What browsers are there for the computer: ranking of the best and worst. Browsers for Windows Most popular browsers
Before moving directly to getting to know the heroes of the material, let us make a short lyrical digression and briefly talk about the criteria for evaluating domestic browsers that we followed in the process of preparing the review. First of all, the compatibility of web browsers with various software platforms was of paramount importance. The second important point we paid attention to was functionality. Applications must fully meet the needs of ordinary Internet users without confusing the brain with meaningless options. Another plus in the treasury of this or that solution was awarded for the speed of operation, user-friendliness of the interface and proper placement of program controls. The emphasis was also placed on the availability of security tools when working on the Internet, support for modern web technologies and the number of users according to the LiveInternet.ru statistical service, which allowed us to choose four main browsers with the “Made in Russia” label.
The brainchild of the developers of the search service platform of the same name, not so long ago, despite the media, additional funding from Rostelecom for the development of the project, including the browser.
The Internet browser was first introduced to a wide audience in September 2015. Features of the program are close integration with the search engine and online services of Sputnik, the Stalker protection system against malicious content, the Adblock Plus-based blocker of intrusive and aggressive advertising Advertising, support for multi-user operating mode and the presence of its own catalog of browser extensions (thanks to a single code base also allows the use of plugins from the Google Chrome online store).
There are minimal interface changes in Sputnik compared to Chromium and Google Chrome. The only differences lie in the slightly different design of the tabs and start (home) page with information widgets and the ability to customize fun wallpapers - where would we be without them!
“Sputnik” is presented in versions for personal and corporate use and is available for platforms Windows, Linux, Android, iOS. Browser to the register of domestic software and certificates of conformity of the FSB of Russia (for corporate assemblies). In the future, it is planned to certify the browser in FSTEC and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. This will allow Sputnik users to work with restricted information up to the “top secret” secrecy level. A product release for the macOS platform is also expected soon, the release of which was at the end of 2016, but did not take place.
"Yandex browser"
Developer: Yandex
Product website: browser.yandex.ru
The most popular web browser in our quartet, according to LiveInternet.ru, it ranks third in the Russian browser market with a share of 7.9% (for reference: Google Chrome holds the leading position with 56.9% of the Runet audience). It was first introduced to the online public in the fall of 2012 and is currently available for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS platforms.
The popularity of "Yandex.Browser" is due to the wide functionality of the web browser, including integration with Yandex online services, a personal recommendation feed "Yandex.Zen", an ad blocker, a "smart" search bar, support for mouse gesture control, accelerating the loading of sites and a traffic-saving Turbo mode, a web page translator, tools for synchronizing user data between different devices and other tools that simplify work on the global network. A distinctive feature of the browser is the ability to view documents in Microsoft Office formats and e-books, as well as install add-ons both from its own catalog of extensions and from the Chrome Web Store and Opera Addons.
Yandex.Browser is based on the developments of not only the Open Source community, but also the Norwegian company Opera Software, with which Yandex has a long-standing technological cooperation
The strength of Yandex.Browser is its advanced security tools. The Protect technology used in the program provides protection against password theft, security when working on public Wi-Fi networks, blocking dangerous and fraudulent sites, and also checks downloaded files for malicious code. According to Yandex developers, Protect is the first comprehensive browser protection technology that protects against most troubles: loss of user accounts due to a stolen password, computer infection on a malicious page, interference by strangers when working on a wireless network.
In terms of the user interface, Yandex.Browser is still the same Google Chrome, but with some cosmetic changes that affected the main menu and the program settings panel. Like Sputnik, it provides the ability to personalize and change background images, as well as a panel with widgets and tiles of favorite sites.
"Yandex.Browser" is included in the register of Russian software and is a solution recommended for use in Russian companies and government agencies. For such organizations, Yandex offers a corporate build of its web browser with support for domain group policies and the ability to configure it in accordance with the requirements and objectives of the enterprise.
