Question: Why should I switch from Firefox to IE7?
Are you a devoted Firefox user? If so, you may be wondering if there is anything in IE7 that will cause you switch back to IE. Here's my take on the reasons someone might switch from Firefox back to IE7, but why you probably won't.
Answer: If you're a devoted Firefox user, IE7 doesn't offer a "killer feature" that get you or I to switch back. Chances are, you've developed browsing habits that are based on the way Firefox and its numerous extensions work, and you won't find anything in IE7 that will make you willing to give up the comforts of home. That said, I think you'll be pleased with IE7 in general, and the lower memory use and RSS reader might be enough to bring some back.
Even though you might not switch back to Firefox, I assume you'll install IE7 on your Windows computer. The security enhancements alone are sufficient reasons to upgrade, and once you have it, I'm confident you'll find it more pleasant to use. Tabbed browsing has been implemented nicely in IE7, and the inclusion of Quick Tabs makes it a snap to find the tab that contains the Web site you need.
You might even find that you prefer the IE7 approach to tabs over the Firefox approach. For instance, IE7 gives you a small button you can click on to open a new tab, while Firefox doesn't. There are also buttons on each tab so you can close the tab, while closing a tab requires more mouse movement in Firefox.
If there is anything that might make you (or me) switch back to IE, I think it would be the insane amount of memory Firefox can use and the awesome RSS reader that's built into IE7. I often have a lot of tabs open in Firefox, and it can eat up memory (and bog down my computer) like nothing else. Firefox's memory issues are well known, yet it continues to be a problem and end users shouldn't be expected to search for and apply solutions themselves. If IE7 has an advantage when it comes to memory use, it might be enough to convince some people to switch back to IE7.
The RSS reader built into IE7 is another IE7 feature that might make you think twice about sticking with Firefox. In Firefox, the built-in RSS reader (if it can be called that) only shows the title of new items in the Bookmarks menu. It doesn't show any of the content from the feed, and as such, it isn't very useful. By contrast, the RSS reader built into IE7 is feature rich. Feeds are stored in the Favorites Center, and IE7 opens the chosen feed in the current tab, allowing you to brose the new items easily. The wordwheel search is super handy when you're looking for specific information, and you can easily sort items by either date or title or filter your results to a particular category. Although you can choose between numerous RSS readers available to Firefox users, IE7 makes it convenient from the start, and IE7 can share your subscribed feeds with other programs such as Windows Live Mail Desktop, Windows Mail, and other Windows services.
While Firefox's memory issues and IE7's killer RSS reader make IE7 a contender, I don't think many Firefox users are likely to switch back. For starters, most Firefox users believe it's more secure than IE, and it will take IE7 some time to overcome that reputation. In addition, most Firefox users have habits based on the way Firefox and its extensions work that they aren't interested in changing.
For me, Firefox remains my browser of choice because my habits and expectations are based on Firefox. Firefox allows you to assign keywords to a bookmark\favorite to open a Web site quickly, whereas IE7 only lets you assign keyboard shortcuts. I've assigned dozens of keywords to Firefox bookmarks, and I find it much easier to remember that "windows" opens my About Windows site than "CTRL+ALT+W". I'm also not ready to give up my Firefox extensions, as I'm accustomed to Web browsing without advertisements and I like the ability to copy linked text to the clipboard with a couple clicks. Hopefully, the IE add-ons available will continue to grow, making IE7 a better option for those who spend hours on the Web.
Although I'm not switching from Firefox to IE7 just yet, don't take that as a proclamation that Firefox is better than IE7. My only reason for preferring Firefox is that I've grown to expect my browser to work like Firefox. IE7 is a great browser, but my reluctance to change back begs the question: once a Firefox user, always a Firefox user?