock Plus which was ported from Firefox. I know of several people that use the extension for Chrome and that it works fine for them also.

(edit: Crispin posted the same info just before I did.)


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## SilverFlame819 (Aug 24, 2010)

Fox got so bloated with crap that it kept crashing my computer and bogging down my memory, so I switched to Chrome. Haven't had any issues since.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Thanks for the information on AdBlock Plus. I use it on Firefox and give credit to it for keeping my computer from getting the virus from HST ads that so many have spoken about. 

I tried Chrome a couple of years back and wasn't really all that thrilled with it. Ad blocking ware was being developed according to news but I didn't stick with it long enough to know that they got it done and available. I do have it loaded but only use it for a couple of things that require a million cookies, well not that many, but a lot. I keep FF locked down pretty tight and reject all but have a few exceptions for sites I visit regularly. Each time I close Chrome I do a Ctrl, Shift, Delete to clear everything. Don't care for all of the Google tracking and it seems to help prevent that.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

boiledfrog said:


> The spell check on Chrome sucks pus filled slug eggs. That google management hasn't fixed this abomination of a spell check program baffles me.


Chromes spell check is fantastic. what are you talking about?


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## pcwerk (Sep 2, 2003)

ive been using both FF and Chrome to test them out, and they both seem great compared to the IE that i have since abandoned! i'm just debating on whether to uninstall IE from my pc altogether...any reasons why i may need to keep it around?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Kari said:


> Chrome or any browser nor AV programs will not stop uneducated people from downloading these malicious programs.


Not all malicious programs are downloaded by uneducated or computer illiterate people. Ds used to work in tech support, still does it for friends for free. He got a bug that totally borked his desktop. He had to wipe everything and reload all his programs. I got a search.conduit bug somehow, don't know where I was or how it got installed but it switched all my home pages and screwed up my toolbars. 

If you don't like chrome you can remove it. I could tell you how on XP but I don't know Vista. If you don't want an update or program to add toolbars or change your browser or add extra programs you have to perform a custom install. 

Ad aware does a pretty good job of getting rid of bugs and trojans but it takes forever. When I did the scan on this machine it took over 4 hours. It did find a trojan that was left over from when the Cash Explosion site had been hacked.

I'm getting ready to switch to Linux. It rarely has problems with virus, trojans or malicious bugs.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

Danaus29 said:


> Not all malicious programs are downloaded by uneducated or computer illiterate people. Ds used to work in tech support, still does it for friends for free. He got a bug that totally borked his desktop. He had to wipe everything and reload all his programs. I got a search.conduit bug somehow, don't know where I was or how it got installed but it switched all my home pages and screwed up my toolbars.
> 
> If you don't like chrome you can remove it. I could tell you how on XP but I don't know Vista. If you don't want an update or program to add toolbars or change your browser or add extra programs you have to perform a custom install.
> 
> ...



I work in the IT and related security business plus run my own very successful IT consulting business. This also involves automated and manual virus and Malware detection and removal on small deskop computers to large multi-role servers. I also at one time, contributed to the Mozilla Firefox development team so I have a very good knowledge of how computers, the installed OS and browsers all work together.

Again most infections are due to people downloading programs they should not be. The best example is when someone *thinks* they have a virus on their computer, they search and download a "free" AV program that once installed, is not an AV program. What this program is...it is more Malware and some of these are very difficult to remove. 

To expand a bit more on Malware in general. If your computer is not up to date with the latest OS security patches and also updates for all other installed programs, then your computer and your personal info on that computer is in harm's way. This is especially true if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Flash Player installed. Both of these programs are easily exploitable and are considered a high value target for hackers. 

I run both Linux and Windows on my computers along with Vmware images of either depending on what OS is the host on the pc. 

If you go the Linux route, just keep in mind that you will still have to take the appropriate security precautions and also keep up to date with all the security patches for that particular Linux distribution that you are running.


