Why you need multiple web browsers

Right now you are reading this post with a web browser.

It might be Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Opera, Edge, Internet Explorer (hopefully not) or any of a number of other web browsing options.

You may not know that's what you are doing or that's what these things are called, but it is worth knowing that you should have a couple of ways to do your web browsing.

Web browsers are translators.

They translate the code and content of a web site into something that you can see and read without too much trouble.

Some of these do a better job of translating web site code than others.

Some of them may just work in a way you prefer. It is like any other branded device, there are options, they do the same job, but slightly differently because...humans made it them.

Others also allow plug-ins to work better or, indeed, just work.

NB: Plug-ins, as their name suggests, are extra tools that a web site can use to do a special job. For example, run a certain type of video or other proprietary content.

This is why you may have experienced that a web site works on one computer or device and not another.

The creators of web browsers usually have strong views about what should and shouldn't be allowed in terms of security and obsolescence.

So if a web site is running something old or something declared insecure, then it isn't going to work properly...or at all.

Your first step should be to try another web browser before you start spending time and money of "making that one work" again.

By the way, I use 2 browser by default;

- Google Chrome for my Gmail, Youtube etc. (everything owned by Google runs better on Chrome)

- Firefox for pretty much everything else.

I am forced to use Internet Explorer by the ATO and occasionally I use Microsoft Edge when troubleshooting web sites that don't like the Firefox or Chrome.

Happy web surfing (does anyone say that anymore?).

David