Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Technology => Topic started by: DoctorBeaver on 16/03/2009 12:17:41

Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 16/03/2009 12:17:41: Flock, from those nice people at Mozilla, is a new browser unlike any others.

Although aimed primariy at those who use the web mainly for socialising and networking, it can be used as a normal browser too and has some very good features that could make web activities a lot easier and nicer.

I've only just downloaded it so I haven't had a chance to evaluate it properly. My first impression, though, is that it is excellent and very easy to use. As many of you will know, I am not easily impressed and anything new needs to offer something distinctly different and useful before I give it the thumbs up. At the moment I give Flock a definite nod of approval.

Here's what it says on the Flock website:

Quote
Flock is a browser. The people here at Flock are committed to building a browser unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before; because we start by focusing on user needs. We take pride in solving for common behaviors on the Web that seem clunky today, and will seem ridiculous tomorrow. We’re taking you there.
We’re focused on keeping you close and better connected to the people, places and things you love, more informed about the topics that turn you on, and smiling about the way it all comes together. We love nothing more than hearing from users who didn’t know they were experiencing ‘conventional browser fatigue’ until they’ve downloaded Flock..and voila. Their lives get that much better.
We're big fans of the many interesting and innovative sites and services that continue to emerge to keep our online lives interesting. We also share a common vision that your browser should do much more than just get you to where you want to go. It should make sure you don’t miss out on things that are important to you and help you break down any barrier to easily share, publish, discover and communicate, so that you can enjoy the web to the fullest extent possible.

I am a committed Firefox user and Flock uses the same browser technology as Firefox. That means it should be robust and conform to web standards (Standards? Are you reading this, Mirosoft?).

There are add-ons available, some of which look interesting. 1 in particular caught my eye. It's called Med.ium and lets yu see graphically where your friends are on the web. It looks like a level from 1 of those platform games with little people icons on the different platforms. Not only can you see your friends, but you can see other people on the same site.

Take a look for yourselves by downloading it HERE (http://flock.com/). A video tutorial will start when you first use Flock that takes you through the features. I would strongly advise anyone to at least give it a try. I think many of you will really like it.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: dentstudent on 16/03/2009 12:30:51: I'm going to give it a go stright away - anything with a DB nod of approval is worth a look. Other recommendations I've seen often come with a nod off approval.

I just hope that it doesn't have anything to do with the decor in an Indian restaurant.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: dentstudent on 16/03/2009 13:03:32: Eth - have you found a way of having the multiple web pages, um, speed-dial I think, wasn't it?
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: BenV on 16/03/2009 14:50:34: Surely http://downloads.flock.com/index.php?utm_source=flockcom&utm_medium=versionspage&utm_campaign=flockcom002&utm_content=win_language&os=win&lang=en-GB&product=flock-2.0.3 would be better for you, doc?
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 16/03/2009 14:56:04: Ben - What's that link for? It just gives me a download box and doesn't say what it is.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 16/03/2009 14:56:27: Quote from: dentstudent on 16/03/2009 13:03:32
Eth - have you found a way of having the multiple web pages, um, speed-dial I think, wasn't it?

That's in Firefox & Opera
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: BenV on 16/03/2009 14:57:06: It's a direct link to the British English version installer - none of this American nonsense for us Brits...
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 16/03/2009 17:14:45: OK, thanks
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 17/03/2009 03:57:06: Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 16/03/2009 12:17:41
As many of you will know, I am not easily impressed and anything new needs to offer something distinctly different and useful before I give it the thumbs up.
It reminds me of the episode in the Simpsons when Homer says, 'Now I'm not easily impressed by anything'

......
A few seconds later

"Look! A blue car!'
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 17/03/2009 04:07:04: I'm pretty impressed with it too DoctorBeaver. [:)]
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: dentstudent on 17/03/2009 15:51:06: Is that "Me.Dium" thing working? Mine goes to One Riot for some reason.

I don't understand! Help!
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 17/03/2009 16:16:56: I haven't downloaded it yet
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: erickejah on 18/03/2009 02:30:09: It is very usefull
http://rosset.org/photography/nazca/nazca01.htm (http://rosset.org/photography/nazca/nazca01.htm)
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: neilep on 18/03/2009 02:41:32: Does this mean ewe don't like Kmeleon anymore Dr Beave ?
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 18/03/2009 10:26:01: Quote from: neilep on 18/03/2009 02:41:32
Does this mean ewe don't like Kmeleon anymore Dr Beave ?

Oh yes, I still use that. And Firefox remains my No1 choice. But Flock makes certain things a lot easier so I'll be using it for them.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: neilep on 18/03/2009 11:51:31: Well, I'm using Flock now !....seems natural that I should....being a sheepy !!

Ever since you recommended K-meleon I've been using that too. It's quick !
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 19/03/2009 02:17:54: Firefox, K-meleon and Flock are good for different things. K-meleon is a good, robust, no-nonsense browser that is very fast. Flock is great for sites like Facebook, Myspace, Photobucket, etc. Firefox is a fully-featured browser that has lots of add-ons that I find extremely useful in certain circumstances.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: Karen W. on 19/03/2009 07:05:00: Hummmm I had never heard of it till 5 minutes ago C4M! LOL.. Interesting I had trouble with K-meleon or it with me.. LOL so I trashed it then trashed my computer!
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 19/03/2009 09:24:38: Quote from: Karen W. on 19/03/2009 07:05:00
Hummmm I had never heard of it till 5 minutes ago C4M! LOL.. Interesting I had trouble with K-meleon or it with me.. LOL so I trashed it then trashed my computer!

I've not had any trouble with K-meleon that I can attribute to it. It's frozen a few times but that happens with a lot of programs.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: neilep on 19/03/2009 11:38:52: Eth, this is what I now get in FLOCK..but only with THIS site http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=21319.new#new
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 20/03/2009 00:19:10: To be honest, that looks more like a video card error. Those triangular type shapes are not avaiable in HTML (HTML is what tells your browser what to display and where to display it), you'd have to insert them as images. There is no way that a browser rendering engine will just throw in images in that manner.

Flock uses the same rendering engine as Firefox & K-meleon (the Mozilla engine; just about the most robust engine there is) so unless you've played with the settings it should be fine. But I don't see how playing with the settings would cause that either.

Had you immediately prior to that happening visited any sites that were heavy on Flash graphics? I've known those to mess with graphics cards at times.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: neilep on 20/03/2009 00:23:48: Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 20/03/2009 00:19:10
How strange. I can view this site fine with it. It uses the same rendering engine as Firefox & K-meleon (the Mozilla engine; just about the most robust engine there is) so unless you've played with the settings it should be fine.

To be honest, that looks more like a video card error.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !!!!! *prays that it's not !!*
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 20/03/2009 00:26:39: You didn't know I was going to edit that post, did you. [:D]
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 20/03/2009 00:27:11: No need to panic. It won't be anything that a re-boot won't cure.
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: neilep on 20/03/2009 01:57:19: Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 20/03/2009 00:27:11
No need to panic. It won't be anything that a re-boot won't cure.

Phew !!

and you are right (of course) a re-boot has fixed it ! I wish I could re-boot myself !
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: Karen W. on 20/03/2009 02:29:35: Lol....lol...
Yeah...like I said it was probably that it was having trouble with me.... lol..
Thanks Doc!
Title: Have you seen the Flock browser?
Post by: erickejah on 25/03/2009 02:14:52: I do like it, tx for the link [:D]