Use a modern web browser (please!)

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A web browser is the program you use to view web pages in. The most common programs used are:

  • Internet Explorer (Microsoft)
  • Google Chrome (Google)
  • Safari (Apple)
  • Firefox (Mozilla foundation – community created)
  • Opera (Opera)

There are many others but these five cover the vast majority of users. All these programs display web pages, but not in the same way. The main point of this article is not to say use XXXXX program  because it’s the best – none is ‘the best’ – but to use the latest version of your personal preference (unless it’s Internet Explorer and you’re on Windows XP…keep reading).

Use the latest version of your chosen browser for two very good reasons:

  1. It will be the most secure. The most resistant to viruses and malicious code.
  2. It will be most able of using the latest web technologies. Web pages will look good, as they’re supposed to.

Reason 1. is self explanatory.
Reason 2. may seem unimportant, but why not experience the web in the best possible way? Old versions of browsers can’t easily display many visual styles and pages features. There are workarounds, but these aren’t perfect and don’t make life easy for website developers. Modern code is efficient, saving bandwidth which even though we have broadband is useful as other things like bandwidth hungry HD video can load faster.

If everyone used modern browsers the web would be faster, safer and more beautiful.

Which versions should you be using? At the time of writing (November 2012) these are the latest versions:

  • Internet Explorer (Microsoft) = 9 (Windows only, discontinued and dated on Macs)
  • Google Chrome (Google) = 23
  • Safari (Apple) = 6 (if you’re on a Mac), 5 (if you’re on Windows)
  • Firefox (Mozilla foundation – community created) = 17
  • Opera (Opera) = 12

IMPORTANT FOR WINDOWS XP USERS: If you’re on XP, the latest version of the default browser you can use is 8 – it’s therefore recommended to use another browser. The latest versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Opera can all be installed on Windows XP. Chrome is great because it runs much faster than Internet Explorer.

Here are links to download the latest versions:

Thanks for reading.