Uh...browser overkill? Not supporting some extensions is a major drawback but eventually once out of beta it should handle most or all extensions.

designerpcexpert

"On the other hand, if you use Firefox for the security and speed, stop kidding yourself and install Opera."

Fixed. :-D

Sensai

I think the advantage here is you get all those features included right from the start, no tinkering around with extensions required. Would probably be useful for someone who wants a good browser setup but doesn't want to play around with too many extensions (e.g. setting this up for your Mom)

TedHead

This reminds of the Camino browser for Mac OS X. Although I'm pretty sure you can get all those additional features as extensions for Firefox, Orca incorporates those features as a all-in-one package. It looks like its mainly for people who don't feel like wasting time searching for Firfox extensions, or for the less tech-savvy people who would have absolutely no idea what an extension is (like novice computer users like my parents).

aukreaz

I also fail to see the point. In my opinion, if you want an all-in-one browser, Opera's the way to go. And Opera has all of those features and more. On the other hand, if you're an open-source advocate.. Well, there's Konquerer in that category too. I don't know. It just doesn't seem like anything new.

Abby_Normal

@theRIAA: I would have to agree with you. You can get all of those in extensions for firefox I think.

ComanderPam

I fail to see the point. Firefox allows you to add all those features. IE did not, that's why they made avant.

theRIAA

"but doesn't want to play around with too many extensions (e.g. setting this up for your Mom)"

Me: Here's one that shows local weather reports.
Mom: Oooh! Get that one!
Me: Here's one that pronounces words.
Mom: Oooh! Get that one!
Me: Here's one that shows addresses on Google Maps.
Mom: Oooh! Get that one!
Me: Here's one that gives you coloured tabs.
Mom: Oooh! Get that one!

etc, etc, etc.

bsts

Clones don't work at all times :)

Nxqd3051990

I'm sorry, but in my opinion, "if you use Firefox for the security and speed, don't want to install extensions yourself, but want more functionality" then you are just lazy. Especially because FFX3 and the new plugins page have made it so much easier to install extensions

JBu92

Kinda neat idea that it comes with storage to sync everything. Why the heck is it Windows only? Based on Firefox, and it sounds like most of the features could probably be implemented with a handful of add-ons. I wonder if there's really something breaking Linux, or they just don't have anyone to compile it.

Scott Wegner

I've been a big Avant fan for years (I'm using it now.)

I've played with Firefox a quite a bit and after installing a bunch of Add-Ons, I can ALMOST get it to match my out-of-box Avant experience. I still can't figure out how to get Firefox's tabs to stack rather than scroll and, for the life of me (and this is a deal breaker), I can't find out how to replicate Avant's "Highlight" button (neither Wired-Marker or NowPublic Highlight do what it does...)

I'm really looking forward to trying Orca out when I get home.

Futrell

I'm using it now.

IT seems O.K. not very polished. Needs more work but seems like a good start to mimic firefox with lots of add-ons that most people would probably use - Ad blocker, Mouse Gestures, tabs (duh), bookmark/login syncing

I love compact mode, it sticks the file menu on the title bar so you get a whole bar of webpage space, Firefox should definitely adopt this.

The menu's seem to have tons of shit thrown into them. Like the tools menu has a button for like 10 Enable/Disable things which would probably better in a submenu.

It comes with like 20 skins which is a +
but 80% of them look exactly the same which is a -

Ad-blocker is a nice addition but it doesn't block flash ads which blows. Also, it leaves a big space where ads were, instead of removing that spot all-together (like ad block plus in firefox). Getting to the settings is a bitch too because the ad-block button on the status bar lets do do everything but ADD MORE BLOCKS. Stupid imo.

The Storage thing is a good idea, Opera has this too. I don't like if u save passwords it comes up with a popup right after asking you to NAME your auto-fill info for that site. And if u have other tabs open it defaults to URL of the first tab thats open.

The auto-info fill for name/address etc. sucks, but anything compared to Roboform sucks anyway.

The memory footprint isn't even that small. It uses MORE memory than firefox 3 until you open a bunch of tabs, then its almost exactly the same.

ALSO, page loading is slower than ff3.

well that's it for now! I dont think i'll be using this yet but its a nice start!

Drogean

@Futrell: Futrell, I use Tab Mix Plus for stacking tabs as well as many other great features.

loucarey62

But why isn't anyone using K-Meleon or even mentioning the browser? New version 1.1.6 on July 18 rocks, unless for some reason one really wants/needs more than enough--I mean, too much of a good thing (like extensions) becomes quite burdensome.

rainbowsky

I doubt that Orca will be able to compete with the regular Firefox browser, which already supports most of these add-ons.

tahir_em

Futrell, thought I was the only one left who still uses and prefers Avant, nice to know, lol...
Looking forward to trying Orca....

