* Your Internet Browser isn't what it used to be *

The first Internet browser to be designed as we know it, is Netscape (later known as Netscape Communicator). Then as Microsoft saw the Internet revolution coming, they designed their own web browser, to later integrate with their Microsoft Windows operating system.

Since that time, each company has fought head-to-head to be your 'Internet browser of choice'. This left many web surfers confused. Each application had a different interface, different features/menus, and different ways of customizing it.

The fight continued, as each company began putting out new versions, one after another, in order to suit the changing needs of Internet users. Eventually, Microsoft Internet Explorer gained in popularity, and seemed to dominate the market for the 'most widely used' browser.

But why? Was it features, functunality, or security?

Many users tried both applications and then picked the one that best suited their individual needs.

But Netscape and Internet Explorer are still the same 'old' web browser, with a few added features.
With AOL acquiring Netscape, you now get all of the AOL addons and links installed along with the browser. But who cares really?

Microsoft continued to fix many security holes in Internet Explorer. But there really hasn't been too many advancements in the way the browsers actually functioned. We still have the annoying popup ads, and common program crashes.

The standard features for Netscape and IE include:

-Ability to customize the toolbars
-Control of security settings - and ability to accept or reject 'cookies'
-Internet Mail integration
-Miscellaneous navigation tools
-and other misc features with each new version

But what new innovations have made them any different?

Can you imagine a browser that:

1) STOPS popup ads all together
(or lets you control what ones come up)
2) Lets you EASILY control cookies - quickly!
(accept from specified domains, prevent from others)
3) Allows MULTIPLE windows within the SAME browser application
(instead of minimizing every window to clutter up the taskbar)
(note: windows XP does provide a similiar feature)
4) Offers full multimedia and the latest Java support
5) Has the ability to easily customize the search engines you prefer to use
6) Allows custom browser settings and saved passwords for MULTIPLE users on one computer
7) Doesnt take up huge hard drive space and throw in a bunch of useless links and applications that you don't need
8) Lets you monitor and resume file downloads
9) Displays all the links on the page youre viewing
10) Lets you choose different skins (color schemes)
11) Full integrates a custom email program
(with spam protection too)

and most importantly

12) Is stable, secure, with fast page loading?

To do all that with Netscape and Internet Explorer it would require installation of several additional applications - like a cookie manager, a popup manager, a download manager, and everything else.

If you are still using Netscape or Internet Explorer, you are missing out!

Check out one of the latest browsers available, called "Opera"
It provides much of the added functionality mentioned above, and many things that Netscape and Internet Explorer have fallen short on.

But is it free you might ask?
Yes, but the standard 'free' version does include banner advertisements at the top, but for about $40 you can register it and eliminate them all together.

Even if you are currently using Netscape or IE, you can still install the Opera browser, without effecting any of your exisiting settings.

It's surely worth taking a look at.
Any you never know, it could change the way you use the Internet.

www.opera.com


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