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Anyone know if Chrome still reports all of your browsing habits to Google ?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Kari, something as simple as visiting a site that was safe yesterday can cause a scare alert or trojan or other malware to be downloaded on your computer without your knowledge. I know all the ones I got were not from downloading programs. The search.conduit thing I mentioned in the other thread was from visiting motherearthnews.com. And you should read the thread about the problems with the ads on this site. So it's not people downloading porn or fake anti-virus programs that cause all of the problems. I seriously doubt it causes most problems. Yes you can get the really nasty nasty stuff from downloading programs but don't overlook the fact that a lot of easy to eliminate crap is contained in ads and hijacked sites.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

WolfWalksSoftly, supposedly it doesn't. Here's the info I found:
http://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/articles/chrome-privacy.php


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

Danaus29 said:


> Kari, something as simple as visiting a site that was safe yesterday can cause a scare alert or trojan or other malware to be downloaded on your computer without your knowledge. I know all the ones I got were not from downloading programs. The search.conduit thing I mentioned in the other thread was from visiting motherearthnews.com. And you should read the thread about the problems with the ads on this site. So it's not people downloading porn or fake anti-virus programs that cause all of the problems. I seriously doubt it causes most problems. Yes you can get the really nasty nasty stuff from downloading programs but don't overlook the fact that a lot of easy to eliminate crap is contained in ads and hijacked sites.


I am not going get into a discussion about the ads on this website which was discussed at length and ended up in a lock by a MOD, so end of discussion...

As for being infected by visiting websites, this is known as drive by infections and yes it does happen and I can tell you from a boatload of experience that the majority of the people who experience this, do not have their computer security patches up to date, are not running an effective AV program and so on...

I don't want to further hijack the original discussion on this thread of Google Chrome vs Firefox so if you want to continue then I suggest that you start a new thread or ask Kung on his experience with Malware contaminated computers that he also deals with on a regular basis.


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Danaus29 said:


> WolfWalksSoftly, supposedly it doesn't. Here's the info I found:
> http://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/articles/chrome-privacy.php


Thanks!


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Kari said:


> I don't want to further hijack the original discussion on this thread of Google Chrome vs Firefox so if you want to continue then I suggest that you start a new thread or ask Kung on his experience with Malware contaminated computers that he also deals with on a regular basis.


At the risk of upsetting someone, I do have to agree with him. I do much the same thing that Kari does (a lot lighter on the side consulting, though - at least for pay LOL).

I'll rephrase someone that Kari said; I would say that the majority of infections are related to some action taken by the user that provides an easy means for the (ad/mal/spy)ware to infect the computer.

I rephrased it because no, not every single person downloads malware intentionally. Many people do exactly as Kari suggested - download some 'virus remover' program that ends up being a bigger problem than the infection it was supposed to remove.

And it doesn't stop there. I can't count the number of times that I (having about 15 years of experience, half of that in enterprise environments, the rest in consumer and small/medium business) have gone to someone's home, found out that they had an infection that software recommended by an actual professional would have removed.....but they didn't use it, or removed it, because "so-and-so's son said this was crap" or "Jim Bob had a problem with it" and therefore subjective experience trumps trends and metrics tracked by an IT guy.

NOW....this being said, does everyone download stuff intentionally? Of course not. In the interest of honesty and being blunt (LOL) I will say that Kari could have maybe rephrased his original assertion, especially in light of the recent ad scare here.

But do the majority of people infect their computers by their actions, or lack thereof? Yes.


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## am1too (Dec 30, 2009)

Kari said:


> I work in the IT and related security business plus run my own very successful IT consulting business. This also involves automated and manual virus and Malware detection and removal on small deskop computers to large multi-role servers. I also at one time, contributed to the Mozilla Firefox development team so I have a very good knowledge of how computers, the installed OS and browsers all work together.
> 
> Again most infections are due to people downloading programs they should not be. The best example is when someone *thinks* they have a virus on their computer, they search and download a "free" AV program that once installed, is not an AV program. What this program is...it is more Malware and some of these are very difficult to remove.
> 
> ...


I don't like adobe acrobat reader or adobe flash player. So are there alternatives? It seems some places require its use. I uninstalled and update to one of them because it shanged my broswer. Don't know if it was a good idae or not.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

am1too said:


> I don't like adobe acrobat reader or adobe flash player. So are there alternatives? It seems some places require its use. I uninstalled and update to one of them because it shanged my broswer. Don't know if it was a good idae or not.


FoxIt PDF and Sumatra PDF are two that I can think of off the top of my head.


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## Jeffery (Oct 25, 2011)

Google Chrome is a smaller, simpler download than other browsers. So it takes less space on your hard drive, and in my opinion, creates less issues and conflicts. But no matter what browser you use, for security reasons, still keep your Windows operating system up to date.
.


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