Web Browsers - Librarians Portal

Web browsers are the applications that allow a user to view HTML documents from a computer connected to the Internet. Software such as, Netscape, Microsoft Explorer, etc., read files created with HTML and display interactive web pages to the user.  Most of the browser can be downloaded at no charge. There is no standard way of viewing or navigating the web.  Most browsers have most of the functionality, although there are some differences in levels of support and overall performance.  Most of the browsers are still being updated and improved, with new releases every two or three months.  A number of web browsers are available for each computing platform including Lynx for terminal-based users. The basic capabilities of a browser are to retrieve documents from the web, jump to links specified in the retrieved document, and save and print the retrieved documents.

 A web browser is a client program that uses the Hypertext Transfer Protocol to make requests to the web servers on behalf of the user. A commercial version of the original browser, Mosaic was launched as Netscape Navigator.  Many of the user interface features in Mosaic, however, went into the first widely used browser, Netscape Navigator. Microsoft followed with its Internet Explorer.  Today, these two browsers are highly competitive and most of the Internet users are aware of these two browsers only.  Another recently offered browser is Opera. A web browser contains the basic software a user needs in order to find, retrieve, view, and send information over the Internet. 

 Important functions of a browser are:

  Ø      Send and receive electronic mail

Ø      Read messages from newsgroups, forums about thousands of topics in which users share information and opinions

Ø      Browse the World Wide Web (or web) where a user can find and view a rich variety of text, graphics and interactive information

 

Ø      Browsers like Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.0 + include additional Internet-related software. 

 

Ø      Windows Media server

Ø      NetMeeting, conferencing software

Ø      ActiveX.controls

Ø      Chat

Ø      ActiveMovie application programming interface

Ø      Active Channel webcast

 

Ø      Subscriptions

Ø      Dynamic HTML

There are several web browsers available to surf the Internet.

Mosaic Version 2.1.1 

WinMosaic/HomePage.html At one time first and foremost among web clients was the Mosaic graphical interface. It was developed in 1993 by the National Centre for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois.  Before Mosaic, all interfaces to the web were simple text- based, line-by-line interfaces.  They were hypertext, but not graphical or multimedia. When the Windows version of Mosaic became available to Internet users for free, suddenly the web became the hottest information system on the Network because it was so much more powerful.

Netscape Navigator 7.1  

The Netscape Navigator was developed by the same people who created Mosaic at NCSA.  The Netscape 7 browser has a tabbed user interface that allows easy switching from one open web page to another. A user can create bookmarks that open a specific set of tabs. Another suitable feature is one-click search. Highlight a word in the browser window and right-click on it, and start a search for it from any search engine. The new version of Netscape has also implemented the ‘Sidebar’ pane that runs down the left edge of the screen. Internet Explorer does the same thing. Netscape’s Sidebar provides tabbed access to addresses, bookmarks, news, history, and a variety of other useful things. The Netscape has a mail client and address book that is quite adequate. The biggest difference between Netscape 7 and Internet Explorer is integration. Because Microsoft presumes ownership of your desktop, it has less need to pack as many applications into its web browser. Netscape, on the other hand, ties together e-mail, browsing, and instant messaging in one application. Eg, both AOL’s instant messaging client and ICQ are integrated into the browser. Microsoft’s Messenger client is not fully integrated. In Netscape 7, the integration feels smooth and natural.

Internet Explorer 6.0 

The Internet Explorer is Microsoft’s Internet browser that comes packaged with Windows Operating System. It can also be downloaded from their website free of cost. Over 75% of Internet users use the Internet Explorer. The new version of Internet Explorer integrates Outlook Express. It provides a private, reliable, and flexible browsing experience and the freedom to experience the best of the Internet for users of Windows XP, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows NT 4.0 workstation. It also includes a free copy of the Advanced Searchbar, which is an Internet Explorer toolbar that allows users to quickly access and search over 60 search engines and is jam packed with features including blocking of pop-up windows.

