What is a web browser?
A web browser is a program that allows us to view web content on the internet.
You are using one right now to view the contents of this blog.
What are the most popular web browsers?
According to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and our own Learning Edge statistics the top 4 are:
Internet Explorer (IE) is a web browser from Microsoft released in 1995.
Firefox is a web browser developed by Mozilla released in 2004.
Google Chrome is an open-source web browser developed by Google released in 2008.
Safari developed by Apple is the default web browser for Mac systems released in 2003.
Which web browsers are available on campus?
All of the newly upgraded Windows 7 computers have Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Google Chrome installed by default.
The recommended browsers for use with Learning Edge systems are Firefox and Chrome.
What’s my web browser version?
Within your web browser click on Help then About (hint: you may need to press Alt first for the menu to appear)
Why choose a different web browser?
It is sometimes useful to switch between browsers for different purposes, each web browser has its own merits.
For example, Google chrome loads quickly, Firefox has many downloadable plugins and Internet Explorer features a unique compatibility mode to view websites designed for older browsers.
Need help installing another browser?
Please follow the instructions in this PDF guide: How to change your browser
Your thoughts…
What web browser do you use/prefer?
Do you use plugins to enhance your web browser?
Which web browser would you recommend and why?
Please comment and let us know!
John Langford
Learning Technology Systems Officer