Browsers - Basics and Beyond

What is a web browser?  A web browser is a computer program (or smartphone application) that connects to the Internet and displays websites and related web content like videos.  There are five prominent web browsers you should consider (listed here alphabetically by manufacturer):  Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera (by the company of the same name).

How do I know which browser (and version of it) I’m using?  First, look for the icon in the upper left corner.  The icons for the various browsers are:

For details about your version, go to the browser’s Help menu and choose the About option.  Or, check one of these websites: www.whatbrowseramiusing.co or www.thismachine.info.

Why does it matter if my browser is kept up-to-date with the newest version?  In a word: security.  Most updates that software developers release for browsers fix a known security risk.  To help prevent vicious malware and viruses from infecting your computer, you should keep your browser up-to-date.  (When a major new version is released, you will also see improvements in speed and features, of course.)  What to do?  On the browser’s Help menu, look for an option to check for updates.

Which browser is right for me?
Google Chrome:  Chrome claims to be the fastest-loading web browser available.  It has integrated Adobe Flash player and innovative programming that predicts which links you will click on a site and pre-loads the content for those links before you click, which results in reduced wait times when you actually click the link.  Chrome has a simple interface and is great for general web browsing, especially sites that are media-heavy.  It may have some compatibility problems with older-generation websites, especially the back end of web-based tools.  However, it's the most compatible with other Google products like Google Docs.  Get it:  free download from www.google.com/chrome.

Apple Safari:  disputes the claim that Chrome is the fastest browser available.  Regardless of who’s right, it’s a strong competitor in the same market.  Like most Apple products, it has a clean, intuitive interface and is noted for its stability and for being less vulnerable to Internet security threats.  As the built-in browser on Mac computers, it’s obviously a Mac-user favorite, but is also available for Windows PCs.  Get it:  free download from www.apple.com/safari.

Mozilla Firefox:  the only completely open-source and non-profit browser available, Firefox is a strong, steady workhorse.  It’s not as fast as some of its competitors (although the newest version improved speed significantly), but for people who need to do a lot of online heavy lifting (teaching online courses and managing websites in content management systems, for example), Firefox is a friend you want to get to know.  It’s also a solid all-around browser – which is why it has overtaken Internet Explorer as the most commonly used browser in the world.  You should definitely consider it if you like the idea of breaking away from the products of the “Big Three” software corporations.  Get it: free download from www.mozilla.com.

Microsoft Internet Explorer:  this is the standard Windows browser, an old familiar program for PC-users.  Most PC-users will find its controls easy to use (even if they aren’t objectively the most intuitive) by virtue of having used its predecessors for years.  Explorer has lots of useful features and available add-ons, and the newest versions (IE8 & IE9) have improved on safety concerns.  However, Explorer also has some compatibility issues with older-generation websites, especially the “back-end” where Firefox and Opera are more reliable.  Get it:  You probably already have Internet Explorer 8.  If your computer runs Windows 7, and you want to upgrade to IE9, go to http://windows.microsoft.com and look for the IE9 promotional button.

Opera:  the browser you’ve probably never heard of (but should have).  From Norway!  Also disputes the claim that Chrome is the fastest browser, and according to some, actually has the proof to back it up.  Because it has a smaller presence on the web, it’s less vulnerable to Internet security risks.  It has a sleek, intuitive interface and, like Chrome, seamlessly installs updates to Adobe Flash Player.  Opera also claims to have more built-in features than any other browser available.  So don’t be scared off by the unfamiliar – Opera might just be the perfect browser for you.  Get it:  free download from www.opera.com/download.

Want to read more about the browser wars?
Check out these stories from LifeHacker and NPR News. 

Amazon To Bring Ebook Lending to Local Libraries

Is it:
a) an exciting development for libraries and Kindle users alike or
b) about time Amazon got with the program - the Nook and all other e-book readers have been doing this for years?

That seems to be the debate on Mashable and elsewhere.

Personally, I think it's both. The only people I know who have e-book readers all have Kindles. For them, it will be a great opportunity to access more free reading material - especially my mother, who lives in a rural area with very limited (physical) library access. On the other hand, this is something the competition (most notably, Barnes & Noble with the Nook) have been doing well for quite some time. Amazon is pretty much the last one to the party when it comes to e-book library lending, yet they get headlines? (And isn't it ironic that they announce this big story shortly before having the planet's biggest cloud server failure, sending websites around the world -including the MLC website - plunging into darkness for 2 days?)

Ah, technology. It's a love-hate relationship.

Mostly love, though.

Visuwords Revisted: A Guest Post

Visuwords Re-Visited

Each year I get dozens of referals to educational websites from co-workers, colleagues, magazines and newsletters. Time constraints and site usefulness often result in a visit or two, and then the site is forgotten. However, one site that I seem to return to time and time again is www.visuwords.com.

I often use the site as both dictionary and thesuarus and believe it would a great site to use with a SMARTBoard. Visuwords is also very easy to use:

• Enter words into the search box to look them up or double-click a node to expand the tree.
• Click and drag the background to pan around and use the mouse wheel to zoom.
• Hover over nodes to see the definition and click and drag individual nodes to move them around to help clarify connections.

Developed by university students, Visuwords uses Princeton’s WordNet open source database and is free for everyone.

--Jason Brazier, MLC Technology Administrator

For a demonstration of Visuwords, check out this screen-cast video!

Guest Post: Khan Academy Online Math & Science Resource

Hello!  This week I've got a guest post from a friend and colleague at Minneapolis Public Schools ABE, Gina Jarvi.  She writes:

Darlene Hays sent me an email this morning about a math and science website that I tried to access for our lab last year, but couldn’t because the videos were YouTube. I wrote to professor Khan and asked him if he would consider creating a mirror site that districts could allow. He never replied, but his site is now accessible! And it is extensive!

www.khanacademy.org

What I especially love about this site is that Professor Khan breaks concepts down into very simple forms. Students then have access to another teacher to learn from, as well as, offering teachers a way to brush up on a particular concept or area of math/science to help you teach it. 

The videos are clean, no buffering issues that I’ve detected so far. In one year he has managed to really expand and develop the site. You will be amazed! :)

I have 3 students using the site in the lab right now and they are fully engaged.

Enjoy.

Thanks, Gina and Darlene, for the resource recommendation!

How Play Improves Learning

Please watch!  Huge implications for educators.

20 Things I Learned About Browsers and the Web

Have you ever wondered "What exactly is a 'URL' anyway?  Or an IP address?  Are they the same thing?"

Or maybe you recently found out your computer has been compromised by Malware (malicious software) and you want to know more about how to protect yourself.

Or your anti-virus software keeps warning you about "tracking cookies / low threat" and you're wondering what that means, exactly.

Or you're just curious about technology and the web and would like to understand how it works.

If this sounds like you, then you should read this e-book from Google!  http://www.20thingsilearned.com/

If you read it, feel free to leave a comment here with a "Thing you learned" and if you found it helpful.

Learn English Words - Cab

Watch and Understand: The power of video for teaching vocabulary.




And for the geeky science buffs out there: remember that rich experiences (those that engage several senses) are more deeply encoded the brain.

We often use simple images to teach words like "cab," of course. But I'm betting that this video presentation will get the job done faster and better (e.g. better retention later on) because it is so visually and auditorially rich.

Chalk up one more reason why schools need to get with 21st century and stop blocking YouTube - especially for adult learners.