A browser is a tool on your computer that lets you “surf” or look at things on the internet. When you click that “big blue E” you are opening a browser called “Internet Explorer.” It’s a browser that comes built-in to your Windows operating system.
It’s good to know that you have other options for browsers, too. Each browser has a different “look” and different features. Some people have favorites (mine is Mozilla Firefox at the moment!). Many people have more than one browser installed on their computer. You can use different browsers and your computer won’t get confused.
No matter what browser you use, you will probably get a notice (usually, it will show up on your screen while you are using that browser) that invites you to “upgrade” your browser to the newest version. Upgrading is generally a good idea, as upgrades have better security. BUT, most wise computer users wait a few weeks before upgrading. This is to allow all the problems, called “bugs”, to be worked out by other. Most upgrades do not work flawlessly until those bugs have been found and fixed. So, a good rule of thumb is- if you want to avoid potential problems, wait about 2 or three weeks before you upgrade your browser. Don’t worry- your browser will probably keep on reminding you!
What are some alternatives to Internet Explorer? Here are the top three:
Mozilla Firefox www.mozilla.com/en-US/products/download.html Chrome www.google.com/chrome
To install them, click on the link and follow the directions to download and install. You can download and install versions of these for Macintosh computers, too.
