I’m not going to beat around the bush. I strongly suggest that you use Firefox. Just in case you haven’t heard of it, Firefox is a free web browser, recently released by the Mozilla Organization, aimed to replace Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Why would you want to use Firefox? Isn’t Internet Explorer good enough? Why should you care enough to make the switch?
Viruses and spyware. Viruses are programs that you don’t intend to run that spread themselves to other computers and wreak havoc on your own. Spyware is less defined, and while similar to viruses, usually forces advertisements through your computer and takes over common programs, such as a web browser or an e-mail program. Unlike human diseases, which float through the air and get inhaled inadvertently, computer ailments don’t float through the Internet and get absorbed into your computer. They need to be let in somehow. Unfortunately, the crafty designers of these malicious programs don’t ask you nicely if they can be installed, but rather they exploit the flaws of programs they can safely assume you’re running.
Internet Explorer is full of holes. Knowingly or not, by using Microsoft’s browser, you are signing away your right to a clean and properly running computer. Furthermore, the few patches and fixes that are released to address these issues are often only available if you choose to purchase their latest version of everything they want you to buy, including Windows XP Service Pack 2, which RPI’s Help Desk advises you not to install because it is incompatible with other software that the campus uses. You might think that you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, but that’s where Mozilla Firefox comes in.
Firefox is fundamentally more secure. It simply does not allow the viruses and spyware that you’ve become accustomed to, to infect your machine. Not only can Firefox promise a more secure computer, but it provides a much more pleasant browsing experience. It’s faster, easier, and looks enough like what you’re used to that you might even forget that you’re using a different program. It sports all kinds of nifty features, such as the ability to keep multiple websites open within one window to reduce desktop clutter, and it can keep track of your favorite news sources and list their headlines for you. Best of all, if there’s something you wish your browser would do for you, but you haven’t received a response from the suggestion you sent to your favorite corporate behemoth, chances are someone’s already written an add-on to Firefox using its powerful extension system that does exactly what you want.
You owe it to yourself to at least give Firefox a shot. The Wall Street Journal suggests “dumping Internet Explorer.” USA Today says that Firefox is “Better than Internet Explorer by leaps and bounds.” The Washington Post finds that “Firefox leaves No Reason to Endure Internet Explorer.” And I say, use Internet Explorer for the very last time by going to http://www.GetFirefox.com.
