While most users still browse the Internet with the copy of Internet Explorer that likely came pre-loaded on their computer, I've been a fan of Mozilla's browser for a few years now.

I just upgraded to the very latest version, FireFox, and as far as I'm concerned, the better browser just keeps getting better!

For anyone who hasn't heard of Mozilla, it's an open source Web browser based on the Netscape code, but significantly enhanced. While free, the real attraction to the Mozilla project is that the software is an "open source" development. In essence, this means that the basic program code for this browser is open to all developers to view, test and tinker with. The benefits to the end-user, as opposed to privately developed and proprietary code, are many.

First and foremost, by seeking input from countless sources, the programming community as a whole can develop a more stable and secure program application.

As a practical matter, the software seems to be not only much more stable, but users can also expect fewer security flaws and bugs than the almost never ending stream of problems that are associated with Internet Explorer.

While the software functions very similarly to other browsers, there are two key differences that should make this your first choice for surfing the Web.

First, the program automatically blocks those un-requested and annoying "pop-up" windows. That feature alone makes Mozilla a must-have.

Second is the ability to open new Web pages in a "tabbed" interface, as is common to most Windows-based programs. Rather than opening multiple copies of the browser itself (as would be required with Internet Explorer) you can instead open multiple Web pages within the single running copy of Mozilla itself.

Not only does this feature result in the consumption of less memory and system resources, but it also makes switching from page to page a simple task of choosing from the easily viewed open "tabs" that are easily displayed along the top of the browser.

These two features are not the only differences, just the two most appealing. Mozilla also includes a host of comprehensive tools for the power user, including separate management tools for cookies, forms, passwords and file downloading.

While there are a number of versions and packages available from the www.mozilla.org Web site, I personally have upgraded to the FireFox .8 release. While technically still a "beta" version, I've found it stable enough for everyday use. However, my primary reason for choosing this version is that it allows me to install just the browser, and not the other accessories such as email client, newsgroup reader and other tools that I just don't need and would only add clutter and overhead to my system.

It should be noted that there are still some Web sites that are designed exclusively for use with Internet Explorer so you may very well need to still use IE from time to time. That said, if you try Mozilla for even a few days, you'll no doubt want to use it as your first choice for day-to-day surfing.

Published: September 27, 2004

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