The Heavy Chef Project

Internet Explorer is the default web browser of the Windows operating system and this means that it is the browser used by most “day-to-day” internet users. The fact that most people have the Internet Explorer as their default browser does by no means make it the only browser and it definitely does not make it the best. I would like to open your eyes to some alternatives and hopefully enhance your future browsing experience.

Most of the Chefs around here have given IE the boot a long time ago. It tends to update itself which is annoying, its not very secure, it tends to make your computer slow after a while and it does not support transparency to name but a few reasons. We do however still have versions of it floating around the office on one or two computers since we have to make sure that websites we build work on it, the reason for this is that not many users know about the available alternatives yet (All FREE by the way). So here are some alternatives that I suggest you give a try and if you are uncertain about anything just drop a comment below and one of the Chefs will sort you out.

Firefox (Win/Mac/Linux)
Firefox is the weapon of choice for any web-savvy user. Its an extremely useful piece of software that should be installed on every computer in the world :)
The facts are that Firefox is free, easy to use, extremely customizable through an extensive database of extensions, and best of all its secure!
I highly recommend Firefox as an alternative to Internet Explorer.

More Info | Download Firefox

Flock (Win/Mac/Linux)
Flock is a project that was born from the huge success of the Firefox browser. It has all the benefits of the Firefox web browser like security, stability and extendibility but comes readily equipped, out-the-box, with all the tools needed to stay connected in the social media age. It integrates with social media services like YouTube, Flickr and Facebook. Manages all your RSS feeds perfectly and can even connect to your personal blog to update your posts and upload images directly from your browser! In my opinion Flock is the perfect browser for the active blogger and social media junky.

More Info | Download Flock

Safari (Mac/Win)
Safari has been the native browser of the Mac OS for a long time now and has gained a considerable amount of market share since the fall of IE5.5 :) It has grown into a very popular choice amongst Mac users and is my weapon of choice for casual evening browsing. The exciting news is that since the arrival of Intel based Mac’s Safari has been adapted to run on the Windows platform and definitely warrants a mention in the alternative browser category. Its extremely easy to use and blisteringly fast on both Mac and Windows. If you want to add some sexy-ness to your Windows computer get this browser!

More Info | Download Safari

Opera (Win/Mac/Linux)
Opera is another big contender for the alternative browser market and has a loyal following. It offers safe, fast and secure browsing. It also boasts a built in BitTorrent client and POP mail client. It has a fully customizable user interface and can be skinned to suit your mood. It also has support for custom plugins to add further functionality to your browser. Its a good alternative to users who wish to have an all in one solution from a web browser.

More Info | Download Opera

That about rounds up the selection of replacement browsers for you IE-impaired users out there. If you would like to read up a little more on the subject read this in-depth article posted on Smashing Magazine. So there you go, step out of your comfort zone and give it a bash or post your reason for not switching in our comment section below! Until next time, Happy Browsing!