First of all, I would like to state that I appreciate your work.-
(A paradox: a website specialized in Hardware, has done a[nother] Software test.
And not any kind of test: a test of browsers... In the future, if possible, please tell us, your readers, how many programmers is using Microsoft (for example), in order to periodically test their rivals' browsers, in their labs. And how rigorous is their testing methodology. And what combination of hardware & software are they using. After all, if they don't want to lie themselves, I believe they are doing very extensive tests... far beyond those done by you. Like these ones: http://caniuse.com/#statuses=rec,pr,cr,wd.)
I took the courage to send you this comment, because I noticed that ALL the "browser testers" have something in common: they [deliberately?] AVOID to evaluate the browsers' behavior, from a "protocol analyzer" perspective...
I would like to know what kind of data is sending, a browser, at its "headquarters": during the installation process, when a "crash" occurs, or, simply, just after you have started it.
IE is sending this king of data, somewhere to Microsoft Networks, at every session. Like WMP 10 does. Even Iron is sending these kind of data.
But what it sends, where, why, and how many resources it consumes (bandwidth, processor cycles), how often, using what protocols, if the data are encrypted, or not, etc., all these remain a mystery.
You, as a FF user, aren't you curious to know what data is sending the browser, each time you access a certain URL? Especially with the options "Block reported attack sites" and "Block reported web forgeries", enabled...
You should also disclose the fact that Firefox and Internet Explorer have the ability to disable the so-called "DOM Storage" persistent "cookie". I do not know if Chrome has it, too. But I do know that Opera does not not have this capability...
Functionality, "ergonomicity", "artistic impression" of the GUI, Speed, Security, Conformance with the web standards, configurability, and other "technical" characteristics...
But what about PRIVACY? Does it have any relevance for you?
Yes, with the latest version of *browser* you are protected. But the price of this "safety" is, almost always, the lack of privacy. (After all, Microsoft ditto: "Windows 7 = Life without walls". Without walls... for who? For "the Big Brother", maybe?)
And how many of the "allowed" plug-ins, designed for Firefox, contain "spyware", in a form, or another?
Very often, those who are talking about "conspiracies" are the conspirators themselves...
"More and more browser manufacturers are integrating functionalities into their browsers, that are sending private data of their users, back to the browser functionality. Sometimes, this data consists of a unique ID allowing to identify a user, sometimes it is a URL of a website that could not be found. Google Chrome and the new Internet Explorer 8 have been turned into real champions when it gets into collecting those kinds of personal data, but even Firefox and Safari are sending out private information. – AntiBrowserSpy is a tool designed for helping users to switch off those spy functionality." (I have quoted a software producer.)
And more:
"We can literally know everything [about a certain user], if we want to." (Google CEO Eric Schmidt @ the Mobile World Congress, in 2010)
http://blogs.computerworld.com/15614/google_ceo_schmidt_we_can_know_everything_about_you
In a future test, do you have THE COURAGE to study the behavior of the four main browsers, using a tool like Wireshark; for, let's say, three months; and then, to publish your results?
I bet you don't!
Wolfram