6 of 7

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 3

is no reason just to ignore any of the other browsers available.

All of the major browsers are easily obtained via download. The install process, as with most software today, is intuitive and nothing more than clicking a button or two. The default, preselected options are usually sufficient.

There are several differences in appearance and menu labels between all of the various browsers, but nothing difficult to figure out with just a few minutes of time. The basic functions are all the same, as is the primary purpose of each: to display content including text, pictures, video, audio and any other media type called for in the web pages you are viewing.

When it comes to extensibility, or "add-ons", Firefox is the overwhelming winner. If you are a power user, one who likes to multitask, or someone who likes to tinker with every available option for a piece of software, Firefox is the choice for you. From tabbed browsing - an idea borrowed from the NetCaptor browser according to NetCaptor's creator, Adam Stiles - to layouts and options that allow you to save bits and pieces of web pages, somebody has written an extension for Firefox. There are currently hundreds of add-on extensions available.

This brings us to the second reason for previously mentioning Mosaic. Netscape Communications, producer of Netscape Navigator, first released in 1994 was, in part, founded by Marc Andreesen, the lead programmer for Mosaic. Within a year, Netscape had gained the largest market share of browser users in the world. It maintained that dominance for almost four years and three version releases until it was supplanted by Microsoft's browser, Internet Explorer (v 5.0 at that time).

Netscape 5 was never released to the public. Rather, the source code was made publicly available and a group called the Mozilla Organization, largely funded and staffed by Netscape, began work on the Mozilla browser. The source code was rewritten and an entire litany of browsers are now based on that code, including Mozilla, Camino, Sea Monkey, and Firefox. From Mosaic so long ago, to its successor, Netscape, to Firefox, a browser capable of doing more than any other, again because of the forward thinking and "how can we make it better" attitude, there are concentric circles of influence, and in several cases, a long term familiarity with the products.

In today's Internet world the most important gauge to use when comparing browsers is their level of standards compliance. Standards compliance

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Best browser to use for surfing the net?
We want to hear your view. Write now!