Computer Corner #12

By Bob Habas

Formally of computer Connections

 

Web Browsers

A Web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content. Hyperlinks present in resources enable users to easily navigate their browsers to related resources.

 Although browsers are primarily intended to access the World Wide Web, they can also be used to access information provided by Web servers in private networks or files in file systems. You are not limited to the Internet Explorer web browser that’s included in Microsoft Windows.

 The major web browsers are Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Opera.

 Internet Explorer

Microsoft Corporation

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/default.aspx

 Features:

 Accelerators

The new Accelerators in Internet Explorer 8 help you quickly perform your everyday browsing tasks without navigating to other websites to get things done. Simply highlight text from any webpage, and then click on the blue Accelerator icon that appears above your selection to obtain driving directions, translate and define words, email content to others, search with ease, and more.

 Web Slices

Using Web Slices, you can keep up with frequently updated sites directly from the new Favorites Bar. If a Web Slice is available on a page, a green Web Slices icon will appear in the Command Bar. Click on this icon to easily subscribe and add the Web Slices to the Favorites Bar so you can keep track of that "slice" of the web.

 Stay Safer Online

Internet Explorer 8 helps protect you from today's threats, including malware and phishing, as well as emerging threats that can compromise your computer without your knowledge. Other browsers either don't offer you this level of protection or require you to download and configure third-party add-ons to get it, but with Internet Explorer 8 you get it right out of the box, and turned on by default.

 Firefox (also called Mozilla Firefox)

Mozilla Corporation

http://www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-3.0.1&os=win&lang=en-US

 Features:

 Awesome Bar

A quick way to get to the sites you love—even the ones with addresses you only vaguely remember. Type in term into location bar (aka the Awesome Bar) and the autocomplete function includes possible matching sites from your browsing history, as well as sites you’ve bookmarked and tagged in a drop down.

 Download Manager

Download files seamlessly and securely. A pause and resume feature means there’s no need to wait for a download to finish before you disconnect.

 Full Zoom

Visit your favorite news page and read the caption under the picture—or view the picture itself in a size you can see. An elegant new zoom feature lets you swoop in and see entire web pages.

 Offline Browsing

Take your computer offline and still have information at your fingertips. Certain enabled sites may allow applications—like your Web-based email—to stay with you at all times.

 Chrome

Google

http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html

 Features:

 Speed: Fast to launch, fast to load web pages

Quick to start up from your desktop

Loads web pages in a snap

Runs web applications faster than ever

 Simplicity: Designed for efficiency and ease of use

Search and navigate to web pages from the same box

Arrange and organize tabs however you wish — quickly and easily

Get to your favorite websites with just a click, from the thumbnails of your most visited sites in the New Tab page

 Style: Themes to add delight to your browser

Try Minimalist, Star Gazing, or Google Chrome Artist Themes.

 Safari

Apple Inc.

https://swdlp.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/SoftwareDownloadApp.woa/1560/wo/sKfk6QTQFgUHxQtwOh94fM/2.5

 Features:

 Full-Page Zoom

Zoom in or out on web content using keyboard shortcuts, Multi-Touch gestures, or the Zoom toolbar button for more comfortable reading. Images and graphics scale up while your text remains razor sharp, keeping the web page layout consistent as you zoom.

 Top Sites

Safari automatically identifies your favorite sites and displays them as a wall of stunning graphical previews. To visit one of your top sites, just click any of the previews. As you browse, Safari identifies the websites you’re most interested in based on how often and how recently you visit a site. So as you explore the web and discover new websites, your top sites will change to match your evolving tastes.

 Middle-Click Pan and Scroll

In Windows, scroll vertically and horizontally through a web page by moving your mouse. Click the middle mouse button to enable the feature, then move the mouse in any direction to pan through the web content. Middle-click a second time to return to the normal mouse mode.

 Opera

Opera Software ASA

http://www.opera.com/download/get.pl?id=31452&thanks=true&sub=true

 Features:

 Innovative compression technology

The real world does not have fast Internet everywhere. Switch on Opera Turbo and use our powerful servers to compress Web pages, so you get them faster. It is perfect for that crowded Wi-Fi or when connecting through your mobile phone.

 Faster and future-proofed

The new Opera Presto 2.2 engine is up to 40% faster on resource-intensive pages, such as Gmail and Facebook. In addition, with an Acid3 100/100 score, Web Fonts, RGBA/HSLA color and SVG improvements, Opera 10 is ready for next-generation Web applications.

 Design and craftsmanship

Opera 10 uses system resources intelligently and gives you the best possible performance on your computer. With an elegant under-the-hood architecture and a beautiful, new skin, Opera 10 feels, looks and runs better than ever.

 

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