RickInOz

No, I’m not talking about the kind with lions, trustafarians and malaria.

Apple Corp have finally released their browser, Safari, for Windows. Previously it had been intended only for Macs, so Mark and Tony already use it, whereas the rest of you probably haven’t even heard of it.

This represents “a good thing“. For too long the browser of default has been Internet Explorer. In fact, most of you use it to read this blog, as my domain stats report. This is understandable as Windows is the dominant OS worldwide, and IE comes as standard, so most people don’t think to look for an alternative. However there is another way!

I would like to encourage you all to try a different browser like:

• Firefox: This browser was produced by the Mozilla Project, who have a good track record for making effective and safe web applications. It is endlessly expandable by being open-source and making use of plug-ins, a combination that allows the user to tailor the application to their needs.
• Safari: This is the offering from Apple. Only available to Windows users recently, but Mac users have been working with it for years and many swear by it.
• Opera: This is my browser of choice. It supports all of the essential browser features like tabbed browsing, a configurable interface, a built-in pop-up blocker and RSS reader, and great security. I also like Opera since it has a built-in email client, so I don’t have to use another Microsoft disaster - Outlook.

You may be asking why you should change - after all Internet Explorer does the job. Well. let me give you 2 good reasons.

1. Web Standards: The WorldWideWeb Consortium is the international governing body that sets guidelines on how websites should behave and draws up the code that website designers must adhere to. Developers for the three alternative browsers above, especially Opera, take great pains to make sure their browser also obeys these recommendations. The rationale behind this approach is intended to ensure that a website will look the same on any computer running any browser. Another advantage is that the website designer only has to write one set of code, rather than a set for each browser. Unfortunately Microsoft think they are above all this sort of thing, and IE doesn’t adhere to the guidelines, hence websites often have to be specially written to make up for its deficits, putting an unnecessary workload on website developers.
2. Security: A quick trawl through Secunia reveals the following:
   • Internet Explorer 6 has 114 vulnerabilities (21 still unresolved)
   • Internet Explorer 7 has 11 vulnerabilities (8 still unresolved)
   • Firefox 1 has 43 vulnerabilities (5 still unresolved)
   • Firefox 2 has 9 vulnerabilities (5 still unresolved)
   • Safari 1 has 15 vulnerabilities (1 still unresolved)
   • Safari 2 has 6 vulnerabilities (4 still unresolved)
   • Opera 8 has 15 vulnerabilities (all fixed)
   • Opera 9 has 6 vulnerabilities (all fixed)

   The statistics speak for themselves. Virus writers will always target IE since it still has the majority share of all web users. Microsoft also have an appalling record of not fixing problems in their software, so your PC is at risk if you use it. Please don’t maintain that you are immune if you use a firewall, as they are not infallible and won’t protect you if you click on a dodgy link.

So I would urge you to be a good netizen and try an alternative browser. You may be pleasantly surprised at how simple the switch is. Firefox and Opera can even be configured to look like IE if it makes you feel happier.

Please click on one of the icons below and have a punt!

Firefox	Safari	Opera

A full list of web browsers is available here for comparison.