Alternative Web Browsers – What Are The Choices?
Author: Katerina Mitrou

With all the security woes and annoying user-unfriendly
problems associated with Microsoft's Internet Explorer, more
and more people are looking for alternatives. Internet surfers
seeking out new web browser options have a few good choices to
consider, and luckily, all the browsers in this category boast
positive attributes and cool features that can make anyone's
browsing experience a good one. In the end, it's up to you to
pick one that fits your specific needs, as everyone looks for
something different in a browser. But one thing's for sure –
you'll never go back to IE.

Opera

The Opera browser sings to a tune all its own. One of the more
popular alternative browsers available, it is highly acclaimed
by new and veteran users alike. This browser is well-known for
loading pages very quickly (especially important for those of
us still puttering along on a dial-up connection) and making
the browsing experience a smooth one, especially compared to
the sometimes-grueling loading times that are the trademark of
Internet Explorer.

Opera is lighter than its competitor as well, weighing in at
much less than Internet Explorer. The browser comes with a lot
of features people have come to expect in the realm of
alternative browsers (such as tabbed browsing and a pop-up
blocker) that make it faster and easier to navigate the web.
Another thing about Opera is that it lets you choose whether or
not to run certain features, such as java applets. These are
small applications written in the java programming language
that can slow down a browser. If you specify, you can turn off
certain JavaScript functions. If you're willing to sacrifice
some features that bog down other browser software in order to
enjoy the benefits of a faster online experience, Opera is
probably the perfect browser for you.

Opera can be downloaded for free – in the past you had to pay
for the ad-free version, but with the release of the latest
version all that has changed.

Another plus: no security issues have yet to be associated with
the browser, so it's your best bet for surfing safely, although
compatibility issues may sometimes hamper your ability to view
particular websites.

Firefox

Firefox is gaining steam as a favorite alternative browser,
although it has been the top choice for quite some time amongst
old-school Internet addicts and those who make good use of
tabbed browsing and other user-friendly features not available
with Internet Explorer. As it cements its position in the world
of mainstream browsers, you can expect even more people to jump
on the Firefox bandwagon (Grandma included).

There's good reason why Firefox is fast becoming a favorite
browser. It offers a simple design, fast browsing, and a safer
Internet experience. The browser blocks pop-ups, viruses, and
spyware – and it doesn't contain near as many security holes as
Microsoft's IE, meaning the chance of falling prey to browser
hijackers and other such online vultures is slim to none.
Patches are made available very quickly when problems do arise.
Browsing is faster because you won't have as much spyware
clogging your computer's arteries, making your trip down the
information superhighway slower than molasses.

And of course, anyone who has tried to open multiple windows on
Internet Explorer knows that tabbed browsing is the most
convenient way to surf the web – it sure beats having a million
separate browser windows open at once. Another great aspect of
tabbed browsing on Firefox: when you open a window in tabs the
browser doesn't automatically take you to the new tab –
instead, you remain at the original page. The latest version of
Firefox even lets you move tabs around after opening them.

Alternative browsers can be a lot more fun than IE as well.
Firefox, for instance, offers neat features such as live
bookmarks, an integrated search bar, automatic software
updates, and the ability to customize the browser by taking
advantage of a number of available extensions.

As usual, the trimmed-down browsing experience means not all
web pages can be accessed through Firefox. Lacking ActiveX
support, this browser can't display certain types of web pages,
although the majority of websites can be viewed using Firefox.

Safari

For all you Apple users out there, Safari is your best bet for
an alternative web browser. If you own a Mac, you probably
already know about Safari, as it came bundled with Mac OS X,
but it's worth mentioning as an alternative to Internet
Explorer simply because it is another option that works well
for most web users.

Safari possesses all the usual browser features, such as
bookmarks, but it also offers features people have come to
expect from the other popular alternative web browsers
currently on the market. The browser offers tabbed browsing and
an integrated Google search box, similar to Firefox, and an
automatic pop-up blocker. Again, like its competitors, Safari
also offers a faster browsing experience for the keen Internet
junkie.

Many Mac users prefer Safari to Internet Explorer for Mac for
the same reasons more people have been flocking to Opera and
Firefox. Overall, it makes the whole Internet experience
faster, and the browser is very easy to use.


About The Author: By Katerina Mitrou sponsored by
http://www.free-web-browsers.com/ . Here you'll find
alternative web browsers: http://www.free-web-browsers.com for
safer surfing. Please link to this site when using this
article.