While it may be nice to pull a computer out of the box and get right to the matter at hand using all the pre-installed programs, it is wise to know just which of these programs you want to use and when you might want to consider other options.
One example of this is the Internet browser. Nearly all computers come with Internet Explorer installed on them, and since it is a necessary program in order to be able to get Microsoft updates, it is nice that it is present. However, it does not have to be your default browser.
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There are many other options available. Mozilla’s Firefox is one that is rather popular, in part because it has numerous add-ons to personalize your browsing experience. Firefox 4 is available to download at www.mozilla.com. You can also browse their add-ons there and choose from about 5,000 different ones.
Image via CrunchBase
A relative newcomer to the scene is Google Chrome. A free download for this web browser is at www.google.com/chrome. This browser was designed for efficiency and has been kept simple and easy to use. They have a number of included features as well as many add-ons.
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A lesser-known browser is Opera. The newest version, 11.1 is very fast and has an amazing number of built-in features. One feature is especially worth mentioning – you can browse in private. Check it out at www.opera.com/browser.
There are actually more than a dozen different browsers available. Take some time to research the strengths and weaknesses of each one to find what makes sense for you.
