| Security flaws have long plagued Internet Explorer | | | | email attachments, and opening those on a |
| (IE), the market-dominating web browser from | | | | Windows-based PC will cause problems). Among |
| Microsoft. IE won the early browser wars, not | | | | non-IE browsers, it seems to be down to a |
| only because it was free and bundled with | | | | two-horse race between Mozilla and Opera. |
| Windows, but because it had some features and | | | | Opera, from Oslo, Norway, based Opera |
| capabilities that its only real competitor, Netscape, | | | | Software ASA, provides many popular features. |
| didn't have. But the behind-the-scenes | | | | An integrated email client, contact book, |
| programming that makes those features possible | | | | bookmarks with searchable notes, tabbed multiple |
| is the very coding that also leaves wide gaps in | | | | windows, a built-in password manager, a pop-up |
| IE's defenses against viruses and malicious | | | | blocker, multiple language support, saved sessions, |
| scripting. Among several browser alternatives for | | | | privacy controls, built-in chat, and the ability to |
| Windows users, the Opera browser stands out in | | | | read RSS feeds from within Opera mail make the |
| functionality and integration, and is gaining a wider | | | | Opera browser a very powerful and worthwhile |
| following as a safer surfing alternative to Internet | | | | IE replacement candidate. |
| Explorer. | | | | Unless you have special need for IE, such as a |
| To be sure, there are other browsers such as | | | | browser toolbar or web interaction software that |
| the one from Mozilla and their newest release, | | | | you use, there is really no reason not to give |
| Firefox. There are several flavors of IE | | | | Opera a try if you're worried about safe surfing. |
| "overlays", which use the core IE programming | | | | While Opera does have a paid version, you can |
| for web page display, and thus aren't any safer | | | | also download a sponsored version (with ads |
| than the original IE. (You should of course always | | | | unobtrusively placed in the browser control area), |
| use anti-virus software to protect your PC, | | | | which is free. |
| regardless of browser. Many viruses arrive as | | | | |