Browser Wars

Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Opera are the 5 contenders in this 5 way brawl. Which is the best? Is it Internet Explorer from the Microsoft empire? Or is it be the new rebel Google Chrome?

To determine the best, we must test them against a number of factors. We’ll take the 4 main ones:

Speed – No one wants to wait a minute for a website to load.

Ease of Use – A good internet browser should allow the user to get things done easily. A simple interface that requires minimal effort from the user to change any settings is a great thing.

Functionality – A browser should support the most common technologies and have planned support for future and upcoming technologies. You want to be able to view any website you want.

Security – In the age of online retail and online banking, you want to know that your passwords and personal details are protected. Most browsers have some form of protection built in but I recommend using an anti virus program as well.

Internet Explorer has always been the king in terms of browser usage but that is attributed to fact that it is bundled in with the widely used Windows Operating system and most users can’t be bothered to find other browsers. According to web analytics company Statcounter, the browser usage percentage over the course of a year is as follows:

As you can see there is a noticeable decline of Internet Explorer usage throughout the past year. Google Chrome has seen a large increase in usage. This shows that users are moving away from Internet Explorer and adopting other browsers such a Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari.

Which is the best for me?

I cannot say which the best is for you because everyone has their tastes. But I personally recommend Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

Both browsers have excellent speed, functionality and security. However, Google Chrome does beat Mozilla Firefox in terms of ease of use. But Mozilla Firefox does offer a more robust add-on system that allows the user to customise it as they wish.

No matter which browser you choose, I strongly urge you to step away from Internet Explorer and give other Internet browsers a try. I guarantee that you will see a whole new side of the Internet.