Browsers

[jayemcee]

Looking for a new browser independant of my broadband provider. Any idea how I can have a look see BEFORE I download. Think I really want something pretty basic without too many bells and whistles. Preferably with a " How to use it " fact sheet.
Would be glad to have your thoughts, thanks in advance.

[Buenchico]

The world's most popular web browser (by far) is Firefox.
[That's where 'popular' refers to what people actually choose to use, rather than what they might happen to use because it's already on their computer].
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/

Firefox is great when simply used 'off the peg' but it gets even better when you use the add-ons which are available for it. (For example, you can get rid of all of the adverts on this page, so that this site loads much faster).

If you want a super-fast, lightweight version of Firefox, try K-Meleon:
http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/

Chrome (from Google) also has plenty of fans:
http://www.google.co.uk/chrome

My own choice is to use Firefox. (Most of the other 'regulars' around here also use it).

The only way that I can think of for you to trial a browser is to find someone who has already got it on their computer. (An internet café I use has both Firefox and Chrome available on their PCs).

However, since you can lots of different browsers on your computer (even with them all running at once, if you so choose!), it would seem simplest to download and install anything which you think that you might like to use.

Chris

[VHG]

>>>Looking for a new browser independant of my broadband provider.

Most browsers (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera etc) are not tied to any particular broadband provider. Maybe you mean you use the AOL interface or similar.

Why not just download a browser and try each one (you can download and install as many different browsers as you like - you could have 10 installed if you want).

If you dont like it uninstall it.

Note you dont HAVE to uninstall a browser, if you dont like it just dont use it just leave it on your PC.

[jayemcee]

Thank you VHG and Buenchico. I had not realised you could have multiple browsers. I hope I am understanding my situation. I currently have "BT Yahoo - Windows Internet Explorer provided by BT Yahoo".I no longer have broadband ot telephone from BT, and they tell me that if I want to keep this it will cost me £1.50 per month - in a few weeks time. If I downloaded,say, Chrome, would I be able to put a google enquiry bar on it etc. When BT then withdraws ( is that what they do ?) Yahoo will it be a seamles transfer? Sorry to be so dense but this is new water for me.

[Buenchico]

A browser is simply a program on your computer, just like any other. I can't see how BT could stop any program from working!

What you've got a the minute is just the standard Internet Explorer browser, that comes with Windows anyway, which has simply been 'relabelled' as a BT program. I'm confident that it will continue to work when you change your ISP.

I suspect that the £1.50 per month charge is what you'll have to pay if you want to keep your current BT-Yahoo email address. (Your new ISP will provide you with a new address with their own service, and/or you can get a free email account elsewhere - just ask if you need to know how to do that).

Firefox has a search box at the top right. See the picture here:
http://www.currentnew.../2011/05/firefox5.png
By default the search uses Google but, by clicking on the symbol just to the left of where you enter your text, you can switch to other search engines (such as Yahoo or Bing).

With Chrome, you simply enter your search term in the address bar (where you'd normally type 'www.something' and click 'Go' (or hit 'Enter'). That searches Google. (Incidentally, you can do that with other browsers, such as Firefox, as well).

As we've said before, you can as many browsers on your computer as you like, so there's no actual 'transfer' involved. (You could use Internet Explorer on Monday, Firefox on Tuesday, Chrome on Wednesday, etc if you wanted to. But, if you were dissatisfied with one browser you could immediately switch to any other - you wouldn't even need to close the first browser!).

Try Firefox first. I suspect that you'll quickly grow to love it and that you won't want to use anything else.

Chris

[jayemcee]

Thank you so much, you have removed a lot of the fog. I have already opened a separate email account that is independant so I shall not retain my BT address. I realise that all I now have to do is to download a new browser (s) and set up all my favourites, such as Answerbank, and become accustomed. Thank you so much for your reassurance, and I shall certainly start with Firefox.

June