⇡ "Amigo"
Developer: Mail.Ru Group
Product website: amigo.mail.ru
Perhaps the most criticized Internet browser on the RuNet, who has earned the dislike of users due to the aggressive policy of the Mail.Ru Group company in the fight for a share in the browser market, which does not shy away from “dirty” ways of distributing its software through affiliate programs and other channels.
Amigo has only two versions - for Windows and Android operating systems. The browser itself is closely integrated with the online services of Mail.Ru Group and is the only web browser in our review that completely lacks the ability to select a default search - only Mail.ru, and no nails! This is the first interesting feature of the program. The second important point is that the Amigo installer, secretly from the user, registers its executable file amigo.exe in Windows startup. This behavior does not make the browser any better and makes you wary of Mail.Ru Group products.
In terms of functionality, Amigo is almost an exact copy of Chromium. Among the features of the browser, we note a customizable panel for quick access to the social networks “VKontakte”, “Odnoklassniki”, “My World” and Twitter, a built-in Unity player, night mode, a start page with information widgets and a “smart” feed that shows news from taking into account the interests of the user. The tab manager deserves good words, allowing you to view a list of open pages and instantly return to recently closed tabs. Otherwise, nothing remarkable.
A browser for the Windows platform, “developed” by the Rambler company since 2011 and whose maiden name is “Nichrome”. We put the word “under development” in quotes because over the 7 years of its existence this web browser has not changed at all and, judging by the copyrights, the current “Rambler/Browser” is a build of Chromium 30.0 from - attention! — June 27, 2013. Can you imagine how many “holes” and vulnerabilities there are in it? This is despite the fact that the Rambler company positions its product as “fast and safe.”
One can, of course, assume that Rambler/Browser implements some unique technologies and wonderful functions. But there is none of this: there is only a bookmarks bar stuffed with links to Rambler services and a pre-configured address bar that redirects the user’s search queries to the Rambler search engine supervised by the company. All this indicates that the browser was compiled from Chromium sources in a hurry solely for the sake of it. There is no way to develop software products with such a philosophy.
⇡ Comparative testing of browser performance and support for modern web standards
To test the speed characteristics of Internet browsers, we used a Windows To Go bootable flash drive with a 64-bit build of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and assessed the performance of the latter at the time of writing the browser versions on two laptops - Lenovo IdeaPad G50-70 (Intel Core i7 processor clocked at up to 2.8 GHz, 8 GB RAM, HDD, AMD Radeon R5 M330 graphics card) and Sony VAIO VPC-Y11M1R/S (1.3 GHz Intel SU4100 processor, 8 GB RAM, SSD, integrated Intel GMA video X4500MHD). To evaluate performance, the benchmarks Futuremark Peacekeeper, Octane 2.0, MotionMark, JetStream, Basemark and Speedometer 2.0 were used, measuring the speed of the JavaScript interpreter, graphics processing speed and execution time of tasks typical for most Internet users. To conduct comparative tests, in addition to Sputnik, Yandex.Browser, Amigo and Rambler/Browser, the Chrome 64 browser built on Chromium was used. For the purity of the experiment, all browsers were tested separately, the rest of the applications running on the system When running benchmarks, they were unloaded from the computer's memory. The results of our testing can be judged from the graphs below.
As you can see, despite the single technological platform, the browsers performed differently in the comparative tests, and based on the totality of all measurements, the best were Google Chrome and Yandex.Browser, the speed of which, thanks to the optimized program code, is especially pronounced on older PCs. “Sputnik” and “Amigo” performed well in certain disciplines. As for Rambler/Browser, it managed to score only in the Futuremark Peacekeeper benchmark and failed miserably in all the others - the fault of the outdated web browser engine. Not everything is going smoothly with Rambler's development with full support for HTML5: in the HTML5test.com test, the browser scored only 394 points out of 555 possible (for comparison: Google Chrome and Yandex.Browser pass this test with a score of 520 points).
