Browser News: Why Update?- learn why you should move to a modern browser

Why Update?

The Problem

The browser world is changing. Netscape once made the best browser. Microsoft later surpassed Netscape, growing so dominant that, for most people, there was no credible alternative. But now, newer browsers are here, and many people are switching.

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 features, but you can’t install it, you may wish to consider one of these browsers.

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 also be risky to use less popular 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 Konqueror, Safari, and Omniweb. All use a browser engine made by the KDE Group and improved by Apple. The first two are free.

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

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.

Outdated browsers:

may have serious security flaws that allow malicious websites to read your files, damage your files, steal your passwords, infect your computer with viruses ... and much more.
may have bugs and limitations that may create problems when you use websites.
may make websites harder to use.
may not work correctly in the year 2000 and beyond.

Note, however, that updating to the lastest version of a browser may not be wise if it has recently been released, as it may have more than the ordinary number of bugs: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

You should check for updates regularly. Browser makers often issue updates to fix bugs or security flaws, but may not tell you, and may not even update the version number. If you check the Browser News regularly, you can scan the News to see if there has been an update in your browser. The Browser News is published once a week, every Saturday.

Note: because Microsoft ended all support of Windows 98, 98SE, and ME in Jul 2006, those who use any of these are at special risk, and will become more at risk as more and more uncorrected security problems are discovered in these versions of Windows. Those who use Internet Explorer with Windows 98, 98SE, and ME should seriously consider switching to a browser for which updates are still available.

Major Browsers

The most recent, stable English versions of the major browsers are:

AOL: AOL 9 SE // Windows.
Apple:
- Safari 1.0.3 // OS X 10.2 (Jaguar);
- Safari 1.3.2 // OS X 10.3 (Panther);
- Safari 2.0.3 // OS X 10.4 (Tiger).
- Safari 3.1.1 // OS X 10.4 (Tiger), OS X 10.5 (Leopard), and Windows XP/Vista.
Note : Apple often updates Safari without changing the version number, so you should check the Browser News regularly to make sure you have the latest updates.
Microsoft:
- 7.0 // Windows XP SP2 and Vista;
- 6.0SP2 // Windows XP SP2.
- 6.0SP1 // other versions of Windows.
Note : Microsoft often updates Internet Explorer for Windows without changing the version number, so you should use Windows Update regularly to make sure you have the latest updates.
Mozilla:
- Mozilla Camino 1.6 (OS X);
- Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.14;
- SeaMonkey 1.1.9 (replaces Mozilla Suite).
Opera:
- Opera 9.27.

Note: some browsers are updated without their version numbers being changed.

Update Options

Now, if you decide to update, you have three choices:

Update to the same generation of browser: e.g., from Firefox 1.5 to 1.5.0.12. The update should be safer and more reliable.
Update to a newer generation of browser: e.g., from Firefox 1.5 to 2.0. The update should be safer and more reliable; also, pages on websites will look better, be easier to use, and will let you do things you can’t do now. However, there are two good reasons for not updating to a new generation: (a) newer browsers often need more capable computers, so if you have a very old computer, it may not be fast enough, have enough memory, or have enough disk space to run a new generation of browser; (b) if the new generation of browser is very new, it may have bugs which older generations do not have, so it is usually less risky to update to a new generation after it has been available for 6-9 months, by which time it will have been stabilized.
Update to another browser: e.g., from Internet Explorer to Firefox. Note that the new browser will work differently, and it may take a few hours to get used to the differences.

When you decide to update, you can find out where to get the update from the Find Browsers page.

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