What Is A Web Browser?

Which web browser do you use?  And more importantly, what is a web browser?  Believe it or not, most people do not know which web browser they are using (or even what it is) on a daily basis.  A web browser is a free (typically) piece of software that you install on your computer to browse (also known as surfing) the web.  The web browser allows you to view and interact with websites.  There are currently five (5) major players in the web browser market, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera.

You have no idea how many times I have asked someone what web browser they use and they respond with “Windows”.  It is time to fix that.  If you are on the web, you should know what you are using to access it.  It should be known.  Well, praise a few folks over at Google for creating this website (WhatBrowser.org) which will tell the user what browser they are using in a matter of moments and will even recommend other browsers to try.  The website will also provide some useful diagnostics and tips on how to change basic settings such as the home page and search engine.

It is important to remember that each browser is a bit different from the next.  For example, Google Chrome touts its speed and the way it handles multiple tabs (each tab is handed by its own separate process), while Mozilla Firefox talks about their security and plethora of browser extensions to help enhance functionality.  But which is really the right browser for you?  Honestly, it comes down to your personal preference.  Most of the browsers today all have the same basic functionality and will do their job pretty well for the most part.  I would recommend you try a number of browsers until you find one you are the most comfortable with and then stick with that until you feel like trying something new.

Spread the word, people need to know what browser they use!