For most people, 'web browser' means one thing: Internet Explorer. The Microsoft browser has been so successful that the vast majority of internet users browse with it without even thinking, or knowing, that there are alternatives.

For years, since Internet Explorer overtook Netscape Navigator, there hasn't been much to choose from. Now Netscape is back, but in a radically different form.

Firefox, the free browser from the not-for-profit organisation Mozilla, is based on the core of the old Netscape software but has been adapted and improved and now presents a serious rival to Internet Explorer.

It is fast and it looks the part. By and large, pages display exactly the same as they do in Internet Explorer. There is the odd problem, but these are largely due to pages designed primarily for Microsoft's browser. Some secure sites also refuse to work with Firefox.

Where Firefox really shines is in its expandability. It accepts plug-ins, of which there are several available for free over the web. These range from extensions to Google to RSS newsreaders and clever book marking programs. Considering it's free, Firefox is certainly worth a try.

You can download Mozilla Firefox here.

Contact: Mozilla (no UK number)
www.mozilla.org