Internet Basics – Web Browsers
The World Wide Web, also known as the Web, is a virtual information system in which various web resources and documents are identified through Uniform Resource Locators, that can be accessed over the Internet and can be correlated by links. It is used for interactive learning, business practices, e-commerce, education and much more. In essence, the Web is information superhighway – a global information highway network that allows users to search information on the web, from anywhere in the world at virtually any time. This article highlights some of the fundamental aspects of the Web.
A web browser is software that displays web pages on a user’s computer screen. A number of web browsers have evolved over time, becoming sophisticated enough to serve a number of purposes. The most popular browser, Google Chrome, is designed to run on the majority of computers in North America and Europe, although there are web browsers available for use on computers running Windows XP, Mac OS X or Linux. Mozilla Firefox is another free web browser that is available for download and use on most operating systems.
Another important aspect of the web browser is the type of technology that drives it. Currently, there are many different technologies that have been developed to give web browsers a graphical user interface, including Flash and Java, although webmasters can also develop other technologies themselves. The major player in this field is Google, which has developed the popular browser Chrome. However, Microsoft has recently announced that it will develop its own proprietary web browser, codenamed “Mozilla,” based on the technologies used in Internet Explorer.
Many web browsers offer features such as tools for browsing the web, for example, search engines, web counters and “guest books.” The tools for browsing the web are called plugins. Web developers add new plugins to their web pages, so that they can take advantage of these features when they are used on a web browser. Some of the more popular plugins include the Google calendar, Google translate and Google calendar.
The market share of web browsers is constantly changing. As new web technologies are developed, new versions of the web browsers are released. In recent years, for example, the share of web browsers has been dropping off because some users have become savvy about using their personal computers to surf the web and to download various items. There is still some web browsers that are popular among PC users. Internet Explorer is still the most widely used browser for the Internet while Firefox and Safari are growing in popularity. This is probably a good time for webmasters to begin thinking about developing an online business and starting a business based around web design.
No matter which type of web browser you decide to use, it’s important that your web page looks good and is easy to navigate. When webmasters design their web pages, however, they must remember that each browser renders a web page in a slightly different way. When a web page is not viewed properly by the browser, it can cause users to click away from the web page. Designing a web page in such a way that it is easy to find and access will increase the chances that visitors will stay on your site and increase the likelihood that they will click on links contained on your web page.