What is most important to you in a browser?

[Neil P]

Things seem a little slow around here, and we mostly see only posts talking about problems or new releases (both of which are great and you shouldn't feel discouraged from posting!) but I thought we might like a little discussion :)So, here's a question: What do you find most important about a web browser? If a new browser came out today, what would it have to have to get you to switch?Some of us that are more inclined to try new things may have had to ask ourselves this question with the release of Chrome. I tried it out just to see what it was like, and ended up basically switching to it. For me, it was all about the speed. Chrome is just so much faster than even Firefox for me. It's probably what attracted me to Firefox most when it first came out, actually. I had thought that the extensibility of Firefox would be something I couldn't give up, but it turns out I don't really miss it. I only really use two extensions anyway, Gmail notifier and Adblock. Not blocking ads is probably a deal breaker for a lot of people, but it hasn't bothered me yet. I think a lot of legitimate advertisers realized that the obtrusive ads aren't the best way to get clicks. That's not to say those ads don't exist anymore, but I see them a lot less frequently than I did in the past. Popups are still handled by Chrome (somewhat), but even the annoying ads like the flash ads that play when you load a page seem less prevalent. A lot of them seem to have been replaced with "rollover" ads, that want you to rollover them to play the video/expand into the window.Other things do matter though, like standards support for example. Also I think the competition started with Firefox, and has spread with other browsers like Safari and now Chrome (Opera's been around for 10 or so years but it has never seemed like a real competitor to me). Microsoft has even taken notice, and at least started developing IE again.Anyway those are some initial thoughts from me. Even though I asked a specific question, feel free to answer with whatever you want. What new stuff would you like to see in a browser, or whatever! Neiledit: Just a quick edit to say that Opera has had a lot of success on mobile platforms, and probably shouldn't be overlooked if only for that!

[Gary]

I prefer the ability to make a browser look and feel the way you want it to and not some developer. That is why I use Firefox and will continue to use it. I tried Chrome and it was fast at first but after awhile it did seem so fast. I also had a problem with the EULA which has been changed. I really do not trust anything that Google comes out with. Too much user tracking. IMHO Opera is the fastest Browser on The Market but there is just something about it that I do not care for. I have been using Firefox since it was called Phoenix and I will always use it.

[Grasshopper]

I use Firefox due to an amalgam of functionality...several things rolled into one. Ease of use. Not being too different from traditional browser (why I don't like Chrome). Flexibility. Reputation.Speed isn't really a major factor for me, although if it were a dog, then I'd feel differently. Just as long as it runs competitively.Being specific on functionality, extensions in general are the deal-breaker for me. With open-source development, users get access to a wealth of functionality that IE or other browsers don't approach. Some are even integrated into the code eventually.

[zlim]

1. Cross platform. I prefer to use the same browser on windows and linux.2. Must support windows 2000. I know support ends in July 2009 but until it does end, I want a browser to support my choice of windows OS.3. No activeX.4. Ability to easily turn java and javascript on and off site by site. I don't want an all or nothing approach - on for all sites or off for all sites.

[redmaledeer]

With my dial-up. speed is the most important. I mostly use K-Meleon, which seems faster than Firefox. Opera and Safari for Windows are comparable to K-Meleon, tho maybe a bit slower, but they have other problems for me. Anyone have an opinion on the speeds of Chrome versus K-Meleon? I haven't tried Chrome yet, partly because of a lingering distrust of Google.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Security and customize-ability.

[Elf Wizard]

Open Source license.I really like community efforts and cooperation, rather than a single person or one company projects.I think, open sourced means security, stability, customization, tweaking and portability.On the other hand, the rest of the licenses means that you have to wait when the author implement specific features, if he want to do it at all.My personal preference for windows and linux is Firefox. Greets!!!