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by Nate Johnson
The last time Internet Explorer crashed, did you ask yourself if there was a better program? Luckily, there is. Mozilla--one of the many free web browsers--can help relieve some of the stress associated with using crash-prone Internet Explorer. In the last year, Mozilla has enjoyed a much more mainstream spot in the Internet world through its increasing user-base and Netscape’s decision to include Mozilla as the core of its browser.
Mozilla is an open-source alternative to the more common commercial browsers available today. This means that you are free to download it and modify it in any way, adding or subtracting features as you deem necessary. While this may be beyond the skills of most users, Mozilla has many other features that make it worth trying.
Skins
Much like the popular media player Winamp, Mozilla is capable of donning "skins" that change its appearance --sometimes rather drastically. Created by Mozilla enthusiasts, these skins are online, where they can be downloaded by anyone. Skins exist for every topic imaginable, from Star Trek to original artwork. Skin creators often spend many hours developing the skins and put out several versions before they look just like the creator intended.
Installing skins is easy. Once you click the link for a theme, Mozilla kicks in to download and install it. All you have to do is close Mozilla and reopen it for the skin to take effect. Switching between skins that have already been installed is just as easy. Simply click "View" on the toolbar, go down to "Apply Themes," and select the one you want.
The Password Manager
Ever feel like you have too many passwords to manage effectively? Ideally, you should use a different password for each log-on, but as your list of logons increases, it becomes more difficult to remember all that information. Mozilla provides a password manager to store all these passwords under the protection of a different, master password. This means that you only have to remember one password to get into all your web-based accounts, and each account can still have a different password. While using the password manager, your information is relatively safe, provided that someone doesn’t get a hold of your computer.
Tabbed Browsing
It’s not uncommon for web surfers to use multiple browser windows while they are looking up information. Multiple windows make it easy to compare different sites quickly and efficiently, but before long it can crowd up your screen. Mozilla’s answer is to use tabbed windows. One window can contain any number of pages, each of which can be easily reached by clicking the corresponding tab at the top of the window.
Pop-up Ad Control
Nowadays it seems like you can’t go anywhere on the Internet without generating a clutter of these annoying pop-up advertising windows. I use an ad control program that interfaces with Internet Explorer to block almost all pop-ups, but Mozilla has integrated a similar program into their browser. Mozilla’s works as well, if not better, than the third-party ad control programs that I have used in the past. It is disabled by default, but can be turned on from the "Preferences" window: click on the "+" symbol next to Advanced, then click Scripts & Plugins. Uncheck the box that says "Open Unrequested Windows" and click OK.
Other Features
Mozilla also includes built-in chat and mail programs, a web page editor, address book, a download manager, an almost unlimited source of plugins available on the internet, and many more features. Explaining everything Mozilla has to offer would require a full book, but the help file included with the program and the endless forums available on the Internet will help even the computer illiterate get a good grasp on everything Mozilla has to offer.
The Verdict
Mozilla is definitely worth looking at. It very stable and the interface is very intuitive. Netscape users will find it very familiar because Netscape and Mozilla are built on the same core. (The only difference is that Netscape uses an older version of Mozilla.) In the time that I spent using Mozilla, it crashed only once. Importing bookmarks from Internet Explorer couldn’t have been easier. So, if you’re looking for a different browser, give Mozilla a shot.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.mozilla.org
