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BrowserOverview Browsers are our key to interpreting data on the Internet. HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, generally speaking, is used to format, link, and edit content on the Internet. Browsers are used to receive and display this information in a standardized way. Initially, browsers were exclusively text driven and did not display complex graphics and multimedia. Today’s browsers not only display text but also photos, animations, video, sound, and other media components. History The idea of browsers first appeared in 1989 when Tim Berners-Lee of CERN began work on his browser/editor called “World Wide Web.” The browser was renamed “Nexus” years later. The first browser to catch on with the public was “Mosaic,” created at the National Center for Supercomputer Applications (NCSA) in 1993. This browser allowed for color display, and more complex graphics. In 1994, the creators of Mosaic formed their own company called Netscape, and by 1996, an estimated 80% of all browsing was done with Netscape. Microsoft Internet Explorer was first released in 1995 and it began to compete with Mosaic and Netscape almost immediately. Today, Internet Explorer is included in all modern versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system, and is the most widely used Web browser. In March 1998, Netscape released most of the code base for its popular Netscape Communicator suite under an open source license. The name of the application developed from this was Mozilla, coordinated by the newly-created Mozilla Organization, at the mozilla.org website. To learn more about the history of Web browsers, see www.livinginternet.com/w/wi_browse.htm. To view an interactive time line of the development of browsers, visit this Wikipedia.org page. Today’s Browsers Today’s browsers are available for a variety of platforms for Windows, Linux/Unix, and Mac OS users. One major shortcoming of today’s browsers is that there is no one standard for all browsers to follow. Some features or functions found on some Web sites (ActiveX or Java, for example), might appear different when viewed with different browsers or even worse, they may not appear at all. Recently, there has been a trend towards a set of standardized rules for displaying Web content. For more information about "browser standards", see www.webstandards.org/. Below is a brief list of today’s most used browsers with links to their respective home pages. These sites offer upgrades, new versions, trial versions, versions for other platforms, and a wealth of information about their browsers. Look at this browser statistics website from W3Schools to find out what browser is most popular now.
3-D Browsers are a new idea for browsing the Internet. The site www.buzz3d.com offers a free version of their “Buzz3D” 3-D browser that puts Internet content into a 3-D landscape. Another type of 3-D browser with a different concept is Browse3D developed by the Browse3D Corporation. You can give 3D browsing a try right now at this SpaceTime 3D link. Children’s Browsers are a new idea developed to filter unwanted Internet content and simplify browser function to better suit children. For example, the “KidZui” browser allows children to browse a pre-selected list of Web sites. The KIDO'Z browser is a safe, easy ad fun way for young kids to surf sites, watch videos, play games and learn. This GetNetWise article discusses the issues regarding filtering as an solution to safe Internet browsing for children. Browsers for Hand Held Devices bring familiar Internet browsing capabilities to PDAs, smartphones, and even cell phones. This WAP page offers information about an intelligent messaging service for digital mobile phones and other mobile devices that will allow you to see Internet content on WAP-enabled mobile phones and devices. The link www.quirksmode.org/mobile/mobile/ offers a wealth of information about the mobile market and this Quirksmode link offers a comprehensive list with detailed information of mobile browsers for smartphones. A list of some of the most popular mobile browsers today with links to their Web sites can be reviewed below.
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