Why use a modern web browser?

First of all, what is a modern web browser? There is no exact definition of what a modern web browser is, but most would agree that a modern web browser is a browser that renders a website correctly according to web standards without the use of tricks or workarounds. Of course, it can be much more technical in what defines a modern web browser, but that would be boring. Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, and Internet Explorer 8 and 9 are “technically” considered modern web browsers. Some argue that IE8 and even IE9 aren’t modern web browsers because they don’t pass many web standards tests and don’t fully support the latest web technologies like CSS3 and HTML5.

Internet Explorer 8 is a borderline modern browser. It is true that it was released only in 2009, but the technology it supported was not intended for websites created in 2009. Most of the users who are still using IE8 are people who are also using the Windows XP operating system. IE9 will only install on Windows Vista and Windows 7, so if you’re still running Windows XP or earlier, you’re stuck with IE8. But there is hope! Any PC running Windows XP can easily run Firefox or Chrome. All you have to do is download the installer and install the program.

What’s so good about modern browsers?

1. Speed: Modern browsers are built to run on the latest computers with the latest processors and graphics cards. Pages load and render faster and Javascripts run faster. They also have better memory and storage management.
2. Security: Internet security is a big problem. Modern web browsers have good security features such as phishing protection, malware detection, and privacy/parental controls.
3. Web standards: Modern browsers support the latest web standards and technologies. CSS3 properties like rounded corners, drop shadows, text shadows, gradients, etc. They are not compatible with IE8. IE9 has improved support for these properties, but still doesn’t support many standard properties. More CSS and fewer image files will significantly speed up a website’s load time because a few lines of code are significantly smaller in file size compared to a jpg or png file.
4. Free – All browsers mentioned in the blog post are free to download and install. It only takes a few minutes to download and install any of these browsers, so why not? The internet will thank you in the long run.

Which one is for you?

It all depends. Most Windows users will use the default IE browser, while most Mac users will use the default Safari browser. If you use a lot of Google services, you might get carried away by Chrome. If add-ons or extensions are your thing, then Firefox will probably appeal to you. It’s all preference as there is no clear best browser. Just like businesses, each has a unique value proposition. Some are just better at doing certain things than others.

The future of the modern browser

Future versions and generations of web browsers will only get better. As technology improves and standards are closely followed, pretty soon almost everyone will be using a modern browser without even realizing it. This will be good for you and the Internet.