Ready to Try a New Web Browser?

Which Web browser do you use to surf? If you're like more than 60 percent of the Web-browsing public according to statistics collected by Web-development portal W3Schools, you use Internet Explorer. Of course, you may never have considered another browser because Internet Explorer comes preinstalled with most versions of Windows. But just because its is the most visible Web-browsing tool doesn't necessarily mean it's the best one for you and your nonprofit.

At this point, 25 percent of those who have made the leap from Internet Explorer to another browser have switched to Firefox, a totally free alternative produced by open-source Mozilla project. Although you still might need to occasionally fire up Internet Explorer to download Windows updates or access a few sites that aren't compatible with Firefox, Mozilla's browser packs a number of features and add-ons that can benefit your nonprofit and save you time. If you remain unconvinced that Firefox is a worthy addition to your organization's fleet of computers, the following reasons may sway you.

1. Security, security, security

Cyberspace is crawling with spyware, Trojans, and other forms of malicious software (often collectively referred to as "malware"), many of which can take control of a Web browser by redirecting search results to certain sites or changing a home page against the user's will. Because Internet Explorer uses ActiveX controls, a Microsoft technology that allows a Web browser to access other programs, it can easily be compromised by many variants of malicious software. Firefox, on the other hand, doesn't natively support ActiveX (though you can download ActiveX plug-ins), which reduces the chances that an invader can weasel its way into your machine. (More about plug-ins when you get to tip number nine.)

It's also important to note that because Microsoft's browser currently still owns the lion's share of the browser market, authors of malicious software are much more likely to write programs that can infiltrate Internet Explorer, thereby increasing the number of computers they can affect. Currently, Firefox is far less vulnerable to threats than Internet Explorer, however, in a recently released report computer security organization SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute noted that as Firefox has become more popular, hackers have begun to exploit its vulnerabilities.

For tips on how to keep malware off your organization's machines, read TechSoup's article Ten Tips for Avoiding Spyware. If you suspect your computer is already contaminated, TechSoup's article Removing Spyware, Viruses, and Other Forms of Malware offers advice on cleaning up your machine.

2. Tabs make surfing more convenient

In the course of any given workday, your staff might use the Internet to research potential donors, read news stories, or check in on your organization's Web site. But if they're multitasking and visiting a number of sites at once, the computer's taskbar may quickly become overloaded with multiple browser windows.

Firefox improves upon this layout by allowing you to surf multiple sites in the same window via tabs that line the top of the browser window. Each time you want to visit another site, simply hit Ctrl+T to pull up a new tab. You can open as many tabs in a single window as you'd like, and since all tabs are clearly labeled, you won't waste time digging around to find the site you need to access.

3. Immediate access to your favorite search engines

Are your fingers tired from typing "www.google.com" into your Web browser 90 times a day? Firefox gives you quick access to a few major search engines -- as well as a number of other sites -- from a handy box in the upper-right corner. Simply choose a site such as Google, Yahoo, or eBay from a drop-down menu, type your query, hit Enter, and you'll immediately be directed to a list of search results from the engine or site you selected. Users can customize Firefox's search box by choosing the "Add Engine" option from its drop-down menu or visit this Mozilla add-ons page to add links to sites such as Wikipedia or the Merriam Webster online dictionary.

4. Get RSS feeds without lifting a finger

Have you found a great new blog published by a similar organization, but can't find time in your busy work week to routinely check it for new posts? A technology called Really Simple Syndication (RSS) can deliver real-time updates from your favorite Web sites without requiring you to actually visit them. (For a more in-depth look at RSS, read TechSoup's article RSS for Nonprofits.)

Happily, Firefox's Live Bookmark feature will let you subscribe to and read RSS feeds directly from within the browser. To find out if your favorite site can send you updates via RSS look for a small orange icon to the extreme right of Firefox's address bar; clicking this icon will subscribe you to that site's feed and add a dedicated link that lets you browse the latest headlines and read them in your browser.

