Firefox: An Alternative to the Little Blue “e”
When you want to browse the Internet, are you still double clicking the little blue “e” icon on your desktop? If so, then you may be missing out on a more powerful and user-friendly web browser: Firefox.
Industry-dominant, Internet Explorer, also known as “IE” or “the little blue `e,’” is a web browser that comes preloaded on most PCs and is packaged with some Microsoft-brand software programs. Since IE was put in front of them and ready to use, many noobies never stray away from it. However, there are several other web browsers out there that may better suit your style. Some of the more popular ones include Safari, Opera and Google’s Chrome, but Firefox has so far proven the greatest IE contender.
What is Firefox?
Like IE, Firefox is a web browser that communicates with web servers, turning pages and pages of programming code into a graphical representation that you can surf and enjoy. It is easy to download for free at http://www.mozilla.com.
IE and Firefox are individual software programs, so if you want to run them both, you can. One won’t interfere with the other, and you can launch either or both if you find they each have features you like. In fact, you may find that some Windows or Microsoft-specific web sites still work best in IE.
Why Firefox?
Firefox has steadily gained ground on IE as a popular web browser because it continues to bring innovation to the browsing experience. Firefox was the first browser to introduce tabs that allow you to keep several web pages open within one browser window and easily toggle between them. IE and others have since adopted this same design, making it a must-have for most users.
Additionally, Firefox is known for its quick loading of sites, simple user interface, smart pop-up blocking, fast keyboard shortcuts and better bookmarks. Most notably, however, are the easy-to-download add-ons or plug-ins that will truly customize the browser for your needs.
Adding On to Firefox
There are Firefox add-ons for everything from changing the browser’s appearance for purely aesthetic reasons to simplifying complex web development tasks. After you’ve installed the most recent version of Firefox, you can download free add-ons at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/. Some of the most popular, according to the Firefox website and an unscientific noobie poll, include:
FireFTP: This free, secure file transfer protocol (FTP) client works across platforms for easy and intuitive access to FTP servers.
PDF Download: View PDFs directly in Firefox as HTML or use the web-to-PDF toolbar to save and share web pages as high-quality PDF files.
Xmarks: If you use several computers or several browsers, you’ll always have access to your browser-created bookmarks and even passwords with Xmarks. Just sign up for an Xmarks account and launch it from wherever you are browsing.
Start with some of these add-ons to get more out of your web browser or discover your own favorites at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/.