What is a Browser? A Browser is the software that let's you move around the Internet. It's the program that allows you to bookmark your favorite resources, to download and view the text and graphics of a Web site, to browse around the Web. If you're running Windows, a browser was included in that Windows package -- Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE). Its the big, blue "e" icon on your desktop. Because IE is usually included as part of the package of a new computer purchase, many people forget that browsers are actually software programs. But that's exactly what a browser is -- a software program designed to locate and display Web pages. Browsers are designed to read Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), which is the authoring language that is used to write Web pages. Have you ever wondered what that http:// at the beginning of Web site addresses stands for? It stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, or in English, the standard for how messages are transmitted and formatted on the Web. Perhaps you have downloaded the other most popular browser, Netscape Navigator, from the Internet or have received Netscape as part of your Internet connection package. (Netscape is represented by the icon that looks like a lighthouse.) Back before Netscape was acquired by AOL, the tech headlines covering browser software often read "Battle of the Browsers," and "Browser Wars." The differences between the two major players were big. As mentioned above, Windows came loaded with IE, so Netscape was considered the underdog, fighting for market share in a market dominated by its competitor. Surprisingly, Netscape held its own very well, often surpassing IE in surveys reflecting market share and consumer preference. That scenario has changed. Netscape is now part of AOL (America OnLine), and for the most part the war seems to be over. The two companies take turns unveiling the latest and greatest upgrades to their browsers, and the major differences between the two appear to be disappearing. So how do you choose which browser to use?You may want to try both programs. Since both are available for free, there's no reason not to explore the interface of each browser. And there are still some differences. For example, some people prefer the ease and simplicity of Netscape's "Bookmarks" feature to IE's somewhat complicated "Favorites." On the other hand, IE has a great feature that will save passwords for future use, whereas the latest version of Netscape does not. It all comes down to personal preference (A third browser choice, Opera, is gaining popularity, but is a bare bones browser and not ideal for beginners). Once you have downloaded the browser initially, it is a simple and quick task to periodically download the free upgrades. Make sure you do so to guarantee the optimal browsing experience! |
