Browser Wars
Netscape was not the first Web browser, but
it was the first one to be widely used. Internet
Explorer did not even exist when the Web
began. Internet Explorer was Microsoft's
desperate move to not be left out of the
World Wide Web. It led to the famous Microsoft
antitrust case ( which is still not concluded).
Netscape is now dead, but it lives on as
Mozilla. [link to interesting history, including the first browser]
Internet Explorer works well, but it's insecurity is well established. To quote Spyware Weekly Newsletter, "Between ActiveX, Microsoft-hacked
Java, and HTA scripting, Internet Explorer
is nothing but a collection of security flaws
that loads web pages as an afterthought."
I've given up trying to keep IE security
flaws patched. I just set very tight security
options for Internet Explorer, and then only
use it for the few sites where nothing else
works. Those sites are often the ones where
the webmaster is ignorant about -- or doesn't
care about -- Web standards and compatibility
with any browser except Internet Explorer.
Mozilla is cleaner and quite a bit faster than Internet
Explorer. Other major advantages are tabbed browsing (window-in-window), excellent security,
and superb popup blocking. It also remembers passwords [note] for you.
On top of that, Mozilla comes with an email
client included. And the client has a good
spam filter as well. It's a "Bayesian"
spam filter, which means it's accurate and
powerful, yet easy to use.
Mozilla Firefox (was Firebird) is the advanced development
version of Mozilla. It is now "stable"
enough (meaning no serious bugs remain) to
use as your primary browser. It simply doesn't
crash. Firefox is my default browser -- the
one I use everyday. Making it the default
keeps Internet Explorer from opening an email
link or anything else without warning. [news] [review] [article]
Keep one thing in mind if you install Mozilla
or Firefox. Netscape and Mozilla had common
origins. Many websites, for example, Macromedia,
still refer to Mozilla as "Netscape".
There are other good browsers, most notably
Opera, which offers faster browsing, better security
than IE, and the same superb tabbed browsing
(window-in-window) that Mozilla does. I used
it extensively in the past, and it's a fine
browser. Mozilla works better at some sites though. [freeware]
"OffByOne" is a browser that's so compact it
actually fits on a floppy disk. It's also
much quicker than any mainstream browser.
Some sites may not be displayed exactly as
intended, but most are good enough. I use
it when I want to investigate a site that
I'm dubious about. It's safe to use for unknown sites
because it won't activate malicious content.
[freeware]
Example of a dubious site: Occasionally I get unsolicited email
from what might not be from a spammer. I'd like to opt-out of
their mailing list, but I don't want to let
a spammer know that my address is a real
one. I use OffByOne to go to their related
Web site and check them out. If they're a
legitimate business I then click the "unsubscribe"
link.
Browser Resources
Comparisons -- Internet Explorer, Netscape
(AOL), Opera and Mozilla (click the print
icon on the page when you get there:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,541235,00.asp
Did you know that you can choose to have
your browser open any Web page that you want
when it first starts?
http://netforbeginners.about.com/library/weekly/aa011402a.htm
Tips for Browsing
CNET Software -- browsers and browser related software.
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