Fullbug

I've tried them all for Windows IE, Firefox, Opera, Avant, Maxthon, Safari and Slimbrowser. Although I like the built-in groups feature of slimbrowser I have become a fan of the autologin which is not found in the rest and since I'm tied to using IE at work this has been my browser of choose when using IE at work.

But for everything else nothing and I mean nothing compares to Firefox, yes the plugins can be a little daunting but add to that greasemonkey, stylish and the ability to control every aspect of FF by adjusting the chrome and config and there is nothing else that can compare. I do wish that FF had the same autologin function either by default or as a plugin.

Stephen

@bsts:

how do you show addresses on google maps?

theRIAA

One other thing, I see the person who wrote this page mentioned that he tried to install Firefox extensions, how did he go about doing that? I dont see any feature in Orca where extensions would go....

Fullbug

Just want to know, how do I get the Mainmenu toolbar (File, Edit, etc) to show up on the title bar in FF3 like it does in that screenshot? I'd get Orca for that alone

burnblue

I likw it, but to be honest I really dont see any difference between Orca and Avant....

Fullbug

@Futrell: stacking tabs can be done with the tab mix plus addon, read the intro , the ff3 version is on the creator's page, works fine with 3.xx

PintSki

As someone who switched from Avant to FF3 on Download Day, I can assure you that I won't be going back. I loved Avant, but this really is a case of once you've tried extensions you wonder how you ever lived without them. I'll stick with FF3 for the moment.

Popstar Dave

@aukreaz: But the problem is less-savvy computer users won't go looking for a web browser like this.

x_shoppy_x

This is just silly. First, they give you a bunch of "features" that you can already get in two minutes of installing extensions, but then you lose the ability to use any OTHER extensions.

Essentially, instead of adding features, they're giving you a crippled version of Firefox. I don't understand why this is even on LifeHacker.

Vertigo50

I don't get what people mean that extensions are "daunting". That's like saying all the books in a library are daunting. Either you're looking for something you need or you can just skip the extensions. More options are better, as long as there is a search box.

Vertigo50

@PintSki: It can also be done with Tab Kit, if you don't want to murder your fancy numbered tabs.

Ender15

what another (browser) clone wars? instead of reinventing the wheel, they should just use their time adding more useful firefox addons if they think the base ff code lacks.

note: better lifehacker nested replies still not working :-(

JadeEmperor

As mentionned, these features are all standard in Opera 9.5 If you want these features, and want the most secure browser available, why would you bother with this?

mickeric

better stic wid our dearest foxy.

pravinpatil41

So according to the summary (haven't tried it) it is a crippled Firefox browser that comes preloaded with extension supposedly like:

Ad-Block Plus,
Flashblock,
Sxipper,
and Foxmarks.

The biggest two and best say what they do in their name and are the most popular of their kind. How could it be any more simple? It is times like this where I wish this obvious talent was spent elsewhere.

ri59

@loucarey62: Thanks for the Tab Mix Plus tip. Very nice. I especially like that I can actually move the tab bar to the bottom without editing the UserChrome.css file.

Now, where's my Avant Highlight button functionality? Like I said it's a deal-breaker.

For the curious: Clicking Avant's Highlight button highlights all instances of any text that you've typed in your Search toolbar. I can't live without it. Screw Ctrl-F.

Futrell

I've been looking for something between Opera and FF for some time. I want the features of FF's extensions (ad block, advanced tab preferences, full greasemonkey/stylish compatibility), but the speed of Opera. Opera has too little screen real estate, and I can't stand the side bar, which pops back open every once in a while. Opera, however, kills FF3 loaded with just a few extensions in terms of memory and browsing speed. If Orca could combine the features of popular extensions and the speed of Opera, I'd be sold.

thaipablo

With a name like that, I thought it was an accessible web browser for Linux to use with the Orca screen reader. What a shame, one of Linux's great weak points is accessibility.

Back on topic, if it doesn't support Firefox extensions, I don't think it's worth it. Flock seems to get this, and most popular Firefox extensions work on Flock too.

limitedmage

I used Orca waaaaaay back in the day when it was um, still in alpha...and I think it will always be in alpha unless the dev gets off his butt and finishes it.

But I loved Orca. It was the first Gecko-based browser I used each and every day while Firefox 1.5 rotted away on my hard drive untouched. Of course I came to it from Avant, the only Trident-based browser I would use back then (now I just use IE 7 when I must use IE - Avant is actually too feature-laden for my taste and I don't like it's new default skins).

In mid-2006 or so the dev (wasn't it some guy named Anderson?) went to sleep on Orca. Main problems were it crashed almost every time you used it and people wanted all the extensibility it lacked. I checked for about a year after that but the dev never updated the software. I'm using Firefox 2.0.0.15 now because FF3 didn't work out too well for me so I'll go give Orca another look.

emnem