Which browser do desktop support professionals recommend?
The web browser battle has been raging for decades. The feud between Internet Explorer and Netscape has long since passed, and now we’re dealing with a much larger field of competition. Today, there are at least four browsers vying for domination, and we’ve broken down each one by its pros and cons, from a desktop support perspective.
Google Chrome
By just about any metric, Google Chrome has been the browser of choice for most internet users over the last couple years. It’s easy to use and its graphics interface has a low profile. However, if you want to customize Chrome with extensions and apps, there are more than enough options. The bottom line is: this is the best browser for users who spend a lot of time in G-Suite documents, or want the security benefits of frequent patches and updates. If your business is operating on Google's platform, this is hands down the best selection for your business.
Apple Safari
We might as well start off with the one, glaring drawback of Safari: It’s available only to Apple users. However, if you are working on a macOS or iOS device, Safari has a lot going for it. Ad blocking is built right into the browser, as well as RSS support for aggregating lots of information in one place. And because tabs can be automatically synced across all your Apple devices, we highly recommend Safari for anyone in a Mac environment. If you are already on a windows ecosystem, this can be difficult for your IT guy to manage, as it opens him up to a whole new world of OS training. Still, It is a preferred choice among artists and designers.
Microsoft Edge
Edge is not Internet Explorer. The latter still exists, but we’ve decided to skip reviewing it, because it is well known security hazard. Although Edge works only on Windows 10 systems, it has two things going for it. First, Microsoft has announced a feature that will incorporate virtualization into Edge to quarantine downloads for testing before they’re opened on your computer. Second, the Windows 10 browser comes with some fantastic Office 365 integrations. We highly recommend Edge for users working in a business enterprise windows environment.
Firefox
Firefox has been around a long time and it offers the most varieties within its program. With lots of built in web and html analysis tools, FTP access, and plugins to measure, execute, and analyse every element of your browsing experience, it can be a bit overwhelming. However, if you love customization or you work supporting online clients, Firefox could be a great solution, as long as you take the time to make it so.
Opera
We’ve saved the most controversial for last. The Opera browser isn’t one of the most popular browsers available, but it does deserve consideration. Although it requires more customization and under-the-hood-work than its competitors, its privacy settings are unmatched. With a built-in virtual private network feature and some of the most robust ad blocking on the market, Opera is a great way to take a break from cookies and targeted advertisements. If you need that extra level of security to your browsing experience, this could be a great choice for your business.
So, which browser do I choose?
There is no perfect browser. It's up to your business to choose the best fit. Choosing a web browser may seem like such an inconsequential thing, but just think about the rate of cloud adoption. If you plan on utilizing more software-as-a-service solutions in the coming years, one tiny feature in a browser could make all the difference. We want to keep you up and running and understanding browsers from a desktop support perspective can set your business up for low down time and high productivity. Contact us today about planning your desktop support and cloud deployment over the coming years.
