Jan's Computer Basics:2-8 Browser

Computer Basics

2 - Applications: Browser

Globe - connections over the whole world An Internet browser is a program that lets you navigate the World Wide Web or view HTML pages on a CD or DVD or on your hard disk. [It's what you are using to view this page on the computer!]

A browser displays web pages, keeps track of where you've been, and remembers the places you want to return to.

More information is available over the Internet every day, and more tasks can be done. You can buy books, check on your bank account, buy and sell stocks, even order pizza over the Internet. But you have to have a browser to do it.

Internet Explorer remains the most popular browser, though it is losing ground. Mozilla FireFox has evolved from the original favorite browser, Netscape, and has become the favorite of many. Google's Chrome is gaining market share. Safari is the browser that comes with Apple computers.

Modern browsers include many of the same features such as tabs instead of separate windows to make it easy to move between several open pages, a list of previously viewed pages (History), a list of places you want to be able to get back to (Favorites), the ability to install add-in programs to view videos in various formats or interact with web pages.

Browsers that are built into devices such as smart phones may be unique to the manufacturer or they may be simplified versions of PC browsers.


Internet Explorer 8	Google Chrome

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	1. Computer Types
	2. Applications Intro Word Processing Desktop Publishing Spreadsheet Database Graphics Presentations Communications Browser Web Pages Email Security & Utility PIM Integrated & Suites Quiz
	3. Input
	4. Processing
	5. Output
	6. Storage
	7. Computer to Computer
	8. System Software
	9. Programming

	10. What You See
	11. Hands On!
	12. On Your Own

	Search Glossary Appendix

Purpose:	Navigating the Internet
Major Advantage:	Can display graphics, which older internet applications didn't Keeps a list of places you want to return to. Shows HTML pages, which can include links to other pages and files for quick access.

There is quite a difference in popularity of browsers over time and depending on what equipment you are using to browse. The pie charts below are from Sept. 15, 2011. The market share on the desktop computers for Microsoft Internet Explorer dropped 6% while Google Chrome's share went up 7.27%. Netscape used to be the dominant browser and is now less than 1% of users! Now that's a fall!

For mobile computers like smart phones and for tablets, the dominant browser has clearly been Safari on Apple products like the iPhone and iPad, but its market share is dropping. Most of the other browsers gained in this market.

Pie Chart - Desktop Browser market share Pie chart: Mobile Browsers - market shart