Can You Name 12 Browsers?

A web browser is a type of computer program that lets you surf web sites on the Internet. You're probably reading this article on a browser right now.

By volume, the number one browser in the world is Firefox. Firefox is a free, open-source web browser developed by Mozilla. It holds about 47% of the market these days. If you are using Firefox on a Windows-based computer, then someone intentionally downloaded it from Mozilla.org and installed it on your computer. You probably still have IE somewhere on the machine as well.

By volume, the number two browser in the world is Internet Explorer, or IE, by Microsoft. IE holds about 38% of the market these days. Many computer 'experts' insist that IE is popular only because it ships with virtually every copy of Windows around the world. If you're using IE on a Windows based computer, then it was probably bundled with Windows and automatically installed on the machine when the operating system was configured.

Most people don't know the difference between IE and Firefox. I have a customer who refers to IE as "the Internet" and Firefox as "FoxFire". The vast majority of web sites look the same regardless of which browser accesses them. The vast majority of computer users couldn't care less about the political issues swirling around their choice of browsers.

Web developers face a never-ending challenge to program sites that will render properly on all browsers. The subtle differences between Firefox and IE keep developers up at night. Yes, there are standards for web site coding, but a wise person once said "The wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from."

As a computer user you have the freedom to pick any browser that catches your fancy. You're not stuck with IE or Firefox. Microsoft won't come to your house and reformat your hard drive if you abandon IE in favor of another product. Windows happily accepts Firefox or any other mainstream browser.

When you visit a web site, that site receives a message from your computer defining the browser you're using. The site can use that information to adapt it's programming to your particular situation. A site may also choose to give up on you completely if it deems your browser to be incompatible. Note that this is not a function of your operating system, only your browser.

On a personal note, I favor Firefox on my personal computers but I favor IE on my customer's computers. I rarely give customers the freedom to choose; I simply configure IE and tell them to have at it. For me, this is the path of least resistance. No one has ever complained to me regarding their web surfing experience.

Some computer busybodies are often indignant; they suspect they know what's best for everyone else. Unfortunately, IE isn't high on their list of goodness. A browser manufacturer called Opera took their hissy fit to the EU. They asserted that by bundling IE with Windows, Microsoft had an unfair advantage in the marketplace.

Recently the EU (European Union) badgered Microsoft into including 12 different browsers in Windows operating systems that are sold in Europe. Microsoft has apparently agreed to pop up a window offering a choice of programs to each computer user. Windows will download and install the selected applications; there's no word if IE will be completely removed or will continue to lurk in the background.

As a career computer professional with 20 years experience as a consultant, software developer, and computer geek, I can't even name 12 browsers. Here are the twelve programs chosen by the EU: