I sometimes feel sorry for Microsoft. It’s big, successful and an easy target for criticism. Some of Microsoft’s business practices may have attracted adverse publicity in the past, but the company’s products are generally very good and I certainly don’t want to give the impression that it’s the evil empire some industry commentators would have us believe.
However, Microsoft products, good though they are, are not necessarily the best available and may not offer the best value for money. There are lots of cheap or free alternatives and I try to ensure that my customers are aware that the Microsoft way is not the only way.
Web Browsers
I would guess that, after Windows itself, the single most widely used Microsoft product is the Internet Explorer browser (IE for short). It’s extremely likely that you are using IE right now to view this website.
IE dominates the browser world because it's free, very good and comes bundled with all Microsoft operating systems. However, it has a number of security problems and its very popularity makes it a prime target for those who are trying to find a way into your PC to do damage.
Mozilla Firefox is a better browser, is also free and is much more secure. It has a number of very nice features; the one I use most is tabbed browsing, which means you can open several websites all at once in just one instance of Firefox. It's easy to install and guides you through the migration from IE very gently. I've rarely used Internet Explorer since I discovered Firefox and I think you'll like it as much as I do.
Before you take the plunge, I strongly advise you to read this excellent article from the TechSupportAlert website, comparing the two browsers.
If you’re convinced, Firefox can be downloaded from here. It’s also included on my free CD, which I can deliver anywhere in Cockermouth. Just send me an email to request one.
I’ve recently discovered another very promising free web browser. Deepnet Explorer features a built-in news browser and peer-to-peer file sharing as well as web browsing. I’ve not used it much, but it looks pretty good. Whether it can grab market share from Firefox, or the next offering from Microsoft, remains to be seen.
Coming soon....
News of free email, graphics and office programs.
However, Microsoft products, good though they are, are not necessarily the best available and may not offer the best value for money. There are lots of cheap or free alternatives and I try to ensure that my customers are aware that the Microsoft way is not the only way.
Web Browsers
I would guess that, after Windows itself, the single most widely used Microsoft product is the Internet Explorer browser (IE for short). It’s extremely likely that you are using IE right now to view this website.
IE dominates the browser world because it's free, very good and comes bundled with all Microsoft operating systems. However, it has a number of security problems and its very popularity makes it a prime target for those who are trying to find a way into your PC to do damage.
Mozilla Firefox is a better browser, is also free and is much more secure. It has a number of very nice features; the one I use most is tabbed browsing, which means you can open several websites all at once in just one instance of Firefox. It's easy to install and guides you through the migration from IE very gently. I've rarely used Internet Explorer since I discovered Firefox and I think you'll like it as much as I do.
Before you take the plunge, I strongly advise you to read this excellent article from the TechSupportAlert website, comparing the two browsers.
If you’re convinced, Firefox can be downloaded from here. It’s also included on my free CD, which I can deliver anywhere in Cockermouth. Just send me an email to request one.
I’ve recently discovered another very promising free web browser. Deepnet Explorer features a built-
Coming soon....
News of free email, graphics and office programs.