Which Browser?

The browser world has changed: Netscape once was the best; Microsoft surpassed it and became dominant; but now there are many choices.

Security Issues

You must consider security when choosing your browser.

One factor is how severe security problems are, and how quickly they are fixed. Firefox and Opera problems, for example, tend to be less severe and more quickly fixed than Internet Explorer problems.

Another factor is how well browsers can be configured to prevent security problems. Internet Explorer, for example, can be made much safer than normal by turning off many features.

Another factor is browser add-ons, which can be security risks. You should use as few add-ons as you can, and pick the safest combination of browser and add-ons which meets your needs.

Browsers Based On Internet Explorer

Many browsers use the Internet Explorer browser engine, and therefore have many of the same capabilities and problems. These browsers include AOL, AOL Explorer, Avant, Maxthon, and many more. All use the same browser engine, so should display pages the same as long as they use the same version of the browser engine. But each looks different and has somewhat different features: e.g. many have tabbed browsing, which Internet Explorer 6 lacks.

If you want Internet Explorer 7 or 8 features, but you can’t install them, you may wish to consider one of these browsers.

Alternatives to Internet Explorer

The Mozilla Browsers

These include Camino, Firefox, Galeon, Multizilla, SeaMonkey, and more. All are free. All use the same browser engine, so should display pages the same as long as they use the same version of the browser engine. But each looks different, and each has somewhat different user features. Pick the one that best suits your needs. For most people I recommend Firefox.

Note: a long-time favourite has been the defunct Mozilla Browser Suite; it has effectively been replaced by the SeaMonkey Browser Suite. Mozilla Suite lovers should switch to SeaMonkey. Those considering Firefox should also consider SeaMonkey: SeaMonkey is a browser suite, not just a browser, which some will like; and SeaMonkey can be easier to customize than Firefox, because the makers of Firefox have been removing features from it, making it harder and harder for users to make Firefox work just the way they want. SeaMonkey is easier to customize.

Caution: it may be especially risky to use unusual browsers, since they tend to be updated less often, and therefore are more likely to have security bugs; the risk, however, is reduced by the fact that they tend to run on less popular operating systems, which are victimized less by creators of malware.

Opera

This uses a browser engine made by Opera Software. It is a good free browser, especially for those who want a lot of control over how their browser works. It comes with a suite of programs, e.g. email and chat.

KHTML Browsers

These include Chrome, Konqueror, Safari, and Omniweb. All use a browser engine made by the KDE Group and improved by Apple. All are free.

These browsers work only with certain operating systems, e.g. Safari for Windows and OS X, and Konqueror for Linux.

Note : at the time this was written (May 2009), Chrome 2 had been officially released, but it was still undergoing major development, with important features missing.

AOL Helix, OpenRide, and Netscape

These browsers are extinct and should not be used.

Which Browser to Use?

The browser you can use depends on your operating system:

• More Than One Operating System
• Apple OS X
• Linux
• Microsoft Windows
• Other

More Than One Operating System 

If you use several operating systems, you may wish to choose a browser that works with all of them. There are three main choices: Firefox, Opera, and SeaMonkey. I recommend Firefox, though it isn’t available for quite as many operating systems as Opera.

Apple OS X 

Your best choices are Camino, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and SeaMonkey: all are good, so you can pick the one you prefer.

Linux 

Your best choices are Firefox, Opera, and SeaMonkey: all are good, so you can pick the one you prefer. Konqueror is also available with KDE.

Microsoft Windows 

Whichever browser you prefer, you must use Internet Explorer for some things: for Windows Update; for sites that use non-standard features offered only by Internet Explorer; and for sites whose designers don’t consider other browsers.

I recommend that you use another browser for your day-to-day work. Your best choices are Firefox, Opera, and SeaMonkey: all are good, so you can pick the one you prefer.

Other Operating Systems 

Various browsers are available for other operating systems, so you must find out what is available for yours. Mozilla is widely available, but Mozilla.org won’t update it, so it is a poor choice, but its replacement, SeaMonkey, is a good alternative, as are Firefox and Opera.