In this article we are going to deal with
Top 10 Browsers that were playing crucial role in enhancing our browsing experience by providing flexibility. But, choosing the
Top Browsers
among 100′s of existing browsers needs a lot of experimenting. Few
considerations like speed, efficiency, interface, java and other script
compatibility, add-ons, etc., will differentiate the Best Browsers from
normal Browser.
For surfing the web, a top web browser is not only required but
appreciated. You’ll surely feel more comfortable knowing that your
browser is secure and reliable. After all, it is involved in sensitive
procedures like storing passwords, accessing secured sites for online
banking and so on.
Today, we’ll take a look at some of the browsers that have come and gone and list the top web browsers of all time.
The first ever web browser was
WorldWideWeb. Soon,
Mosaic was released in 1993, and Microsoft launched the widely-used
Internet Explorer
in 1995. With an increase in the number of people exposed to the
Internet, the browser war soon started. Now, there are a variety of
browsers, some even designed for specific purposes like social
networking. Some are widely used, and some vanished before they’re heard
of.
Internet Explorer,
Mozilla Firefox,
Google Chrome,
Safari, and
Opera are the top web browsers today.
Swiftfox is an
optimized build of Firefox that’s faster and more cutting edge than the
regular Firefox distribution. It works with Firefox plugins, making it
remarkably extensible. The overall user interface is similar to Firefox,
but is a bit more minimalist and clutter-free. Most other features are
in line with what Firefox has to offer.
Why you should consider it: If you love Firefox but want something faster and lighter, then Swiftfox is your best bet.
Current release version: 3.5.6
Operating systems supported: Linux
Maxthon is a highly
configurable browser that places an emphasis on security. It has a
built-in Ad Hunter that blocks most ads, as well as security features to
prevent spyware, malware, and viruses. It lets you fully customize your
browsing experience (you can choose between using menus, hot keys, word
aliases, toolbars, or mouse gestures, plus there are more than 1,400
plug-ins to add functionality). It has filters available to block
irritating or offensive content.
Other Maxthon features include a built-in screen capture tool, URL
aliases for faster surfing, a built-in feed reader, an online favorites
service, advanced proxy rules, and an anti-freeze feature.
Why you should consider it: If you want a
customizable browser, Maxthon might be what you’re looking for; it’s
built specifically for power users. Between plugins, skins, filter
packs, and other customizable features, it truly lets you personalize
your browsing experience. For parents concerned about their children’s’
activities online, the filters for blocking content can be reassuring.
Current release version: 2.5.11 (the Classic Version is also available: 1.6.5)
Operating systems supported: Windows
SeaMonkey is
developed by Mozilla and is an "all-in-one" internet suite of apps.
While the browser within SeaMonkey is pretty standard (and not unlike
Firefox), what sets it apart is that it has integrated email,
newsgroups, an HTML editor, IRC Chat, and web development tools. The
mail feature offers tabbed reading and supports tagging and alternate
views for better email finding and reading. The HTML editor renders CSS
and gives you dynamic image and table resizing. For web developers, you
can take advantage of the JavaScript debugger and a DOM inspector.
Why you should consider it: For developers and
designers, SeaMonkey has a plethora of useful built-in features. It’s
also a great option for people who like to run the bare minimum number
of apps.
Current release version: 2.0.1
Operating systems supported: Windows 2000 and newer, Mac OS X 10.4 and newer, and Linux.
Stainless is a browser
created in response to Google Chrome. It utilizes multi-processing
architecture like Chrome (which, at the time of inception, wasn’t
available for OS X), but also has some excellent features not found in
other browsers. One of the most interesting features is the ability to
log into one website using two different accounts in separate tabs.
Why you should consider it: The ability to log into a
site with different credentials in different tabs makes this an
excellent option for many. It’s especially useful if you have, say,
work-related Gmail accounts and personal Gmail accounts.
Current release version: 0.7.5
Operating systems supported: OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard.
You can call it a social media web browser, as it integrates Twitter,
Facebook and Google Search. Rockmelt comes with a Facebook sidebar in
case you want to contact any of your Facebook friends directly from the
browser. There is a chat bar as well and you’re able to use to that
update your Facebook status or change your profile picture. Virtually
any Facebook-related task may be performed without leaving the active
tab. There is also a
mobile version for iOS.
Supported platforms: Windows, Mac
Download the latest version
here
You may still download a copy of Netscape Navigator
here
Based on Internet Explorer, Avant Browser is a no-frills, simple
browser. It might fall short of the professional alternatives like
Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, but was fairly popular for its
Opera-like approach of having a tabbed browsing interface. Internet
Explorer had problems rendering certain web-pages which were not tested
for IE compatibility and Avant swooped in to provide Opera-like features
on an Internet Explorer platform launching these problematic webpages
without a hiccup.
Supported platform: Windows
Download the latest version
here
Flock is probably better known
than many of the other browsers above, especially if you’re a social
media addict. Flock was created specifically to make managing your
social media activities easier from within your browser.
Flock focuses on staying connected through social media by making
sharing and publishing things easier. It integrates directly with
Facebook, Gmail, Digg, YouTube, MySpace, Flickr, Twitter, WordPress,
Blogger, Delicious, Bebo, TypePad, Picasa, and more. Special features
include a People sidebar, a Media bar (to browse photos and videos from
your favorite sites), a built-in feed reader, a photo uploader, a blog
editor, and more. There are also extensions and custom themes
available for download.
Why you should consider it: Flock is a great choice
for social media power users who want to be able to connect with all
their social media accounts from one place.
Current release version: 2.5
Operating systems supported: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
Think of
Camino as a Firefox
build specifically for Macs, built on the Gecko 1.9 rendering engine. It
includes phishing and malware protection, tabs (including a tab
overview function that lets you see all your open tabs at once),
"annoyance blocking" (which blocks ads, pop-ups, and Flash animations),
Keychain support (to save your browsing credentials), and download
notifications. It also includes AppleScript support, feed detection,
session saving, recently closed tabs, and full keyboard access.
Why you should consider it: Camino is a great browser for Mac users who like Firefox but want something built specifically for the Mac.
Current release version: 2.0
Operating systems supported: Mac OS X 10.4 or newer
Sleipnir is very
popular in Japan with a majority share in the country. It’s a
profoundly customizable browser that maintains speed and performance
despite customizations. There are skins and plugins available for it,
letting you change the design and settings of the browser to suit your
needs. And as all good browsers should, it stresses on security and
usability, and allows for tabbed browsing.
Why you should consider it: Sleipnir is an option if you want a highly customizable browsing experience.
Current release version: 2.9.2
Operating systems supported: Windows 98 and newer
OmniWeb
is a WebKit browser created by the same people who created OmniGraffle
and OmniOutliner. It aims to be fun and easy to use (like other Omni
products) and shares a similar user interface. It has all the standard
browser features we’ve come to expect (including tabbed browsing,
bookmarks, and ad blocking), but also includes Workspaces, which lets
you save browsing sessions to open later and includes an auto-save
option and a built-in RSS reader.
Why you should consider it: For Mac users who want a
browser that’s efficient and easy to use, OmniWeb might be just what
you’re looking for. It’s appropriate for power users too, and the
Workspaces feature is especially handy.
Current release version: 5.0.1
Operating systems supported: Mac OS X 10.4.8 or newer
