Problems with SRWare Iron

[Rizar]

I tried out Iron to see if the new extensions make it a suitable browser for me.

I liked how quickly and easily the extensions install, uninstall, disable. Why do I have to restart in Firefox all the time like brain surgery?

My Firefox bookmarks transferred over perfectly and it has a built-in quick launch page with most popular or custom pages.

But I had major problems with a few key extensions and my security apps.

--I failed to get it to work with GeSWall. The application wizard doesn't work with it, at least not with the portable version. I suspect it might work with the install version, but haven't tried. But it probably doesn't need GeSWall anyway since it has its own internal light sandboxing.

Here are the extensions I tried:

--LastPass: Only average in Iron. The drop down menu is like the Vista/7 start menu and opens oddly. I like how it works in Firefox better.

--Click&Clean: I found this as a way to clean private data without cleaning the stuff stored by extensions, but it didn't work with LastPass and I had other problems with it.

I think it's incompatible with limited user account settings: it starts to go crazy and becomes difficult to kill even with Process Explorer (and Iron restarts for something reason), so don't try it with something like DropMyRights. That is, unless I'm doing something wrong.

Otherwise I thought it had potential to be one of the best extensions: it cleans Flash LSO cookies like BetterPrivacy in Firefox and it can run an external cleaner like CCleaner to further scrub after the browser closes.

--WOT: Works as expected, but cleaning the private data makes it restart to installation settings with its initial popup screen unless you use something like Click&Clean.

--Adblock: Very good as far as I can tell. It took awhile to figure out how to add other lists, such as EasyPrivacy. You have to go to the actual website of the filter, click View, and copy over the URL (https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/easyprivacy[dot]txt).

--Adblock+ Element Hiding Helper: Excellent! Works better than the one in Firefox even, but like other extensions you can't clean your private data if you want to keep the filter list.

So I went 3/6 (50%) on getting it to work with my security apps and the few extensions I tried so far.

[Anupam]

Thanks for starting this topic Rizar. I was thinking of starting a topic on Iron too.

I too faced the same problems. Everytime I clean the private data, WOT settings have to be re-applied when Iron starts. The reason for this is that, settings for WOT are stored as cookies, and when cookies are deleted, the settings are deleted too. Not a very smart move in my opinion. Its a pain to select and delete cookies everytime.

My Orbit Downloader does not work with Iron. MC told that FDM works with Iron, but I do not like the idea of installing FDM just to make it work with Iron. I like Orbit a lot better than FDM, and it is also actively developed.

I really do like the fact that installing and uninstalling of extensions does not require a restart on Iron. Its time saving and efficient.

Google search is provided in the address bar, and that's very smart move. But, suggestions of Google does not work, as it does in the Firefox Google Search. Still, the feature is very good.
Also, you do not have to use the arrow to select the top most address, just hit the enter button, and its done. In Firefox, you have to use the down arrow, even to select the first address.

At the moment, I have just tried two extensions on Iron : WOT and AdBlock. Will look for more in leisure.

Edit : I have changed the topic name to SRWare Iron, for clarity, and for new users .

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by Anupam

At the moment, I have just tried two extensions on Iron : WOT and AdBlock. Will look for more in leisure.

I'm glad someone started thread about Iron. My experience was very similar to those of Anupam and Rizor. My OS is XP SP3. Installation of Iron was smooth and without issue. I also added WOT and AdBlock \w Fanboy's blocking list. I had problems getting stored data from a browsing section to clear. I selected and clicked on clear all private data with Iron still active and closed the browser. I don't like the fact that you can't just check a box to clear all privacy browsing data on program exit. When I did try to clear private data and close Iron, nothing was cleared. I started another session and all the private browsing data reappeared and I was able to look a history as though it was never cleared.

Tried the same again, but this time using Ccleaner after clearing private browsing data. I restarted Iron and all private browsing data reappeared when I looked at the history tab. Not good. So I thought going into Incognito mode would solve the problem. I lost all functionality of WOT and AdBlock when I did an Incognito session.

There is no pop-up blocking that I could find with Iron, so with the loss of functionality of WOT and AdBlock I was getting pop-ups in new tabs with no ads blocked and no WOT blocking.

I know there's always a learning curve when you move from one browser to another, but the basic privacy and blocking elements I'm used to when using FireFox do not appear to work well in Iron. I'll keep testing Iron when I have time, but I was less than impressed with my first session.
All my testing of Iron was done from both an Administrative and LUA in XP SP3.

[sa1]

Originally Posted by Rizar

--Adblock: Very good as far as I can tell. It took awhile to figure out how to add other lists, such as EasyPrivacy. You have to go to the actual website of the filter, click View, and copy over the URL (https://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/easyprivacy[dot]txt).

Look at this thread:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/free...ware-iron.html

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by Taurus

I selected and clicked on clear all private data with Iron still active and closed the browser. I don't like the fact that you can't just check a box to clear all privacy browsing data on program exit. When I did try to clear private data and close Iron, nothing was cleared. I started another session and all the private browsing data reappeared and I was able to look a history as though it was never cleared.

That's odd. I did not have any problem with clearing private data on Iron. Maybe you should reinstall it, and see?

[Anupam]

Ah yes, one more problem on Iron. Does anyone know how to save the current session on Iron? On Firefox, when you close the browser with more than one tab open, next time you start the browser, the same tabs get opened. But, this does not happen with Iron. And, I cannot find anything to save the session, and tabs. This is quite a drawback.

[Anupam]

I have had crashes with Iron recently. I imported Firefox bookmarks into Iron, and when I selected some random bookmarks to open, whole browser would crash.

Also, did anyone notice that Iron has a bug? In the Options under Personal Stuff > Browsing data ... Clear Personal Data button is only half. I installed SRWare Iron on other HDD to confirm, and there too, it was the same.

Iron.jpg

[MidnightCowboy]

With mine, the buttons are fine although the text doesn't all "fit". I'd actually attributed this to my use of Windowblinds which can affect the windows of some other programs like this.

[Anupam]

Strange. I have installed it on this hard disk, and also on older one. In both cases, the button appears half... and also the window cannot be resized.

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by Anupam

Strange. I have installed it on this hard disk, and also on older one. In both cases, the button appears half... and also the window cannot be resized.

Maybe it knows you're a Firefox fan and just doesn't like you