Browsers and Email Clients

A "browser", for those that may not know the term, is the application one uses to access the internet. Winner and still champion of the so-called "browser wars" is Microsoft's Internet Explorer. However, as is common, just because it's the biggest, does not mean it's the best.

Internet Explorer is the most used simply because it comes right along with Windows, so it's easy and free. What many people don't know is that it is also full of security holes that put your computer at risk. The way the browser is tied in to the operating system (OS) allows it to access OS functions which does help it launch fast and have some integrated features that work across the Windows OS.

However, a lot of people don't realize that a free alternative is available. Mozilla Firefox has been gaining momentum for years and is just now really making a substantial impact on the figures and is considered by many to be a real threat to Internet Explorers dominance. Firefox does not allow programs to be installed from web sites if preferences are set right, which IE does, and this is how spyware propogates, in these so-called "drive by installs".

Using Firefox will make your internet surfing much more secure. I highly recommend using it, using Internet Explorer is really just asking for trouble.

Email clients suffer the same issue. Outlook and Outlook Express are in the lead but for the same reasons IE is for browsing. Unfortunately, they also suffer the same downsides that IE does.

Mozilla, the makers of Firefox, also make an email client called "Thunderbird" that will have a positive effect on your email management. A great spam filter, works like Outlook, will import Outlook contacts and more to make the change seamless.

The internet is only as safe as the applications you use to access it, do the right thing and use safe applications.

Along with email comes the ever-present hassle of spam. Many email clients have spam control built in to them, some are better than others. If you find the need for more complete spam control, there are many, many products on the market available.