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At a Microsoft training event a year or two ago, we had the opportunity to question a few of the 7000 full time employees that work on Microsoft Windows development. Nothing too technical, just general queries about where operating systems were headed, new features, etc. I know this was meant to be a friendly PR stunt, but in usual Microsoft fashion, the execs didn't seem to anticipate the logical direction the "Q and A" would take.
There are two types of people at these events: Die-Hard Microsoft Fanboys who treat technical training events like a Ridgemont High pep rally, and normal folks who are mildly interested, but really just want the attendance credit for their certifications. I consider myself the Switzerland of IT providers: I stay neutral.
However, I had seen this type of arrangement before, and knew what would develop. Inevitably, someone brings up the success of Linux or Apple's newest product which represents a challenge to the Microsoft rep, who in turn makes full use of his extensive training in buzzword exposition and general double-speak to divert the unwanted attention. The hardcore Windows proponents rush to the aid of the presenter, and the discussion ends up as a strained but cordial dialogue across the aisle of the movie theatre.
I had been making a list of the newly introduced buzzwords (so I could look them up later) when the discussion began. As I edged out of my seat and backed toward the nearest exit, I heard the beginning of the end for this group meeting. The question that was asked got my attention because it was one that I had asked myself a few times, and I have never forgotten the response offered by the MS presenter.
One of the techs asked, "Can you please tell us why Microsoft chooses to give the user 15 different ways to do the same thing?"
And the response, as calculated as they come: "Microsoft knows that intelligent users want options, even though they will probably never use them."
There may be psychological truth to this statement, but my point is the same as the person who posed the question:
Sometimes more options confuse the issue rather than clarify it. --------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are an "intelligent user" who likes options, there is no shortage of options when choosing an internet browser. Use your favorite. Or use them all. No one will blame you and you may even make a new friend or two on the way.
For this article , I am giving a general description of each of the major browser options out there, along with pros and cons. I'll tell you what I use later.
Your choices are:
- Firefox
- Internet Explorer 8
- Opera
- Flock
- Safari
- Chrome
There are others, but these are the major players.
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Firefox:
For a long time, Firefox has been the favorite alternative browser for anyone that really didn't weant to use Internet Explorer. It was born from the Mozilla project that originated from one of my favorite products of all time, Netscape.
I believe that Firefox was responsible for introducing tabbed browsing, or browsing with multiple websites that appear as a new "tab" rather than opening a new instance of the browser. It has great features like a password manager, pop-up blocker, download manager and Private browsing that cleans your tracks after you surf. This feature isn't just for people with something to hide. It keeps your identity safe from thieves and hackers.
A big advantage of Firefox is its ability to use "extensions." Extensions add functionailty to your web browser. Think of extensions as modifications that allow you to use your browser a bit differently than the next guy.
Advantages:
- Small and fast
- It's been around for a while and has a strong following
- Lots of add-ons
Disadvantages:
- Security - Some studies have shown that Firefox is more susceptible to security threats
- Stability - Like most browsers, if one page causes a crash, the whole browser goes down screaming. There is only one browser in this review that protects against this . . . read on!
- Compatibility - There are still some web pages that don't display correctly in Firefox.
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Opera:
Opera has been around for more than ten years. It is tiny and fast, probably the fastest browser available. It runs great on slower computers (try running Internet Explorer 8 on your old Pentium 3!) and has features that you won't find in any other browser, like built in email capabilities, a "recycle bin" for recently deleted tabs, a chat client, RSS client, and Opera Turbo, which speeds up browsing significantly on slow connections. Why don't more people use Opera? The answer may be that just like the quiet little guy who sat in the corner in Math class, it just doesn't call very much attention to itself.
Advantages:
- Very fast on slower computers
- Great Innovative Features
- Small Download
- Proven Track Record
- Opera Turbo
Disadvantages:
- On faster computers, Opera is outperformed by Firefox and a few others.
- It's not the most popular girl in school
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Internet Explorer 8:
Dubbed "internet Exploder" by the naysayers, they can't deny that IE has the largest install base of any browser around. it comes with every copy of Windows, and being on every Windows computer has advantages for the user. If you need support, you can get it from Microsoft. None of the other browsers offer the level of service you get with IE.
