Once you join the computer age, one of the first pieces of free software
that we are introduced to is our web browser. The browser allows us to surf the internet looking at all the pretty pictures.

Using the Windows operating system, the browser default is Internet Explorer.
Internet Explorer or IE has gone through several transitions in recent years, the most notable was IE6.
Plain in function, but, more secure than in previous releases.

Next came IE7 which was a bit more functional, in terms of applying add-ons,
and was the first version of IE to have an integrated RSS reader. One of the
most popular additions available to IE7 was an add-on called IE7Pro. This is a
third party application, not from Microsoft, that installed into IE7 and added a
lot of functionality.

The most recent release is IE8. This version included a great deal more functionality and security than previous versions. And many add-ons have
been made available for it. Microsoft is currently working on version IE9,
which is still in beta and only available for testing on the Windows 7 operating system.

Using the MAC OSx operating system, the most recent native browser is
Camino. Apple does offer another browser called Safari that is available
for both the MAC and Windows.

Actually, there are several web browsers available to us that can all be had
for free. And most can be customized to suite our individual needs through
the installation of add-ons. Theses add-ons can generally be found through a
link at the browsers’ homepage.

My personal favorite browser is the Firefox browser developed by the
Mozilla Foundation. Firefox has gained a significant market share of users
in recent years and continues to gain ground.

Firefox is probably the most secure and extensible browser available. Mozilla
offers two free browsers, Firefox and Seamonkey. Built on the
same basic platforms, many of the add-ons for Firefox also work with
Seamonkey.

The team at Avant Force also has two browser offerings. Avant Browser,
the parent and Orca browser. Both are clean and quick, low resource use
browsers with additional functionality available through the use of add-ons and skins.

Orca, being built on the Gecko platform from earlier versions of Firefox is not really a Firefox clone. Orka does share enough of the attributes of Firefox to make many of Firefox’s add-ons work for it as well. Orca can also utilize many of the added features of Avant Browser.

For the social networker in all of us is the very popular Flock Browser.
Flock is based on the idea that social media users needed a browser to do the job. Therefore, Flock is designed to function especially well with the major
social media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.

And by also being built on the Mozilla platform, many of the Firefox add-ons
work in Flock. This makes it a very extensible browser as well.

Recently, our friends over at Google joined in the browser community with
their own offering called Chrome. Chrome is based on the Chromium Open Source project.

Chrome was initially a very clean, bland browser with little functionality.
Then, following an outcry from users, a new beta project for the browser
was started that was to include the use of add-ons. The bell rang and the
race to develop add-ons was on!

This resulted in a very functional, still low resource use, browser.
However, there has not yet been a release of Chrome for the MAC OS.

Another particularly noteworthy browser is Opera browser. With it you not
only get a browser, you get a community. In the Opera community you can
have your own page, and blog, plus many other features not usually associated with a browser.

Other very useful browser offerings include the FlashPeak Slimbrowser, Maxthon2, very popular in Asia, and the old favorite Netscape Navigator is still available for download and use. Although development ceased on Navigator several years ago, it is, in my opinion, the granddaddy of what we have for browsers today.

All of the browsers mentioned above can be downloaded directly from their respective websites or over at Download.com. You’ll even find a browser that connects directly to the US Government and another that connects to the
United Nations.

A note here about browser add-ons and plug-ins. Too many will affect browser performance. Some add-ons do not play well together either.

Firefox will alert you of problems with add-ons. Not all browsers do. If you install several and your browser freezes or performance is affected. Uninstall each one
till you find the problem child.

Now, just so you know, I use 9 web browsers on one of my computers with Windows 7 and 12 on another with Windows XP. “Why?,” you ask. Remember,
html is rendered differently in different browsers. You want to know that you
web pages look correct.

Also, some have their own duties such as social media or marketing. Most are used to test add-ons and apps to see what works.

Now it is up to you to choose how each of these web browsers will best help you with your Internet Marketing.

Next up, we will talk about the host platform for this series, WordPress.

Later!

Technorati Tags: Apple, Chromium Open Source Project, Firefox, free software, Google, internet browser, internet explorer, internet marketing, Mac OSX, microsoft, Mozilla Foundation, RSS, social networker, web browser, Windows operating system

A successful Internet Marketing business requires a solid foundation be built under it. And like any foundation, having the right tool for the job makes the entire process much smoother.

You, as an online business owner, must have the right tools to build the foundation for your business. But, what you need, where to get the tools, and how to use them can be a time, resource, and money consuming endeavor.

Some of the basic software you will need is an office suite, image manipulation software, an html editor, an ftp client and audio and video editing software. Then you have software for content management, storefronts, and the list goes on.

The cost of premium software for your business often is enough to discourage many people from starting their own online business. Added to the cost of education and training, software can really push your out of pocket start-up costs through the roof.

So, what I want to do is introduce you to some of the free and open source software that can help keep your initial start-up costs to a reasonable level.

Free software is all around us and in many cases we are unaware of it and it works for us just as well. For instance, Java runs in our watches and automobiles as well as in our computers, websites and web browsers.

The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a non-profit corporation formed to educate about and advocate for the benefits of open source and to build bridges among different constituencies in the open source community.

Now let’s get a better understanding of what ‘FREE’ software is, as described at the gnu.org website:

““Free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as in “free speech”, not as in “free beer”.

Free software is a matter of the users’ freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:

* The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
* The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
* The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
* The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.”

That said here are some other considerations for the use of open source software. Unlike premium software, most do not have a direct line to a support team. Some do have direct support available. However, the majority have links to forums where you can interact with the developers and end users, like yourself, to work out issues.

Also, if you are a slick coder and can take the available source code and create something new and decide to sell it, support for the newly created product, in most cases, falls to you not the original project team.

Remember, most of the folks on these project teams have other jobs and work on the projects in their spare time. So, when you stat raking in the cash, go back to the project website and click on that icon to support the project. Your contribution will be greatly appreciated and you will be helping to keep the project moving forward.

And speaking of contribution, there are other ways that you might support the project. Some projects need translations, persons to check for bugs in the software, and even coordinators for different aspects of the projects.

Now, here is another tool for your Internet marketing arsenal, using the “No Net Cost”, as coined by Doug Champigny, method of acquiring premium software and services for your business.

In this model, you find the software or service that you feel you need that has an affiliate program attached to it. You send traffic to the providers’ website and as sales are made, your software or service has no net cost.

Now, sit back and hang on. We’ll begin our discussion on software for your Internet Marketing business with the basic tool that everyone who browses the Internet already has. Your web browser!

Technorati Tags: Doug Champigny, free and open source software, free software foundation, gnu, Internet marketing business, online business owner, open source initiative, source code