Web Browsers

Choosing a browser is not something I've ever given much thought to before now. I mainly use IE and Firefox at work and Firefox at home. This was never really a concious choice more one imposed by the operating system I'm using and the fact that the web-application the company I work for develop is only supported on IE and Firefox and I just went with it! I can't say there is anything I particularly like or dislike about either browser as they generally allow me to do what I need to do when surfing the net or doing my day to day work.

Statistics would seem to suggest that most people seem to generally just accept the browser shipped with their laptop/pc. Given that IE and Firefox are largely similar from a UI perspective to most windows apps in terms of menu structure etc. that most people are used to, it's understandable that people just go with what is already installed.

Looking at the list of the most visited sites in Ireland provided on alexa.com suggests that the top visited pages in Ireland include Google, Facebook, Youtube, Yahoo and RTE in the top ten. The most popular browsers IE and Firefox are more than adequate for this type of browsing.

I've taken a look at a few other browsers over the weekend just to see what was out there and here are some of my thoughts:

• Chrome promises a speedier response than other browsers and certainly seemed to load pages faster than IE or Firefox. The recently visited pages on the homepage when you open the browser is a nice feature and the settings are simple to use if you'd prefer to configure the browser to offer a more traditional experience.
• Opera seems to be aiming to be much more than a simple browser as it includes the ability to add widgets/apps to the desktop and write notes when within the browser. I think the additional functionality is something that will appeal to developers and other involved in the technology field but I don't think it will gain widespread acceptance with the general public.
• Safari is slick in terms of UI as you would expect from Apple. Having not used Macs myself it is a little different to what I am used to in terms of browsing experience but I'm sure you could get used to the simplicity of it quite quickly. Being a recent convert to the iPhone I found it the simplest phone I've ever used and would imagine the browser would be the same.