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Raw Bytes Computer News KPBX FM 91.1 Spokane Public Radio National Public Radio Network Frank Delaney Producer Broadcast on Wednesday Morning 7:35 AM During Morning Edition Support Public Radio ! The Theater Of the Mind |
In
computer news this week 01/18/2012 Which is
the best web browser for you ?
A web browser is software lets you move around on the internet,
view text and pictures, bookmark favorite places you like, and does other functions.
There are numerous add-ons you can download, like one to help you auto fill
online forms so you don’t have to keep retyping the same information
over and over again. The top 3 browsers today are Internet Explorer, which is built
into windows and you already have a copy of it on your computer; Firefox, which you can download free from
Mozilla, and Chrome which you can
download free from Google. There are other browsers too – if you have a
cell phone it probably uses a different browser from these 3. An important thing to realize here is that Firefox is a
user-supported browser; open source and available to anyone, whereas Internet
Explorer and Chrome are company supported browsers - by Microsoft and Google
respectively; 2 companies which are huge rivals. Firefox’s current position in the browser wars is a solid
#2, and it has been around about 5 years with its popularity being created by
end users. Chrome is challenging
Firefox for that # 2 spot. IE has been around since 1995 as a standard part of windows, and
Chrome has been offered by Google for the past 3 years. These browsers
popularity has been created by the marketing of the companies that created
them – Microsoft and Google, and who want users to use only their
browsers. The battleground for the web browser wars is the internet and
the concept of cloud computing. Google has been a proponent of cloud computing – where all
your application software – word processing, spread sheets etc –
are up in a cloud – along with your data files – and you and your
company can access them from anywhere. Of course when you do this they want
you to be using their Chrome browser.
Microsoft has slowly entered the cloud computing marketplace,
which runs contrary to their concept of application software and data files
being stored on local computers or networks, with each user having licensed
copies of Microsoft Office.
Of course when you access the cloud or surf the internet they want you
to be using their IE browser. Firefox has no stake in cloud computing and just wants to be
your web browser. You can download both Firefox and Chrome for free. They install easily and they will
automatically copy your bookmarks and other settings from IE, so that when
you start them up you don’t have to re-enter all that information. Each
browser looks and feels a little different from the others, but they all do
the same thing; let you surf the web. I have used all 3, but I primarily use Firefox, and have since
it came out, because of security issues and also because I don’t want
an all Microsoft world. I’ve seen numerous browser comparisons, but to me
they’re pretty much all the same, and I don’t see any great speed
advantages between them. I notice
Chrome loads a little faster than the other 2, but you usually only open your
browser once and then leave it open. So if you’re content with status quos, just keep on using
IE, but be sure and upgrade to its latest version 9.0. But if you’re inquisitive and
want to try new things and get a little more hip with your computing, Firefox
and Chrome await you. For Raw Bytes This is Frank Delaney (C) 2012 MTA Micro Technology Associates http://www.mtamicro.com/kpbxmenu.html (509)624-7230 |
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