5. Clear your surfing history with one click

Every time you visit a new Web site, your computer collects detritus in the form of temporary Internet files and cookies, which are basically snapshots of your online travels. Although these files can help frequently visited sites load faster, they also take up hard drive space, so if you're running dangerously short on megabytes, one way to free up some room is to delete your surfing history.

Wiping away temporary Internet files, typed URLs, and cookies in Internet Explorer requires you to access Tools > Internet Options, then click three separate buttons. But if you're running Firefox version 1.5 or later, you simply type Ctrl+Shift+Delete to pull up a panel that gives you access to stored cookies, temporary Internet files, typed passwords, and other clues to your surfing history. Just hit the button labeled "Clear Private Data Now" and Firefox will quickly wipe out any file types you've selected.

6. More control over text size

Eyestrain can be a problem for nonprofit staffers who spend hour after hour reading online reports or doing Web-based research. Though Internet Explorer hides two presets for enlarging online text in its View menu item, Firefox takes this feature a bit further and makes resizing pages more convenient.

Each time you hit the Ctrl and + keys simultaneously when using Firefox, the text of the Web page will get a bit larger; you can perform this action up to eight times, although by that point the text will probably be too large to read. If you get carried away and enlarge the text too much, you can simply reduce it by hitting the Ctrl and - keys at the same time.

7. View HTML source code with less hassle

Small organizations on miniscule budgets might not be able to afford expensive Web-editing programs or professional design personnel. In some cases, an accidental techie with very little coding knowledge might even be tasked with building his or her organization's first Web site. In such instances, consulting the HTML source code of other sites can be a valuable reference tool.

Both Internet Explorer and Firefox let you view the underlying source code of a Web page by accessing the View > Source menu item (or by hitting Ctrl+U in Firefox) but Mozilla's browser color-codes certain tags, making it easier to wade through lines and lines of HTML. A minor enhancement to be sure, but beginning Web builders who've just been assigned a huge project will probably give thanks for this small favor.

8. Better bookmark management

Have you ever bookmarked a Web site only to forget exactly why you did just a few days later? Unlike Internet Explorer, Firefox lets you add notes and keywords to bookmarks so you'll always know why they're relevant. Just go to Bookmarks > Manage Bookmarks, highlight a particular entry, and click the Properties icon. A pane will pop up, allowing you to add a bookmark's description and keywords; you can then instantly access your favorite sites by typing the keywords into Firefox's address bar. You should take care to assign unique keywords to each bookmark, because if you use the same keywords for multiple sites, only the most recently named one will appear.

Firefox also lets you save an entire group of tabs and access them from the Bookmarks menu item -- handy if you routinely access the same group of Web resources when working on a particular project. It's also helpful that Firefox lets you sort your favorites by parameters such as date added or last visited, as well as by description and keywords.

9. A host of helpful browser extensions

While Firefox boasts a number of convenient features "out of the box," you can find a large number of extensions that will enhance its functionality. Mozilla actively encourages software developers to design useful add-ons for its browser; in late 2005, Mozilla held an Extend Firefox Contest and offered prizes to developers who built the most innovative and useful extensions. (You can view a list of Extend Firefox Contest finalists here.)

Mozilla's Firefox Add-Ons page compiles a large and diverse selection of extensions, from IE Tab, which will make Internet Explorer-only sites compatible with Firefox, to URL Fixer, which automatically corrects top-level domain typos in the address bar. You can browse extensions by criteria such as category, most popular, and top rated.

Now that you've learned about Mozilla Firefox's major pluses, it's time to download the program, install it on your computer, and familiarize yourself with it. Once you've gotten comfortable using Firefox, you're likely to decide that all of your organization's staff members can benefit in one way or another from it. After all, it's free, has a shallow learning curve, and boasts a number of surfing enhancements over Internet Explorer. So go ahead and give it a shot; what have you got to lose?