Alternative browsers for Windows and Macs

technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

Internet Explorer's competition is getting better — a look at Netscape, OmniWeb and Opera

March 20, 2002

By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2002, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2002, The Post-Standard

   I knew a guy once who collected bowling balls. This seemed strange to me, but I shouldn't talk. I collect Web browsers.
   Lucky for me, too, because this is a great time for Web browsers. One of the old standbys is getting better, a new one is making a splash in the Mac world, and the Opera browser is looking like a real contender. But it's also time for a warning about one browser in particular.
   The warning is long overdue. Microsoft did the usual thing for a monopoly and released a version of one of its most important programs that does not run right, does not uninstall easily and does not behave itself. The bad boy is Internet Explorer 6. Do not install it. (If you do, I'll never speak to you again.) If you already have it because it came with Windows XP, leave it alone and enjoy it. (It's the upgrade on a pre-Windows XP PC that causes the most problems.)
   An old friend is back to health. I used Netscape's browser (called Netscape Navigator) for a long time, and found a lot to like. I found a lot to dislike, too, but most of my dislikes had to do with the way Netscape Navigator misbehaved. (It crashed now and then. So did the mail program that Netscape created, Netscape Mail.)
   The worst thing the Netscape folks ever did was to create Netscape 6.0. It was a dog. No, that's an insult to canines everywhere. It was a disaster. But it's getting much better now that it's reached version 6.2.1. (Versions of programs often have major numbers, minor numbers and "point" numbers. You're seeing all three in this version.)
   Version 6.2.1 is available for Windows, Linux and the Mac OS X. It's easy to install and has some endearing features. It won't replace my favorite Windows browser (that's Internet Explorer 5.5), but it's a worthy competitor at last. Get it for free from www.netscape.com.
   A browser I've become very fond of is OmniWeb, available only for the new Mac operating system. (That new operating system, OS X -- that's 10, not "X" -- is a powerful argument in favor of buying a new iMac or regular Macintosh.) I like OmniWeb so much that I bought it. It's fast (possibly the fastest Web browser for any operating system) and has stunning looks. It's elegant and easy to use, too.
   OmniWeb has features you won't find in common Web browsers. How's this: Hold down the mouse button for a little while when you click on a link and up pops a menu of options. One of them lets you open the page in a new window, just like other browsers do. But another lets you open the page in a new window that shows up BEHIND the current window. I use that ALL the time.
   You can use OnmiWeb for free for as long as you want. But I felt guilty loving the thing so much without paying for it, so I bought it from the OmniWeb site, www.omnigroup.com. Actually, all I bought was a license to use it; I typed the license code into a form in the browser. OmniWeb costs $30.
   (No, OmniWeb is not available for Windows or for the older Mac operating system. It's designed to take advantage of the amazing features of OS X.)
   I checked into the status of the Opera browser, too. It has a lot of fans, for good reason: Opera is quick, solid, unflappable and inexpensive. And there are versions for many different operating systems. You can even get a free version if you don't mind seeing ads on your screen.
   Opera is available for Windows, Mac (both the older Mac OS and the new OS X), Linux, the Be operating system (BeOS), OS/2, QNX and the Symbian OS. (Symbian is the operating system on the Psion handheld computer. BeOS, OS/2 and QNX are alternative operating systems that run on PCs in place of Windows or Linux.)
   Opera costs $40 for regular users, $20 for students. Try it first by downloading it from www.opera.com.