Microsoft doesn't usually innovate. They find great ideas that other people came up with and incorporate them into their own products. The innovators should be flattered, because IE8 has all the good ideas thrown in from just about every other browser out there, albeit some not implemented nearly as well as their originators.
One unique feature of IE8 shared only with Google's Chrome is web page isolation. This means that if you have 3 or 4 web pages open in different tabs or different browser windows, each operates in a seperate process so if one page crashes, that windows will close and you can keep on working with the others.
Advantages:
- Good Support if you need it
- Security - IE8 is considered more secure than the others
- Web page isolation works, but not as well as Google's Chrome
- Now has add-ons like Firefox, but there aren't many out there yet.
Disadvantages:
- Speed - IE8 is a resource hog and runs slower than all the other browsers in this review.
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Chrome
One of the 2 newest browsers recently introduced, Google's Chrome is quickly gaining popularity. Why? Simplicity. It's small. It's fast. When you load up Chrome, you will notice the conspicuous absence of toolbars, options and menus. The new "Omnibar" is all you get. You use the same bar for searching and for typing in addresses. It looks clean and acts lean. That's appealing after years of toolbars and addons cluttering up our screens.
Chrome has an advanced multiprocessor architecture that opens each web page in a new process and keeps one page from crashing the whole browser. Each page is independent of the others.
Chrome also has a private browsing mode, which is not as advanced as Firefox's private browsing implementation, but works well for what it was meant to accomplish.
Advantages:
- Reliable - Crashing pages bringing the browser down much less frequently.
- It's fast
- Clean design
- The Omnibar
- Privacy Features
Disadvantages:
- It's new and hasn't been proven yet
- Google likes to collect user data and archive it so it can figure out how you use your browser. This gives some users the willies.
- No addons.
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Safari:
Safari has been around for years on the Apple, and just in the last year or two has Safari been available on the PC. There have been a lot of comparisons between Safaria dn chrome, probably because they both are built on the "Webkit" rendering engine, and both focus on getting out of your way and letting you browse the web. They even look similar.
Safari does have a couple of unique features. Coverflow lets you review your history and favorites in the form of thumbnail images, similar to the way albums appear in iTunes. Safari also has a built in RSS feed reader and a form-filelr that automatically fills in forms that you routinely need to populate.
Advantages:
- Clean Interface
- Some unique features
Disadvantages:
- Speed - Despite Apple's claims that Safari is twice as fast as IE, in our testing Safari was significantly slower than other browsers.
- Security - There have been numerous claims that Safari was hacked within 24 hours of being released. It has been patched several times to fix these issues, but that only goes so far to make us feel better about it.
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Flock:
Flock is brand new and come to us from Mozilla, the Firefox people. It has been branded as the browser for users who "live on the web." Here's the angle: Flock combines browsing with social media like facebook, MySpace and Twitter. you can add your accounts to Flock, and read your newsfeeds right from your browser, or "tweet" without going directly to Twitter or opening a new browser window. It also has a unique "photo bar" that shows thumbnails of recent photos posted by your facebook or Myspace friends. Flock even has a Blog editor and photo uploader built in.
Advantages:
- Built for internet socialites.
- Fast browsing, unique features.
- The security of Firefox.
Disadvantages:
- It's New! Not much testing has been done yet.
- Forsakes some browsing freatures to add in the social networking features.
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Which browser do I recommend? Whichever catches your fancy!
Which one do I use? Well, from years of habit, and the fact that it is on every Windows computer out there, I usually find myself using Internet Explorer in one of it's various flavors. I am also intrigued by Google's Chrome and have begun to use it occasionally.
The trick to picking one of these is to focus on your priorities. If you are concerned with security, then Internet Explorer is probably for you. If you want a browser that is lean and mean use Chrome or Opera, or give Safari a try. If Facebook is your addiction thentry Flock and if you run into a problem, just try one of the alternatives.
Options are great! Just take the time to learn about each and decide which is best for you.
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