MatthewHSE - 10:06 pm on Mar 6, 2005 (gmt 0)

FireFox is my tool of choice because of its great extensions (Web Developer has already been mentioned; it's one of the best but there are many other useful ones). I also really love how customizable the FireFox options and interface are.

I'll agree with Tedster's statement that even FireFox isn't as fast as Opera, out of the box. Once FireFox is adjusted as described in this thread [webmasterworld.com], I can't tell any difference in browsing speed between FireFox and Opera. (Results may vary according to system specs.)

FireFox does take some getting used to. Just as the finest machinery requires the most delicate balance, so FireFox requires a little care. You'll probably wreck a couple profiles before you've gotten the hang of it all, but once you're used to it and have customized it, the FireFox browser stops being a browser and is an extension of your mind - that's how intuitive using it can be. And once you have it tuned a bit (which isn't as hard as it may sound) you can really make it a workhorse.

I've got nothing bad to say about Opera (it and FireFox being the clear choices for developers these days), but I just find it less appealing than "the Fox." They're both great browsers. I go with FireFox because I find it easier to customize and I think it has a slimmer interface - but no doubt some Opera users say the same thing about their browser of choice.