Firefox Basics

The easiest way to learn about Firefox is to go ahead and download it (it's free). You can find it at the official site: http://www.getfirefox.com. There you'll find the latest version of Firefox: Firefox 3. If you're hesitant to install and learn to use a new program, rest assured that Firefox looks and acts very similar to Internet Explorer and most other Web browsers. There's even a feature for IE users that lists the expressions with which you're familiar and tells you the corresponding Firefox names for those functions.

Firefox 3
Screenshot ©2008 HowStuffWorks
Firefox is an alternative browser to Internet Explorer and other web browsers.


At the top of the screen, you'll find the Awesome Bar (a space for typing in Web addresses), a small search panel and a row of buttons -- the typical tools for common Web-surfing activities. Forward, back, home, reload and stop can all be found in this basic setup. These buttons, like just about everything else in Firefox, are fully customizable. You can rearrange them, get rid of some of them or add new ones.

The Awesome Bar isn't just a place to type in Web site URLs. It's linked to your browsing library. If you visit a site like HowStuffWorks.com regularly, Firefox's Awesome Bar will learn and anticipate your browsing habits. As soon as you begin typing "how," the browser will pull up a list of sites you've visited that it thinks you want. You can just pick from the list in the drop-down menu and the browser will take you there directly.

Now, if Firefox is so similar to Internet Explorer, why bother switching? There are quite a few reasons, but the most important for many users is security.

Now That's Advertising
In December 2004, a two-page ad ran in The New York Times promoting Firefox. The main text read:
    Are you fed up with your Web browser? You're not alone. We want you to know that there is an alternative.
The sponsors of the ad were more than 10,000 Firefox fans who donated money to promote their favorite indie browser. The ad was intended to coincide with the release of Firefox 1.0 in November 2004, but publication was delayed -- it took until December to figure out how to squeeze the names of more than 10,000 underwriters into the spread.

There is much debate over the security of Web browsers, stemming mainly from Internet Explorer's vulnerability as a common target for hackers and virus writers. Microsoft regularly releases patches and updates to fix security holes in Internet Explorer that might allow someone to install malicious software or steal information from a computer. Firefox has not been the focus of hackers so far, but that doesn't mean it's inherently safer. For now, Firefox is enjoying a reprieve from viruses and hackers primarily because, compared to the widespread use of Internet Explorer, it is relatively small-time. Most hackers haven't bothered exploiting Firefox yet, because the low yield means it wouldn't be worth their efforts. As Firefox becomes more popular among Web browsers, that may change. See the Firefox Security section on the next page to learn more.

Now let's take a closer look at Firefox's features and see how they can be expanded.