Ok, I currently use Firefox 3 because I think it has the most features, security and it is fast! I thought I should start a topic (and I don't know if there is one like it) in which I talk, and you guys too, about the browsers that are out there for any OS. So, I'm going to start off by saying a few things about internet browsers that I have tried in the past.

Internet Explorer (Windows)-

This is build into Windows when you first turn on your computer. I think it starts up fast, but has a few flaws- which I will reach in a minute. The things that I like are the fact that there is no need to download it and well, it starts up fast. Ok, now the flaws: bad security, updates take forever, slow, non-customizable, and it is slow- did I already mention that?

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Safari (Windows and Macintosh)-

Safari is a web browser provided by Apple. You can download it for free on Windows or you could use it right on Mac OS X when you first boot up. Safari is a fast browser that looks really sleek. I loads Java quickly and YouTube quickly as well. I has some security features as well- but not many. It downloads quickly and the visual effects are great. Ok, now the things I don't like: it is non-customizable- something like iTunes has for example. Apple, for some reason, won't allow us to customize it will add-ons and cool themes that people have to offer. But, other than that, it is a good browser that is pretty fast.

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Opera (Windows, Macintosh and Linux-I think)-

Opera is a browser that is also used on the Nintendo Wii. It has a really sleek looking design and it loads pages really fast. Google searches are displayed quickly and YouTube videos load rather quickly as well. It has a cool voice add-on in which you can speak and it does some basic commands- even though you have to speak rather slowly. It has a cool tab function called speed dial in which you can open multiple pages at once and view all of them. Ok, but I don't like where the tabs sit, I am just not used to it! I wish that I could move the bars around and arrange them how I want. Opera has a good pop-up blocker and it downloads rather quickly.

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Mozilla Firefox (Most OS's)-

Firefox is a browser that requires a very small download and a fast install. It has a lot of add-on functions and it is very easy to use. It has enhanced security features and it's really customizable. It is really fast, and it can be tweaked to become faster. It has easy to use tabs and it loads Java really quickly. It blocks most pop-ups so that I don't have to deal with them. Oh, and another thing, most websites recommend that you view their site in Firefox. So, Firefox displays websites the best. Firefox, as mentioned above, is on most OS's including Solaris- an unknown one that I don't use. Flaws: some websites don't display correctly because they weren't updated, and some add-ons from previous versions won't work. But they can be updated easily. Firefox is a great browser, and I currently use it.

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Please post other browsers and your reviews on them .


*The ratings above are in my own opinion*

I say that is a somewhat fair assessment of the browsers, but alas everyone pretty much hates Internet Explorer and with obvious reasons of course. However, most of the problems with Internet Explorer are user based and ignorance of making sure the computer is properly secured and protected., granted that in the last ten years has seen some radical changes in computer hacking and security so you can put some of the blame on the creators of the software for not staying ahead of the game and wait for the problems to show up.

Nonetheless, people can't be blaming the browsers for web design flaws, everyone can blame each other for rushing all these new standards without thoroughly testing them and providing alternatives for fix the problems. Yeah there area few websites out there that provide quick fixes and patches on how to fix some problems, but again people complain about web standards and yet most don't even follow them. Internet Explorer has seen some great improvements of course with Internet Explorer 8 coming out soon, hopefully it will reclaim back some of its glory lost by firefox and Opera.

I'd say that IE's biggest strongpoint is that it is soooo widely used, much like most of Microsoft's products. Because of this, most websites are designed with IE in mind and may not render properly in other browsers. It's also common for web applications to display warnings saying that they only run properly in IE. This is irritating for users of other browsers.

One of my favorite features of FIrefox is that it has an IE tab add-on, so you can continue using the same browser but view these pages in IE. It's also great for web design since you can see how your pages look in both browsers.

Each browser has its own strengths and weaknesses; it's impossible to say which is the best or which is better than another without taking context into mind. It all depends on what you look for in a browser; each individual will have their own preference.