Bits & Bytes
Information Technology Support and Services offers technology tips in this column. To submit questions or suggestions for topics, contact the IT Service Desk, ext. 1-4000 or ITService@mcg.edu.
Browsers vary in features, functions
A Web browser is the software that enables you to navigate the Internet and there are an increasing number to choose from.
Although Internet Explorer is the most common browser on campus, IT does its best to support all Web browsers – Netscape, Firefox, Safari, Mozilla and Opera, to name a few. All major Web browsers boast of tight security, customization, tabbed browsing, high speeds and other features. Individual preferences factor into computer users’ browsers of choice.
For instance, at Information Technology Support and Services, Anne Hinton, web design specialist, likes Safari’s tabbed bookmark bar and snapback feature, which returns you to the last typed URL or selected bookmark. On the other hand, she notes that Firefox’s many extensions allow her to customize her Web browser. Jennifer Lapsley, customer service specialist, feels Firefox is the most secure browser. Joe Covington, manager of workstation support, sticks with the tried and true: Internet Explorer. “It gets me where I need to go,” he said.
Here are some synopses of popular browsers:
- Netscape: Emphasizes security and fast, efficient Web-browsing
- Firefox: Specializes in extensive customization, fast browsing and secure surfing
- Mozilla: A kit of Web-related applications, including a Web browser, mail/news client, a chat client and more. Similar to Firefox, but with a much larger application
- Safari: The standard browser downloaded with every copy of Mac OS X
- Opera: Calls itself the world’s fastest browser, with built-in mail and chat clients
- Microsoft Internet Explore: Perhaps the quickest and easiest browser
| ALERT Most MCG computers use Microsoft’s Internet Explorer as a Web browser. A new version (Internet Explorer 7) has been recently introduced, but ITSS strongly advises users not to upgrade at this time. Major campus systems such as Banner, PeopleSoft, WebCT, Vista and One45 have yet to be tested with the newest version. Users are asked to continue using IE 6 until all related products can be certified compatible with IE 7. |