Overview

this is a list of the pros and cons of the various browsers.

opera

pros

• Opera has the most advanced and more feature-complete HTML5 implementation of form elements.
• comes in a pay-for and free version.
• debugger plugins available ("XDebug" and "FireBugLite")

cons

google chrome

pros

• terrible bookmark system. no visible way to access bookmarks once they have been added.
• minimalist to the max
• downloads are all stuffed into a single download directory whether you like it or not.
• debugger plugin available (chromebug I think)
• perfect for flashing dd-wrt firmware and other router firmware

cons

apple safari

pros

• minimalist. you either like it or you don't. I can't stand it.
• fairly decent at HTML5

cons

• minimalist. you either like it or you don't. I can't stand it.
• button bar not customizeable
• semi-OK bookmark system. but at least you can access it once you make a bookmark.
• no tabs
• fairly decent at HTML5
• downloads are all stuffed into a single download directory whether you like it or not.

IE (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc)

pros

• IE and firefox shine with its bookmark system. in fact, IE simply makes internet shortcuts which can be backed up with a zip file & stuck on a cd.
• can be embedded as an ActiveX control in applications and have some basic control (like browser controls as access methods)
• has debugger
• customizable links bar

cons

• button bar not customizeable
• no bookmark backup system exists. but at least it's do-able if you know your way around windows innards.
• "IE makes me cry" - web designer (quirky nonstandard junk for web developers/designers)
• extremely slow to create new tab
• not standards compliant
• IE6 sticks around and tortures clients and web developers alike. IE8 and IE7 aren't much better. IE9 isn't hardly an improvement.
• microsoft ditched their "older OS" users and left them with old browsers - "upgrade your OS for $200-300", leaving the market wide open for other browsers. I feel sorry for people who don't know how to install a browser.
• IE is inextricably a part of and tied into Windows networking. if it isn't functioning, chances are that you can't access the internet.

firefox

pros

• bookmark system pretty much shines. backup/restore to/from JSON database file or HTML file using nested DT+DD tags. flaw: my bookmarks are in the database, but not all my bookmarks are being displayed. firefox offers a built-in bookmarks backup and restore system
• moveable tabs
• downloads are all stuffed into a single download directory whether you like it or not BY DEFAULT, but you can switch this behavior to prompt you to save to wherever you like - I like the control because I organize my files into folder trees by categories & versions.
• debugger plugin available (firebug)
• customizable links bar
• button bar is customizeable

cons

• bookmark flaw: my bookmarks are in the database, but not all my bookmarks are being displayed.
• bookmark flaw: firefox offers a built-in bookmarks backup and restore system in a strange place "show all bookmarks, very unintuitive and makes backups hard to find for average joe user "oh, that couldn't be it"...
• HTML5 forms controls are unimplemented in 7. they even removed the slider recently. now my HTML5 pages look barren.
• 1-2-second delay when I have plugins
• firefox gets its profile messed up once in a while, so every time something goes wrong, support recommends you backup your bookmarks and zap your profile.
• not good for flashing dd-wrt firmware, breaks in the middle

browsers