Internet Explorer® and Safari® come pre-installed depending on the computer you buy. Out of the box, you have to use them to do things like check your Internet connection and run updates. However, these might not be the best browser options out there, and there are many differing opinions as to why.
If you have been working with computers on the Internet for a while, you know the issues that have plagued Internet Explorer. From security issues, display issues, and an inability to play nice with code, Internet Explorer made no friends in its early days. Or maybe you have a Mac, and you've never considered anything other than Safari for your Internet browsing needs. It doesn’t have to be this way. There are other browsers out there eager to have you use them for all your Internet needs.
Note: Firefox® and Chrome™ are both available for Windows and Mac systems. The features discussed here work on Windows and Mac-based systems.
Mozilla Firefox
Firefox has been duking it out with Internet Explorer for quite a while now, and some of you may already use it. But are you using to its fullest potential? Some great features included in Firefox are:
Add-Ons
Use Add-Ons to customize Firefox so that it looks and behaves the way you want it to. For instance, do you like to post the same thing to all your social media accounts at the same time? With the Yoono Add-On for Firefox, you can update your status and share information across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube from one sidebar. Do you worry about the security of your computer and potential risks from some websites you visit? Worry a little less with the NoScript Add-On. NoScript lets you control how active content runs from a website, and protects you against XSS and Clickjacking attacks.
App Tabs
Look at your tabs right now. How many of those tabs do you open every morning and keep open all day? Have you ever accidentally closed one and wanted to throw your mouse through your screen? Well not anymore, in Firefox you can right-click on a tab and select Pin as App Tab. Your tab now displays to the left of the Tab Bar and is minimized to leave more space for other tabs.
Panoramas
Also known as Tab Groups, this feature of Firefox lets you group and organize tabs that are related. Have a bunch of tabs open related to the travel plans for a small group trip? Create a Travel Plans Panorama by clicking the List All Tabs button at the far right side of the Tab Strip and selecting Tab Groups. In the Tab Groups window, drag and drop the tabs you want included in the group. To exit the Tab Groups window, click a tab, and you are returned to Firefox. To view your group tabs, click the List All Tabs button at the far right side of the Tab Strip and select the tab group.
Private Browsing
When you use Private Browsing, websites you visit, files you download, or information you enter during your Internet session will not be saved. This does not mean that your Internet session is completely anonymous: your employer and Internet Service Provider can still view that information. However, if someone uses your computer, they will not be able to view your activity. To turn on private browsing, click the Tools menu and select Start Private Browsing.
These are just a few of the useful and interesting things you can do with Firefox; there is still a lot more you can customize or add-on to it. You can view videos and read tutorials to learn more about Firefox features.
Google Chrome
Chrome is Google’s entry into the Internet browser competition. It shares many similarities with Firefox: customization and ease of use. But it does a few things differently than Firefox.
Design
Chrome has minimalism on lockdown. No extra toolbars or menus; just necessary buttons, your bookmarks, and the Chrome Omnibox. Chrome was the first browser to merge the search box with the URL bar and call it the Omnibox. You can enter a URL to go to a website, or run a Google search immediately. Later versions of Firefox have adopted this practice, and Internet Explorer now runs a Bing search, but Chrome did it first.
Extensions
Chrome’s answer to Firefox Add-Ons. Extensions let you add features and functionality to Chrome without messing up the great minimalist design. To view and add extensions to your version of Chrome, visit https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions#category/extensions.
Advanced Security
Chrome has some great default security features such as Safe Browsing, which alerts you when a Website is not trustworthy, and Sandboxing, which limits damage to your computer from malware that happens to get through.
Chrome has so much more to offer than just these features. To learn more about what Chrome is and what you can do with it, go to http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/more/features.html.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
You might be asking yourself what is wrong with just using Internet Explorer. Isn’t it installed for a reason? Isn’t it necessary to run Windows Update? Isn’t it made by Microsoft…the same people who make the Windows Operating System and other high-end tech products? The answer to those questions is of course yes, but you also need to ask yourself if Internet Explorer does everything you need it to or could ever need it to? Do you enjoy using it? As silly as that idea may be, people spend more and more time on computers and online every day. Why not make your experience as tailored and personal as possible?
Microsoft is working to make Internet Explorer user-friendly, and some of the recent enhancements to Internet Explorer 9 are the same features that make Firefox or Chrome great. For example, in Internet Explorer 9, you can pin your favorite Websites to the Windows taskbar or run a search from the address bar.
Whether you use Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox, make sure the browser you select is one that fits your needs and helps you work smarter and faster, not harder. Remember, these tools are supposed to make your life easier, not the opposite.
Of most importance, always use the latest version of your browser. If your browser doesn’t automatically update, set a reminder to check for updates weekly. Updates almost always contain security fixes.
* #00A550 is the hex code for the color green.
Rebecca Moore is a senior writer at ACS Technologies, and writes for Access ACS and other Web-based programs. When not hard at work she can be found spending her free time with her family, cooking, reading, or just generally relaxing.