With all of the recent articles and conversation surrounding the browser ballot screen that may come to fruition for Windows 7 versions shipped in Europe, It had me thinking of which browser I would select had my version of Windows 7 shipped with a selection screen. Typically, I end up defaulting to Internet Explorer 8 because it’s pre-installed and because it’s the browser that I need to use all day at work because of compatibility reasons. However, say Windows 7 shipped in the US and one of the setup screens gave a list of the popular choices for browsing and let me decide. Which one should I chose, which one would I chose? While I’ve toyed with other browsers in the past, am I just defaulting to IE8 because it’s already there. I gave myself the test. For two weeks, I took the popular browsers and gave them each a few days to blow my mind. I wanted to see which one was faster in a normal browsing enviroment, which one has the fewest problems, which one seemed more secure, which one was both easy to use and contained enough features to satisfy my needs and make life a little easier. Here are the results from my own Broswer Challenge:
(Don’t kill me in the comments if your browser is not listed here. I simply took the browsers that would be in most average users consideration.)
Firefox - Firefox delivers on just about every front. I have always been skeptical with Firefox because I’m not a huge fan of their interface, but this is one of the most customizable browsers out there, so if you like IE8′s look, you can download a skin to replicate that look. Security is very good, speed is not quite chrome, but exceptional and customization, as previously stated, is very good. After using the browser, I did see why people like it and realize why some are fanatical or “fanboyish” when it comes to their Firefox. That being said…it’s just “not for me”. I found speed to be better on other browsers and the interface wasn’t my style.
Internet Explorer 8 - Statistically, the most popular browser, IE8 leads the pack as far as market share. I tried to be harsh with IE8 since I am most accustomed to using this browser. Speed is noticably slower when compared to both Chrome and Safari. Customization is there, but nowhere compared to the likes of Firefox and Opera. Security is probably IE8′s strong point, depending on who you ask. I work with important information on a daily basis at my workplace and the only browser they will entrust is IE8. Sure, there have been some issues with ActiveX, but Microsoft is usually very quick to update and patch security holes that are discovered. One major issue that I have run into at home, is IE8 crashing with certain websites…it’s becoming annoyingly frequent.
Chrome - Google’s first shot at the browser market was a successful one. Chrome brought innovation and speed back to the browser scene. The easy to use interface is well thought out and the creative design of the home page that remembers your most frequently visited sites was a hit. Customization in the first edition was a little light, but the versions since have more options. Speed, Speed, Speed is where the Google browser really shines. If speed is your main concern, Chrome is your browser.
Of all the browsers, these two were the ones I was least familiar with, so I did a little more research and digging around in their menus:
Opera - The tenth installment of Opera’s browser is a very good one. Although Opera typically takes a backseat to IE8 and Firefox, It is a very quick browser with a well thought out interface and a million customizable options. I did not find it to be quicker than Safari or Chrome, but it did beat out Internet Explorer and Firefox. Opera’s Speed dial feature is similar to both Chrome and Safari’s Top Sites page, but the browser does boast Widgets, Opera Turbo (which is supposed to help out slower internet connections) and a few options that other browsers do not. I wasn’t a huge fan of the interface out-of-the-box, but there are many different themes to change the appearance, so I won’t dock Opera for that. Had I tried Opera without trying out some other browsers, I might be hooked.
Safari - As with most Apple products, Safari looks impressive when you first open the browser and see the Top Sites screen, but how does it stack amongst other popular browsers? Actually, quite well. Safari does seem quicker than IE8, Firefox and Opera, I can’t say that it matches the speed of Chrome. The Coverflow option for viewing browsing history is eye appealing, but I found searching browsing history easier with a menu, rather than flipping through each page. While Apple touts Safari as the fastest and most innovative browser, I cannot say that either are completely true. I’ll have to give the nod to Chrome for the quickest browser and the Top Sites screen does look an awful lot like the home page option found in Chrome, so if you consider innovation merely touching up features found in other browsers, then yes, it’s innovative. Overall, a very good experience has left me wanting more from Safari. A bit more customization would be nice, but this is Apple we’re talking about…not gonna happen.
Not the actual Browser Ballot
My conclusion is that it is going to be up to the user to decide which browser is best for them. You can’t decide on an all-out winner because each browser brings something different and stronger than the others. Before labeling this as a cop-out, ask yourself how many different browsers are currently installed on your machine as your reading this sentence. More than one I’m guessing. Do you use each of them, what is the reason you use one for one task and another browser for a different task? Just as the Mac vs. PC vs. Ubuntu debate will be left up to the individual user, so shall the browser debate. I’m a Chevrolet guy, but that doesn’t mean that Ford and Toyota’ s trucks can’t do other things just as well or better, it just means that, well…I’m a Chevy guy.
I’ll go on record as saying that I understand competition is great and users should chose their own browser, which they do, but forcing Microsoft to include a browser ballot screen is ridiculous. Will Apple be forced to add a browser ballot screen to future MAC OS versions?
