Your Browser is the piece of software you use to access websites. There are a few to choose from and they are all fairly similar with the usual features like bookmark library, password vault, tabbed browsing, print preview, etc. So it’s really a personal choice:
- Internet Explorer (IE) is the old browser made by Microsoft, bundled with almost all versions of Windows since 1995. Although IE still works, you shouldn’t use it because its security is obsolete and most websites don’t work with IE anymore.
- Microsoft Edge “Legacy” was bundled into Windows 10 from 2015 up to 2019. Edge Legacy encourages you to use Microsoft’s Bing search engine but you can opt to use a different search provider like Google or DuckDuckGo. It was not well adopted by the industry and most PC users immediately changed to something else.
- Chrome is the most popular browser; being made by Google makes some people feel paranoid that they are watching you, but it’s a good stable browser and compatible with almost all websites. Chrome encourages you to use Google’s search service but you can still choose to use another search engine if you wish. Chrome is fast and runs on Windows 7 to 10 as well as Apple Mac and mobiles but can use lots of memory.
- Mozilla Firefox is a popular open-source browser which means the programming code is public and scrutinised by security experts. Firefox is also very compatible with modern websites and although it uses Google search by default it is very easy to change to another search provider. Firefox can be a bit slow loading websites but is easy to install on Windows 7 to 10, Apple and mobiles.
- Making its quiet debut in 2020, the “New” Microsoft Edge is now based on the core code from Google Chrome. This makes it compatible with more websites and add-on software. New Edge still tries to push you towards Bing search but you can change to an alternative if you’ve got enough patience. Computer compatibility is better with support for Windows 7 to 10, Apple and mobiles.
- Opera is more of a techie browser used frequently by IT professionals and gamers. It’s fast and efficient, but not as compatible with some websites. Versions are available for Windows 7 to 10, Apple and mobiles.
- Apple’s web browser is called Safari; it’s the default on Mac and Apple mobiles but not available for Windows. Safari doesn’t work well with some websites and many Apple users opt for an alternative like Chrome or Firefox.
Most modern browsers support syncing whereby browsing history, saved passwords and bookmarks can be shared between your PC, Mac, Android or iOS mobile. This is very useful if (like me) you’re jumping between devices all day. This is supported on New Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Opera.
Thanks to Howard for the topic suggestion this month. I hope you find this information useful. If you would like to see particular subjects covered then please feel free to ask at www.alfindlay.com.