This month, we’re going to do a combination of things.  We’re going to offer a review of four of the most popular/widely-used browser programs available for Internet use, compiled by four members of the HunTel.net staff (three of whom you may encounter on a regular basis when calling our support line or taking advantage of our technical support offerings).  So you’ll be able to both learn about the various browsers you can use to view Internet sites and get to know us at the same time.

Let’s start by defining just what exactly we’re talking about when the term “browser” is used.  A browser program is a computer program that allows you to view documents that are stored on servers that are accessible via the Internet.  Most of these documents are written using a programming language called HyperText Markup Language (HTML for short) and a browser will decode this language and display the document as viewable text and/or pictures on your screen.

There are several types of browser programs available on the Internet for you to use; again, we’re going to take a look at four of them, each reviewed by a different member of your HunTel.net team.

Helpdesk technician Kyle Flynn (whose voice you may hear if you call for tech support between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays; you may also get to see and talk to him if you bring your computer in to us for repair or configuration) reviewed Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.  Internet Explorer—often referred to as IE for short—is automatically installed on every computer that comes with the current version of the Windows operating system (currently Windows XP, although Microsoft is promising a new release of Windows—tentatively titled Vista—within the next year).  Such wide exposure to users makes it the most common browser used on the Internet today, and in Kyle’s words, “(it) has become the standard (by) which all web browsers set goals to meet and beat.”

Kyle noted that Internet Explorer has very easy maneuverability and a very simple learning curve for new Internet users, while at the same time offering several advanced features not available in other browsers.  In addition, because of its high degree of use, the overwhelming majority of Internet sites and pages currently available are written to best display in IE.  It has an integrated messaging client and an integrated interface allowing you to send and receive files using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP for short), but does not contain an integrated mail program (although most computers with Windows and/or any Internet Explorer copy also come with Microsoft’s Outlook Express mail software, which can be set to run from within IE).  You can also get automatic security updates to IE through the Windows Update feature, minimizing the risk of security breaches when you are browsing the Internet.  In short, “(i)f you are looking for a simple browser that will be compatible with nearly any website on the net today Internet Explorer will be a good choice.”

Helpdesk technician Dan Fusselman (you’ll normally run into him at the same times and in the same locations as Kyle) reviewed Mozilla’s Firefox browser program.  Dan is a veteran user of Firefox and finds it to be “a community made browser which packs the usability of Internet Explorer with advanced browsing security.”  The advantage of being a community made browser is that several users of Firefox make contributions to its programming and features, allowing for more input from people who actually use it in real-life situations and thus making it a better, more responsive browser to the needs of its users.

Dan also noted that Firefox has a large number of add-ons and customizations that you can download to increase the functionality of the program; some of these allow you to speed up performance, block advertisements, display a current weather forecast, and/or change colors and themes within the program.  Firefox also contains an “awesome integrated search engine” that works both on its own and in coordination with major search engines such as Google or Yahoo.  The one disadvantage that Dan mentioned is that Firefox may not display some pages correctly that were more specifically written for Internet Explorer . . . but some of the add-ons you can download will integrate IE functionality into Firefox or allow you to open links directly in IE.

Our newest helpdesk technician, James Urwiller (you may get to talk to him if you call between 1:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. weekdays), reviewed the Opera browser.  James liked Opera’s ability to open and preview multiple tabs within the browser screen (allowing you to visit more than one page without loading the program multiple times) and the integrated client that allows you to transfer files using the BitTorrent protocol.  This makes Opera “an all-in-one easy to use package. Download and install is easy, no additional applications are needed for most browsing purposes.”

James also liked Opera’s trash can (saving copies of tabs in case you accidentally close them), integrated mail and chat client, and kiosk mode for public browser-only access without compromising security.  However, he thought that some built-in features in Opera, such as mouse gestures (move the mouse in a particular way to simulate a toolbar button’s activity) and voice browsing were more unnecessary.  Overall, he thought that “(i)f you are looking for a browser with more security than Internet Explorer and are looking for more features than Firefox without extra downloads, Opera is a good choice.”

Lastly, computer support coordinator Mike McKercher (you won’t have much day-to-day contact with Mike now, but longtime HunTel.net customers may remember working with him on the help desk from 1996 to 2001) reviewed the Netscape browser.  Mike has worked with Netscape since the early days when HunTel.net offered it free to our customers and found it to be “a solid, dependable, workman-like browser with enough features for most browsing needs.”  He especially likes Netscape’s multiple tab feature (similar to Opera, but without the thumbnail preview that Opera offers) and integrated mail/news clients (although be warned that both were discontinued starting with version 8.0, so users wanting these clients will want to get version 7.2 or earlier).

Netscape does offer a pop-up blocker, a file download manager, and a password manager allowing you to store passwords from various sites that you visit.  Some of the setup screens may be a little daunting to the novice user, and you may run into similar problems as Firefox in viewing sites that are written specifically for Internet Explorer, but overall Mike finds that Netscape delivers a solid performance for Internet viewing.

Just like most other things in this world, Internet browsing offers you a variety of choices and options within each choice.  The more information you have, the easier it is to make the choice that best suits your needs.  If you would like more information on any of these browsers (or anything else pertaining to your Internet service), Kyle, Dan and James are happy to assist you.  You can contact us by phone at 402-533-5777 (Washington County and Omaha) or 1-888-491-9115 (toll free throughout our service area); by E-mail at techsupport@huntel.net; or through our live support chat service at http://www.huntel.net.  Normal support hours are 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. CT, seven days a week.