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In computer news this week 01/20/2010

 

A better more secure web browser is free and at your fingertips –

 

For years now we’ve been reading about security problems in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer; the web browser which is part of windows. Most recently this week was the story about  Google’s China hacker problems related to  Internet Explorer.

If you’ve read these articles, and wondered what you personally can do to get a better browser for your pc, all you have to do is download Firefox to get what I and millions of users consider to be the best browser on the market, and it’s free.

The majority of people today surfing the web today still use Internet Explorer – because it’s all they’ve ever known – and it’s built in – so they use it, thinking it’s the only browser.

 

 But millions of users have found that there are alternative browsers anyone can download, and these now include Firefox, Opera, Google’s Chrome Browser, and several others.

 

Firefox was introduced in late 2004 and I first reviewed it in January of 2005.

 

Firefox has such excited fans that they’ve done strange things like taking out a full page ad in the Wall Street journal extolling its virtues.

 

Firefox emerged with some unique features that placed it head and shoulders above IE with the concept of tabbed browsing windows. Then  Firefox 2.0 emerged, with built-in internet security and several ease of operation features.  Now Firefox 3 has faster performance, improved security, and vastly more customization. Now Firefox’s market share is estimated at about 35 %, meaning one out of 3 surfers uses it.

 

When you download and install Firefox, it will automatically read and convert all your Internet Explorer favorites and settings, so you’re ready to go at once and enjoy a new browser

Firefox 3.0 is free and available at the Mozilla Website or through my Raw Bytes page. And you’ll still have internet explorer on your computer that you can use anytime you’d want to.

I’ve been promoting Firefox since it came out here on Raw Bytes primarily for 2 reasons. I feel it is a better browser than internet explorer – and I feel that Microsoft always needs to have competition. I have been recommending Firefox to my clients, as a more secure browser with more features.

 

The primary technical difference between the 2 browsers relating to internet security is this – Firefox does not use Activex Controls and plugins. ActiveX controls are part of Windows, and Explorer is part of windows, and ActiveX has lead to security problems and drive by downloading of bad programs to user’s computers. Firefox does not use Activex, and thus is a more secure browser in protecting you particularly from adware and spyware.

 

The other major technical difference is that Firefox is an open source browser – the source code is available for anyone to see and modify, and Internet Explorer uses proprietary source code. Firefox is Free, Internet Explorer is part of windows.

Those technical differences aside, Firefox is a better faster browser, and includes many features you will enjoy. Try it – you’ll like it !

 

 

For Raw Bytes

This is Frank Delaney

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