Web Browser

A web browser is a software application that allows users to access websites and information on the World Wide Web. When a user requests a web page, the browser retrieves the files from a web server and displays the page on the user's screen.

Web pages usually contain hyperlinks to other pages for continued reading. When each link is clicked or tapped, the browser navigates to the new link which can be for another web page or to download a file. Most browsers use an internal cache of web files to improve loading times for subsequent visits. The cache can store everything that makes up teh page include scripts, images and CSS styleheets, eliminating the need to download again. While browsing, cookies are used to store login credentials and site preferences.

History

The first web browser was cerated in 1990 which evolved to become the Netscape Navigator in 1994 which quickly became the most popular browser.. In 1995 Microsoft debuted its Internet Explorer and by bundling it with Windows gained most of the browser market share. In 1998 netscape launched teh Mozilla Foundation to create a new browser with open source software licensing. Mozilla's Firefox web browser was launched in 2004 gaining 32% of market share though to 2010. In 2003 Apple released its Safari web browser, which remains as the dominant browser on Apple devices.

In 2008 Google released the Chrome web browser to become the most popular browser in 2012 and it has remained dominant eto this day. By 2015 Microsoft replaced Internt Explorer with Edge for the Windows 10 release.

Since 2000 web browsers have greatly expanded their HTML, , CSS styling and multimedia capabilities, enabling web sites to be more sophisticated.

Popularity and browser market

Which is the most popular browser and which has the greate market share over the years has been governed by who did the shadiest deals. In the early days Microsoft's Internet Explorer was bundled with every installation of Windows software. Internet Explorer was difficult to remove and usually stayed as the default browser. Only the connoisseurs sought an alternate browser. For artists and web developers the first choice was usually Netscape Navigater which later became Firefox.

But then along came Google's Chrome browser which began as nothing more than an advertsing novelty. And that is what it remains today, the means to track personal preferences for targeted marketing. It has been bundled with software to creep onto a user's desktop and everyone in the web development and SEO industry religiously believes that they cannot do without out and its inbuilt support for Google services.

As if that is not enough incitement Google provides a host of free services to get the public hooked. The first notable free offering was Gmail and today almost everyone on the planet has a Gmail account. Before Gmail there was Hotmail which has always been provided by Microsoft. Email services used to be provided by the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) the companies providing the means of accessing the Internet. But Gmail's service has grown in popularity to the point where ISPs no longer need to provide mail services, which has been a huge saving by reducing support calls.

The next huge offering was YouTube which Google purchased in 2006 from Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were cashed up from the sale of Paypal by Ebay. YouTube began as a venture capital funded technology startup. YouTube was not the first video-sharing site on the Internet but it soon became the most popular. YouTube was origiannly a paid service but since Google's takeover it is now provided as a free service but monetised by Google Ads.

Naturally the public loves Google for all of its freebies, but it has not been popular with those who have been hard done by due to their manipulation of search results and their invasion of privacy. Consequently Google is continually in the news about being sued for millions and it often settles out of court to quickly get back to what it does best... milking the Internet. The latest news is that governments are calling for Google to relinquish control of their Chrome browser.

Security and privacy

As with popularity, security and reputation cannot be gauged from the never ending stream of misinformation that is pumped into every news outlet and onto everyone's desktop. When it comes down to it, no web browser is or has ver been more secure than the others. They all have an attack surface for hackers and they all have to bandage or roll back their latest releases.

Browser list

When searching for the most commonly used browsers, all lists begin with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Opera, followed by some lesser know browsers (hundreds of them) and they keep disappearing while new ones emerge. Some are promoted as being superior for privacy and they do have a following of conspiracy theorists and others who are paranoid about their activity on the web being monitored. For example some browsers include enhanced support for using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and some like the Tor browser are specially designed to use the Tor network.

Some browsers are available for use on all Operating Systems (OS) but most are limited to particulat OS.

Browser versions

Version control tracks the progress of code across software develoment lifecycle and its multiple iterations. Version number is comprised of muliple parts for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and sometimes a 4th number like 1.2.3.4 but most use only the first 3 parts like 1.2.3 whwre #1 indicates major version change, #2 indicates a significant revision and #3 indicates a minor update.

A major version change indicates that the software core has changed dramatically and that extensions may no longer compatible or that procedures for use have changed. Currently the popular browsers are using versions like 130.0.0 or higher while the changes to their core should indicate a version in the low 40s like 43.0.0 because the changes have not been that significant.

Why those version numbers are currently so high is due to the misinformation used to promote Chrome as the most advanced web browser by citing higher version numbers. Needless to say Firefox, not wanting to look like outdated, also jacks up their version number. Microsoft is also playing by using the same numbers for Edge which is the replacement Internet Explorer.

Safe exam browsers

Safe Exam Browsers utilise a different approach to security than most browsers because they are designed mainly to prevent copy during exams. For example, such browsers can be limited to prevent a student from accessing the web to search for answers while still allowing access to exam material, usually via an inhouse network (LAN) or corporate network.

One notable web browser for online tuition is the ArtisBrowser. Especially designed for DRM and copy protection, when uased in conjunction with the ArtistScope Site Protection System (ASPS) a secure tunnel is created between server and the user's desktop in which nothing can be copied or exploited in any way.

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