A Better Browser
Switching to a recently produced, standards-compliant web browser will greatly minimize the hassles that you have to deal with as you use the Internet and keep your computer more secure against trojans, spyware, adware, malware and other unwanted system resource-hogging trash.
Browsers like Internet Explorer are so riddled with security holes and open to malicious code that you're almost asking for a problem by continuing to use it. An excellent article on the topic of alternative browsers can be found on the USA Today Website.
What's In A Better Browser?
The browsers presented here all include the features listed below as soon as you download them.
- Tabbed Browsing
- Pop-up Blocking
- Integrated Searching
- Built-In support for RSS
- Password Management
- Highly Configurable, Effective Security Settings
With plugins, called extensions, the capabilities of Mozilla-based browsers may be extended to include features that you'll wonder how you lived without such as mouse gestures, which the Opera website explains handily (Opera supports mouse gestures without needing a plugin). Browse Mozilla Extensions »
Mozilla-Based Browsers
The mission of the Mozilla project is to "preserve choice and innovation on the Internet." Something that is clearly a good thing. Launched by Netscape in 1998, the Mozilla Project is a large part of the Open Source Movement, which opens the development of software to millions of programmers, rather than the comparatively miniscule groups that work on closed source software. Read more about The Mozilla Project »
- Mozilla Suite
- The Mozilla Project's Internet suite, includes a web browser, e-mail client/newsgroup reader and HTML creation tool. Absolutely free for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.
- Firefox
- The Mozilla Project's stand-alone browser, fast, stable and customizable. Absolutely free for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.
- Camino
- A browser of the same top-notch quality as the other Mozilla browsers made specifically for Mac OS X.
- Netscape
- Netscape is probably the most user-friendly of the Mozilla-based browsers, with helpful, easy-to-understand dialogues and comes preloaded with many desirable features and extras. Best for non-technical people. Free for Windows.
Opera
Opera Software was founded in Oslo, Norway in 1995, releasing its first browser to the Internet at large a year later. Since then it has grown in to one of the best web browsers available with the best support of any current browser for web standards. You may, in fact, have already used an Opera browser - versions of Opera come bundled on many hand-held devices such as so-called "smart phones" and PDAs.
Opera claims to be the "Fastest Browser on Earth" (and is backed up by thorough, independent tests) and is also the only browser to my knowledge to offer full support for voice commands natively, and will even function as a screen reader (currently only in English for Windows 2000/XP). Also has built-in zoom capabilities - Opera takes disabled users very seriously.
- Opera
- Free version with ads available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, full version $39 USD.
After Switching
After you make the switch, or even before, you should take the time to download, install and run a program to clean out the adware that IE has allowed to infest your computer. The following software is recommended.
- Ad-Aware
- Available in free and paid versions, Ad-Aware is unquestionably one of the best tools for removing malicious software from your computer easily
- Spybot - Search & Destroy
- Spybot S&D does just what you would think, finds spyware on your computer and removes it, I've found that it sometimes catches things that Ad-Aware misses.
Conclusion
Your mileage may vary, but using a "Better Browser" has greatly enriched my own Internet experience, sure, I run across the occasional utterly broken website, but that's because the website was built using poor practices. Even Microsoft has made a move toward supporting the web standards it helped found.
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