Puzzled about the need to download Firefox??

New iMac 10.7.3. Please help me understand why I need to download Firefox?

Let me explain. There is a financial site where I need to view pdf files. Site states that I need Adobe Reader. I've downloaded the latest version of Adobe Reader, but still cannot view pdf files. So I called their customer support. They said I needed the Adobe Reader and Flash. I told them I had both. They then ask me what browser I was using, and I told them Safari.
The next statement was that I needed Firefox. WHAT???

Why would I need to download a new browser to view their pdf file? Safari, Preview, and Adobe Reader are sufficient to view all other pdf files in every other site.

I'm new to the Mac and don't want to "clutter" with stuff I don't need?


Thank you

Just curious, what bank is this? Do you have their URL? That makes no sense. If you have Adobe Acrobat installed you should have no issues at all. Preview is usually just fine with 99% of all the PDF's out there.

You shouldn't need any of that - Safari has a built in PDF reader which will handle 99% of the PDFs thrown at it.

By the way, the Adobe reader browser plugin doesn't work with Firefox so I don't know what the person on the other end is talking about.

Thank you for quick replies. I did not think I should need Firefox.

This is not a bank. It is Securities America.

I'm not going to download Firefox just to view their statements. I will demand they continue to mail them to me.

Thanks again.

More IT staff seeing the Windows world exclusively!

eleets said:

I'm not going to download Firefox just to view their statements. I will demand they continue to mail them to me.

Click to expand...

I understand the frustration but is it really worth this just to avoid using Firefox? You'd only have to use it once in a while.

@ vansmith
Yes, you have a point. And eventually I probably will give in and download Firefox. I've never used Firefox, know nothing about it.
I'm still trying to learn my way around my new iMac. I've only had to call apple support 4 times...lol and now I've found this forum to help me too!

By the way, I love my new computer. Glad I made the switch!

Thanks

Thank you

It's a web browser like many others so although it has it's subtle differences, it's the same as the others for the most part. Give it a try and see if you prefer it.

It's not that FF isn't a perfectly fine browser, it's that there should NEVER EVER be a requirement to have to use a different browser just because some lazy Windows IT guy can't be bothered to make a site adhere to established, universal web standards.

chas_m said:

It's not that FF isn't a perfectly fine browser, it's that there should NEVER EVER be a requirement to have to use a different browser just because some lazy Windows IT guy can't be bothered to make a site adhere to established, universal web standards.

Click to expand...

True (what makes you think it's a Windows IT guy though - bad web devs exist independent of the platform) but unfortunately, sometimes this is the case.

This was the whole point in spoofing the user agent - you circumvent the artificial restriction which would allow you to stick with Safari.

My mom has the same issue with her iMac, she has a family business and some insurance sites just don't work with safari or Firefox and they only work on chrome. I actually have several browsers that I use fr different things. Just use the one that you like and want to use. And then use the other if you have to use it.

I have all the major browsers installed but for a reason. Web Site testing and Browser testing. I was/am on the Webkit team as a tester.