Outfox Bill Gates
If you followed a link to this page, you’ve hopefully decided to download and install Firefox, an enormous improvement over Microsoft’s troubled “Internet Exploder.” All you need to do is click the Firefox icon on the right. It’s easy to install, and it’s free.
But read on if you’d like to learn why Firefox is a better browser or if you’re interested in the ongoing “browser wars.” I’d also like to convince you to download another quality free browser, Opera. Yes, I recommend using both browsers, whether you’re on a Mac or a PC running on Microsoft Windows or Linux.
Why Ditch IE?
Why should you abandon Internet Explorer (IE), the browser that is bundled with Microsoft’s Windows operating system?
Because Microsoft abandoned it. After Microsoft won the first round of the browser wars (see below), it let IE stagnate. In fact, IE has turned into such a fossil, some experts are skeptical that it will ever catch up to the competition.
One could list many other reasons for ditching IE, but let me offer three primary ones:
1. Security - IE has long ranked as one of the biggest security risks on the Internet. If you purchase things online or conduct other activities that you consider highly personal or sensitive, get rid of IE.2. Standards - Bill Gates has stubbornly refused to accept the “standards” that have been created for web pages. Other browsers render web pages pretty much the way they were meant to be rendered, but web designers have to use a variety of “hacks” to make even the best web pages work in IE.
3. Ethics - Whether you recognize Bill Gates as a global criminal or simply despise Microsoft for its cutthroat business practices or crappy software, there’s no easier way to fight corporate corruption than downloading a free browser that is better than Internet Explorer. Just do it.
I should also mention that Geobop websites are designed primarily for quality browsers. I’m not inclined to waste a lot of time hacking my pages so they work with Bill Gates’ crapware, so you may find some features that work only with good browsers.
Browser Wars
Microsoft’s free ride is coming to an end. Though Internet Explorer remains the most widely used browser, it is facing ever stiffer competition from several superior browsers, primarily Firefox, Opera and Safari. This often provocative competition is often referred to as a browser war(s).
The browser wars began with Internet Explorer vs Netscape. After Netscape was vanquished, Bill Gates did what he seemingly always does after his monopolistic company prevails (typically with the help of a stable of corporate attorneys and a bag of dirty tricks): He let Internet Explorer (IE) stagnate.
Now, Internet Explorer is facing increasing competition from several browsers that are strikingly superior in quality. Firefox is the leader, though the steadily increasing popularity of Apple’s Mac computers could eventually thrust Safari into second place.
Which Browser is Best?
There is wide disagreement about which browser is best. However, it’s worth noting that Internet Explorer doesn’t even rank among the top three in most popular surveys.
Firefox currently ranks second in popularity to Internet Explorer. Its popularity is largely due to the numerous extensions that make it so versatile and to the fact that it’s open source (i.e. non-corporate). In fact, Firefox has been somewhat politicized as the alternative to “corporate software.”
However, we should remember that not all corporations are evil. Microsoft is a lost cause, but what scandals are associated with the Norwegian corporation Opera? None that I know of.
Like open source software, Opera’s browser (Opera) is free. I don’t want to get bogged down in a discussion of the numerous differences between Opera and Firefox. Suffice it to say that both boast a wide variety of special features, not to mention an enormous cool factor.
If you spend a lot of time on the Internet, you’ll find that each browser has its strengths and weaknesses. I use Firefox as my default browser, but I’m using Opera more and more. Opera also gained my respect when it issued a gutsy challenge to Microsoft to embrace the standards other people try to live by.
Since I’m lucky enough to own a Mac, I also have access to the fabulous Safari browser. As you might have guessed, there are certain tasks for which Safari is best.
That’s right, I have THREE browsers, and I use and appreciate each of them.
Challenge to Web Designers
Why do so many web designers complain bitterly about Bill Gates, then follow him like dogs on a leash? Take charge of your profession!
How do you expect the general public to know the facts about web browsers if no one informs them? Help spread the word. You’ll be doing your visitors and clients a favor. And by chipping away at Microsoft’s evil empire, you’ll also be doing the world a favor.
Learn More...
Follow the links below to learn more about the topics and issues mentioned above. You can also find a wealth of information on the Firefox and Opera websites, both of which feature support forums.
• Web Browsers> Firefox
> Opera
> Safari
> Internet Explorer
• Browser Wars
• Web Standards
• Billysoft (Bill Gates + Microsoft)
