What is a Browser? - Part Two
A browser, or web browser, is the computer program you use to surf the World Wide Web.
The browser you usually use may be Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Chrome, or one of several less well-known or widely-used browser programs.
You can tell which browser you are using either from the icon you click on when you want to surf the web, or by the icon which appears in the top bar of your browser window (usually on the far left)
Here are the most popular browser icons:
Internet Explorer (IE)
Firefox
Safari
Opera
Chrome
In order to discuss how your new or existing website design appears, and also to help you troubleshoot any problems you or others have in using or viewing your site, it is often necessary to know which browser you are using. Using the above icon guide should help with this.
If it turns out you are using Internet Explorer, we may need to know more...
Internet Explorer - which version?
If you are using Microsoft's Internet Explorer we will probably also want to know which version of IE you are using.
To find out the Version number of Internet Explorer you are using:
- have the Internet Explorer browser open (showing any web page)
- in the Top Menu (where it says 'File - Edit - View - Favorites - Tools - Help') click on the Help item at the end
- then from the Drop-Down Menu which appears, click on the bottom item About Internet Explorer
A small window will open up where at the top it says 'Internet Explorer' plus maybe a number (e.g. 8) - the number, if it's there, is the Version number.
To make doubly sure, underneath the heading, is a list of attributes and numbers, the top one of which is 'Version:' followed by a long number (e.g. 8.0.6001.18702) - it is the first two numbers (e.g. 8.0) which will tell us what we need to know about your version of Internet Explorer.
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