How to Choose the Best Web Browser For Your Personality

Everyone has a taste in music, movies, books, food, etc. Then why can't people have preferences of web browsers. I know, it's sort of a nerdy fascination, but I think if you choose a good web browser for your personality, you will enjoy your Internet experience more than ever. I know I was never satisfied using Internet Explorer, so I sought a better companion. You can too. Use this as your guide.


Internet Explorer (Stern, conservative user): Once Netscape met its downfall, Internet Explorer was the only player on the block. As do most things that have hegemonic power, Internet Explorer became conservative in its offerings and frankly fell behind a bit. While it is useful for opening anything imaginable, it is slow, broody, uneventful. It is an old institution that is useful only because of its power, market share, and eternal image.

Firefox (Serious, inquisitive user): Firefox erupted onto the market as the only viable alternative to IE. To compete with IE, it had to implement new ideas, a few of which became standards throughout the industry. Anyone in business who does not use IE, uses Firefox for their browsing (including myself). It is a serious browser, but one that has always been cutting-edge.

Opera (Experimental, adaptable browser): Opera, like those crazy fish at the bottom of the ocean that look like ghouls, always attracts attention for its alternative ways. They dominate on mobile devices, netbooks, and nettops, while failing to attract business users. Opera seems like it can be sustained anywhere, be used anywhere, but it still hasn't really got on the radar. This browser, I have to say, worked great on my Eee PC 700 Linux-version. It was twice as fast as Firefox.

Chrome (Young, electrifying browser): Chrome is the browser I've been using at home for the past couple of weeks. I'm impressed by its speed and cool features like using the URL box for you Google search and Incognito mode (security mode). It has a long way to go, but I'm convinced that it will usher in the next big Internet thing: full-fledged applications run out of the browser. Chrome, in its youthful vigor, would be the best at doing this.

FireFox Tips & Tricks : Advance Users

Go Directly to Your Favorite Sites
You can add keywords to your bookmarks for easier and faster access. From the Library, just add a short keyword in the keyword field, and you’ll be able to access that bookmark by simply typing that keyword into the address bar. For example, you could give your del.icio.us account the “links” keyword, and from then on simply typing “links” into the address bar will take you right there.

Create Smart Folders
If you’re an advanced Web surfer who frequently needs to save and track a variety of specific sites, here’s a useful time-saver: using Firefox 3’s Library, you can create and save searches into folders that are then automatically updated as you add sites to your bookmarks and history.
First, open the Library by selecting the “Organize Bookmarks” option from the Bookmarks menu. Then, enter your search terms in the search box. Then click the Save button to create a Smart Folder.

Manage Your Downloads
If you’re a frequent downloader, you can use the download manager window to keep track of all your downloads. You can pause and resume downloads, and save yourself time by opening files directly from the manager.

If you need to track down a past download, go to Tools → Downloads and use the search box to find your file. Once you’ve found it, double-click on the file to open it, or right-click and choose “Copy Download Link”.

Discover Developer Tools
If you’re a Web developer, Firefox’s developer tools will make your life easier. The Mozilla Add-ons site offers many tools to streamline the development process, including Firebug to edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any Web page, Tamper Data to view and modify HTTP/HTTPS headers and POST parameters, and the DOM Inspector to examine any HTML or CSS element with a simple right click.

Set the Web Up Just Like You Like It
Now you can use Web-based protocol handlers to provide quick access to your favorite Web applications. For example, you can set Firefox up so clicking on a mailto: link on any site will open a new message in your preferred webmail provider rather than your computer’s default mail program (note: this feature is only available with webmail services that have registered with Firefox 3).
Go to Tools → Options → Applications to select the default application for each protocol or to select “Always Ask” if you prefer to choose the application yourself every time.
If you’re a Web app developer, check out more about how to add support for Web-based protocol handlers in the Mozilla Developer Center.