Firefox

Firefox

 

Firefox, developed by the Mozilla foundation, is one of the most complete Web browsers out there. Its claim to fame comes from the fact that it became the first browser in years to challenge the dominance of Internet Explorer as a browser.

 

One of the best things about Firefox is that it is ever-evolving in terms of technology. It uses the powerful GECKO engine, which ensures the best possible rendering of Web pages. It has superb support for all things dear to Web developers. Rendering is accurate and fast, and it offers advanced stylesheet support.

 

Another positive is that DOM support is available and accounted for. Firefox is being developed by the Mozilla Foundation, and the open-source nature of the code ensures that the best possible version is released to the common public, and its flaws, if and when discovered, are fixed within days, if not hours. This ensures a browser that is not only great in appearance, but is also secure, stable and efficient.

 

One of the advantages that Firefox has had is that it could learn from competitors and market leaders. It put this information to good use and developed a browser that doesn't contain many of the obvious vulnerabilities that IE has, such as ActiveX components, which can often install spyware on users' machines. Although it's heavily derived from the Mozilla Suite, Firefox holds its own identity through numerous extensions that are available through the Mozilla community. Extensions (add-ons to the basic browser) are available in large numbers, and can be downloaded depending on your personal preferences. This gives Firefox great flexibility.

 

A feature that made this browser a stand-out was tabbed browsing, though Opera users can smugly say they've had it for years! Instead of opening each link in a new page, they can be stacked in the same window, saving heaps of precious desktop space. Though the Mozilla Foundation never claims to have invented this, they have used it to good effect in their browsers. Firefox is strong on the interface side—it is simple and neat. The buttons are graphically sharp and do not encroach upon screen space. It also has the ability to customise its appearance using skins (a new colour palette and look). So if the default appearance is not to your taste, you can easily install a new skin, which would have a different colour scheme and button design.

 

Overall, Firefox is a great browser. It's relatively secure and definitely fast. For advanced users, it's a treat because it can always be tweaked. However, to date, it remains CPU-hungry: if you have a relatively old system, it may slow down your computer.