Browsers - Which one to use?

Gone are the days of not really having a choice in what browser you use to surf the web with. We are here to help you decided which is best for the job.

What is a Browser?
A browser is an application that allows you to access and view web pages on the Internet. The application you are currently using, is in fact your Browser.

The browser translates the code from the site into a nice viewable page for you. But not all do this in the same way, or at the same speed. So which is best for you to see the internet as it is intended.

What Browsers Are There?
There are many free browsers available. Which one you you use may depend on what Operating System you have on your computer, for example, if you are using Microsoft Windows then you will probably be using Internet Explorer, or if you are using Mac OS X then you are probably using Safari. Just because these are the default ones on your computer , it does not mean that they are the best to use.

There are four main Browsers, these are:
• Internet Explorer
• Safari
• FireFox
• Opera

Each browser has its own strong and weak points. Some will be faster but lack certain functions and features.

Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer 8 is the latest of Microsoft's browsers, which only available on Microsoft Windows Computers. This latest version sports a new navigation bar, with an improved design. There is also a useful tool at the bottom of the page which allows you to zoom into the page.
These features do not make up for its security flaws, which although improved since version 7, are still a long way behind the other browsers.
Internet Explorer also lacks compatibility with modern web languages, such as CSS3, which means that some websites will not show are intended. In fact Internet Explorer is well known for being the worst at showing web pages as they were designed. Internet Explorer9 will have improved support for these modern web languages, but no where near the to that which is provided by other current browsers.

Safari
Safari is a fast, reliable browser made by Apple.
Safari has a great feature which allows you to view your web history as images, so if you can't remember the address or name of a website you went to, you can look through a "Cover Flow" view of your browsing history, much like looking through your music in iTunes and on the iPhone.
Safari has good compatibility with modern web technologies and has a faster page load time than most browsers.
Safari does lack a lot of the plug-ins and additional features that the other browsers can provide, but is still a powerful web tool.

FireFox
Mozilla Firefox is the best all round browser. It has an extensive range of free plug-ins that you can add to the browser to increase its functions, and has powerful pop-up blocker that will stop those annoying ads from opening all the time.
FireFox has the best web language compatibility, with support for most of the newest technologies that have been released. Also showing the webpage as it was intended.

Opera
Opera is a powerful browser, it has great third party support and thousands of plug-ins and widgets to improve your surfing experience.
It comes complete with a great zoom tool, and a quick feature to view the page without images for faster loading.
Its support for the newer web languages is still a bit behind but future features will include improved support.

So Which Browser To Use?
You do not have to choose just one browser, you can use multiple browsers if you wished, but if you were to choose one we would strongly recommend using Mozilla FireFox.
In our opinion Firefox is the best browser available, mainly because of it strong support for the latest web languages and technologies. After all you wouldn't want to go to a website and be wondering why its all looks a bit funny.

Which Browser Should Be Avoided?
Due to issues with its security, we recommend that Internet Explorer should be avoided. The German government in early 2010 warned its citizens to find alternate browser because of the risks. (We have included a link to a BBC News article about this matter below).

Related Links

BBC News - German government warns against using MS Explorer

FireFox - Free Download
Safari - Free Download
Opera - Free Download