Best Web Browser

Though Microsoft seemingly delivered the coup de gras to Netscape in the browser war 10 years ago, 2010 finds us embroiled in yet another. Browser wars, however, are great for consumers. This one features MS Internet Explorer up against Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Apple’s Safari and Google’s Chrome, all of which are comparable in feature set. For many, picking the best browser for a PC has come down to a matter of personal taste. A little information about each may help you decide which browser is right for you, but in general, there’s no harm in trying any or all of these products to determine which serves you best.

These are listed in no particular order:

Mozilla Firefox

Through a series of twists and turns, many of the developers of the Netscape browser ended up at Mozilla. The company’s namesake, the Mozilla browser, was the base for Firefox. Since Firefox 2.0, it has made a name for itself with innovative features and snappy performance. However, with version 3.6, performance was generally slower than that of Internet Explorer 8. Version 4.0 is due out soon and will no doubt make up the difference. The power of Firefox lies in the numbr of available add-ons that can be used to extend the browser’s capabilities. These range anywhere from toolbars that can control your music player to full-fledged Internet Relay Chat clients. Support for some of these add-ons can be dicey, and they can slow down the browser, so stick to those you really need. Firefox is relatively stable as well but does suffer from occasional crashes, usually when Flash is involved.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8

Much as many people hate to admit it, IE 8 is a solid browser. It’s fast and stable, which is all you really need, right? Well, almost. IE 8 suffers due to the fact that Microsoft tends to support their own primary standards rather than those created elsewhere in the internet community, such as favoring its own Silverlight over comparable standards. Aside from that, however, it has a good crop of add-ons, though not as plentiful is that of Firefox, and it does support the vast majority of open standards. Internet Explorer will be getting a facelift as well, with version 9 due out in a few months.

Opera

Opera has been quietly going about its business since 1995, when the Opera Software Company was created from a project at the Telenor telecom company. It now boasts the fastest browser available, although the two dominant players in the browser market are about to release their next major updates. Opera has been steadily gaining market share, and a vibrant community has grown up around the product, similar to what happened to Firefox as it got started. Opera is fully compliant with all open standards and has specialized features that can double your connection speed if you’re on a dial-up account. You won’t find as many Opera add-ons, yet, but that’s changing. Opera also makes lightweight browsers for smartphones, where its performance advantage serves it well.

Apple Safari

Though of course popular in the Mac market, Safari has made a very muted splash on the PC side. Those who are used to Safari on a Mac will appreciate knowing their way around. But it won’t break any speed records, and add-ons are slim.

Google Chrome

Chrome is part of Google’s efforts to branch out from its primary market, and it hasn’t done as well as they probably hoped. People who have tried it have generally been impressed with the speed and style of the browser, but it has had some stability problems on some machines. Your mileage may vary, but it’s definitely worth a try, especially since it’s still in its infancy, being released just last year.

The browser market is very much alive and kicking in 2010, giving consumers the luxury of choosing between at least five worthy products. If you do a lot of browsing, you owe it to yourself to take each for a test drive, and decide which fits you best.

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