Browsers Explained
Kashif Choudhury -- Browsers are our window into the world of internet. It is where a lot of us spend a large chunk of our time in. Whether to check e-mails, update Facebook accounts or just browsing for information, it is the web browser that we use. Everyone has their own preference of browsers. According to popularity, they are:
Internet Explorer 7
Firefox 3
Safari
Google Chrome 2.0
Opera 9.6
Internet Explorer 7: This is the default browser that comes with windows. Now in version 8, it is not quite as good as the other ones, but it seems that many people just didn't care and just stuck with the one that came with the operating system.
Firefox 3: This is an open source browser that is by far the most customizable of this bunch of browsers. Open source means that the source code (the code used to write computer programs) is available to everyone to modify as they see fit. Firefox can be given added functionality by downloading and installing add ons. Firefox is currently the browser that most people are moving towards. But, if the number of add ons become too much, this can slow down the browser. Its page rendering is quite fast.
Safari: This is the default browser for Mac OS that is also available for Windows. The new version has iPod style cover flow functionality that lets users browse through their favorite websites via thumbnails.
Google Chrome: This is a relatively new browser that entered the fray about a year ago. It doesn't use much RAM, so it runs smoothly on even low end computers. It is also one of the fastest browsers out there. But, it lacks some of the basic functionalities the other browsers offer. This browser also renders google's own sites very fast. Try loading Gmail on it. You'll be amazed.
Opera: Contrary to what the figures suggest, Opera is actually the most complete and well rounded browsers out there. Everything from the download manager to the feed reader integrated into the browser are first rate. It also downloads pages pretty quickly and is very light on RAM. The new version, which is still in beta (Opera 10) has something called Turbo charged browsing. This is a special feature designed to speed up slow connections, like those in our countries. This works by using Opera's servers to compress the data and speed up browsing. Beware of one thing though, some apps like Google Gears as well as some websites don't support Opera. But this is more of an exception than a rule.
All of these browsers are worth considering. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses. So, to sum up, you use:
Internet Explorer: If you're too lazy to download anything else
Firefox 3: If you want to tinker with your browser to make it the way you want
Safari: If you want an iPod, but can't afford one(\)
Google Chrome: If all you want is all out speed with reduced functionality
Opera: If you want a browser with full functionality out of the box.
P.S: I am a bit biased about Opera because it is the one that I use. I've tried everything else, but find that this is the best. If you spend a lot of time on the internet, I recommend you try out all of the browsers and see which one you like best. You're sure to find the perfect fit.
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