Browsers for internet: Which one is best for you?

Anyone that has used a Windows-based computer would have used Internet Explorer at some point. As it is currently bundled with all versions of Windows, Internet Explorer is often a popular choice of web browser and something that we have all grown familiar with using. The latest version of the browser, Internet Explorer 9, is now available to download directly from Microsoft. This latest version fixes many of the issues that previous versions of the software had, and brings many new features on board, such as improved integration with Windows7 and the ability to “pin” your favorite websites to your Windows taskbar (that runs along the bottom of your screen) for easy one-click access. Internet Explorer 9 is something that I would highly recommend trying as a first web browser. It is fast and secure, but most importantly it is familiar to anyone who has used a Windows PC before. Visit the Microsoft website to get the latest version of Internet Explorer.

Just like Internet Explorer is bundled with every Windows-based PC, Safari is bundled with every Mac. Safari is frequently the go-to browser for anyone using a Mac due to how it integrates with the entire Mac operating system. The latest release from Apple, Safari 5.1 improves on the already solid Safari browser and brings in some features that aren’t available anywhere else such as Multi-Touch gestures for your Macbook Pro allowing you to perform advanced actions just by touching the trackpad. Safari has all of the standard features too such as the latest security updates, tabbed browsing, and the always popular resume feature so that when you close the browser and open it again later, all of your open webpages are restored to where you last left off. While there are versions of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox that are available for Macs, Safari for Mac is unrivaled in terms of functionality when you are browsing on a Mac. If you are a Mac user and are looking for something that will work just the way you would expect, download the latest version of Safari.

If you have ever wanted your browser to do just one more thing, you might have had to install an add-on. An add-on is a mini program that you can add to Firefox which gives it the ability to perform extra tasks or change the way Firefox looks. Mozilla Firefox prides itself on having the largest library of add-ons available for any browser online. At its core Firefox isn’t too different from any of the other major browsers, it is fast, stable, and secure, but what sets Firefox apart from the others is that you can customize every level of the browser. If you want to change the way all of the windows and buttons look, there are many add-ons that will allow you to change the display; if you want to take notes while browsing websites there are add-ons that allow you to draw on top of webpages. Firefox takes your standard web browser and allows you to tweak and personalize it to your liking. If you need complete control of your browser or are looking for some unique and interesting features download Mozilla Firefox.

If I had to pick a personal favorite it must be Google Chrome. Chrome is a clean, fast, and simple-to-use browser without many of bells and whistles that can slow other browsers down. As with all of the latest browsers, Chrome revolves around the usage of tabs, which allow you to keep multiple websites open at a time within one Chrome window. When you open a new tab, Chrome will automatically pull up a list of your most commonly viewed websites, saving you time from typing them out every time you wish to visit. Chrome is always being worked on by the people at Google and new security updates or new features are always being released. If you are looking for a web browser that just works out of the box, doesn’t need any fiddling around to get going, and is very fast, download Google Chrome.

As with all computer software, it is always highly recommended to update to the latest version. Not only will you get more features and functionality, updates often fix security problems and improve the general performance of the software. If you are thinking of trying a new browser, or are just curious to see what the latest version of your current browser can do, visit the browser’s website.

So while most of the differences among these four browsers might only appear to be cosmetic, or a few new features, they all function differently on a technical level. Some web developers out there sometimes only build a website to work with one or two certain browsers, so while you might see the website and it will look correct, your customers might not. The good news however is that all Web123 websites are tested to ensure that they display correctly in the latest versions of every popular browser, so neither you nor your customers are going to be left out in the cold.