Avant Browser v9.02 

This browser add-on, runs on top of Internet Explorer. An integrated pop-up stopper and Flash animation filter protect users from unwanted distractions. The Avant Browser supports tabbed-multi-window browsing. The built-in Google search engine lets a user search right from the browser’s taskbar. It has several built-in features like records eraser to keep privacy by deleting typed addresses, auto-complete passwords, and cookies, history of visited websites, temporary Internet files and search keywords. It has built-in Flash Animation filter and options to block downloads of pictures, videos, sounds and ActiveX components. With these options users can control their bandwidth and speed up page loading. Additional mouse functions, if link is clicked with the middle mouse button, the link will be opened in a new window in the background. It supports Real Full Screen Mode and Alternative Full Desktop Mode. It is fully Internet Explorer compatible and supports all Internet Explorer functions, including Cookies, ActiveX Controls, Java Script, Real player and Macromedia Flash. The Avant Browser supports many different languages.

Enigma Browser

Enigma Browser incorporates a large collection of powerful features like built-in pop-up stopper, skinned window frame, form filler, site group, quick-search, auto login, hidden sites, built-in commands and scripting, online translation, script error suppression, blacklist / white list filtering, URL Alias. It provides convenient and comfortable browsing. It has ability to turn on / off Flash Animation. Enigma provides convenient access to major search engines by Quick-Search bar. It has built-in VBScript, Jscript, HTML and Text Editor. It has features to hide sites and show a site at user’s request. It provides for auto login. Enigma seamlessly integrates with online translation engine and dictionaries. It has the ability to suppress script error message dialogue.

Crazy Browser v1.05 

Crazy Browser facilitates browsing multiple websites at once. It blocks advertisements. Users have the option to turn off multimedia and browse the web in text mode. Users can search on a number of search engines that come with the program. It incorporates Smart Pop-up Filter. It supports tabbed-multi-window browsing.

AutomaticSearch Browser 

AutomaticSearch is a search-themed web browser that automatically finds related links, subjects, and topics associated with the current website being viewed. It features an integrated search engine utilizing the popular engines and allows users to quickly switch among the search results using tabs. Users can also save and access their favorite websites easily by using toolbar buttons.

Mozilla v1.7.2

Mozilla, developed by the Mozilla.org open-source community, is a cross-platform product with support for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh 8/9/X. It incorporates a filter to stop pop-up advertisements. It supports tabbed multi-window browsing that lets a user open new pages easily instead of forcing a user to open a new window and then click back to see the previous screen while the new window loads. Mozilla offers a tab to the new window and loads that page in the background, letting you stay focused on the work at hand. Another welcome advance is the ability to turn off pop-up ads and animated GIFs. Besides the browser, Mozilla includes an instant-messaging application, an e-mail client, web-composer software, and some nifty cookie-management and anti- spam features.

Opera 

Opera browser is designed for Windows with built-in pop-up stopper to stop unnecessary pop-up pages. It supports tabbed multi-window browsing. It has integrated Google search engine that lets a user search right from the browser’s taskbar. It has a built-in mail client. Opera is extremely well designed with minimum resource use in terms of hard disc and memory requirement. Opera is fully customizable and it has page magnification capability, and graphics handling which make Opera an alternative to Internet Explorer or Netscape.

EasyBrowse v2.0  

EasyBrowse is a free Internet browser that works on all Windows platforms. The new version includes the Pop-up disabler option to a standard list of features including plug-ins, direct linking to 11 search engines, plug-in checker, large browsing window, favorites and a history list.

NeoPlanet Browser 

NeoPlanet offers a great browsing experience while allowing users to customize the interface. The NeoPlanet browser has an embedded e-mail client that has most of what a user needs. Neoplanet facilitates download management and offers QuickSearch features. A key difference between NeoPlanet and other alternative browser options like Opera is that NeoPlanet is not actually a full-fledged web browser. NeoPlanet is  actually a front- end for the Internet Explorer. It means that every technology supported by Internet Explorer is supported by NeoPlanet.

Lynx  

Lynx is a text-based, full screen interface to the web.  Arrow keys, tabs, and the cursor are used to move around and select items instead of a mouse.  Lynx interface is not multimedia, and so pictures, icons, maps and other graphical elements cannot be viewed