⇡ As a conclusion
You can argue for a long time and enthusiastically about the different approaches to creating software practiced by both Russian and foreign development companies. Some are engaged in writing software products from scratch, while others are developing borrowed source codes, used as a “springboard” and allowing them not to reinvent the wheel. Both approaches have a right to life, it’s only one thing to banally re-paste nameplates and pass off someone else’s product as your own (as in the case of Rambler/Browser), and quite another thing to technologically develop a ready-made solution and constantly introduce something into it. something new and original, which is what the Yandex.Browser team actually does. It is for this reason that we, like millions of other users, cast our vote in favor of this browser. “Sputnik” is more focused on government organizations and the corporate sector, “Amigo” may appeal only to ardent admirers of Mail.Ru Group online services who are ready to put up with mediocre web browser performance. But we advise you to bypass Rambler/Browser a mile away - this is not a product for which it is worth risking the information security of your computer.
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(1 976 ratings, average: 4,54 out of 5)
A browser (as it is also called a web navigator or web browser) is a special program created to display information from the Internet on the screen of a computer or smartphone. This application software allows you to browse various websites, search for necessary information, open web documents and process queries.
In an era of active competitiveness in the browser industry, it is quite difficult to surprise the demanding user and satisfy his needs. Therefore, versions of web navigators are constantly updated, optimizing already implemented functions and creating new ones. In the browser category there are many decent and convenient programs for every user’s tastes and needs, and our article will help you decide on the optimal choice.
Programs |
Russian language |
License |
Add-ons |
Rating |
Ad blocking |
VPN |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 10 | Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 10 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 10 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 6 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 10 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 5 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 5 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 7 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 5 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 5 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 7 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 5 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 5 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 6 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 6 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 7 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 10 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 8 | Plugin | Plugin | |
| Yes | Free | Partially | 10 | Plugin | Yes | |
| Yes | Free | Yes | 8 | Yes | Plugin |
Browser usage statistics
Stable, reliable and fast web navigator. The interface does not “pressure” the user and can be modified depending on the user’s wishes. Optimized Turbo and Speed Dial tools allow you to increase browser speed and quickly access popular pages. Privacy, spelling, downloader, password manager and spam blocker are the main advantages of the web browser. 
A world-famous web browser that creates comfortable and secure conditions for the user on the Internet. The software allows you to create your own file storage database - Google Drive. The possibility of various types of cyber attacks and penetration of “pests” is minimized. Smart omnibox, personalization, saving web surfing activity, translator, synchronization with mobile devices are the main, but not all, features of the utility. 
World-famous web browser, winner of various ratings and tests, “favorite” of millions of users. The probability of failures is reduced to a minimum percentage, and the flexibility and speed of work in the utility is amazing. The wide functionality of the software will surprise even the most demanding user, since the Fire Fox not only optimized the operation of tabs, spelling, and history saving, but also made it possible to view PDF files, control by parents of visits to “forbidden” sites by children, 3D support and spam blocking. 
A popular web browser that deservedly ranks fourth among software in this category in terms of the number of fans. A convenient search engine allows you to use various search services, the “remembering” function opens previously closed sites, convenient work with tabs and an RSS feed are some of the main advantages of the browser. 
An experimental development by Opera, amazingly realistic in the browser and the “come to life” of tabs when you touch the cursor. The developers have introduced a split-screen function, where you can work in several tabs at the same time. The pop-up window for watching videos can be moved around the home page screen, while simultaneously working and viewing multimedia. The tab's splash screen visually looks like a website, which makes it easier to find the desired web page. The screenshot taken from the screen can be instantly sent to social networks or by mail to a friend. 
It combines the best features of Opera and Chrome and is popular and in demand among users. Loading pages on a weak network, automatic page translator, and Turbo mode are some of the main functionality of the web navigator. Web surfing through this utility is protected by the work of Kaspersky Lab, and the creators of the software synchronized its work with Yandex services and work with Yandex disk. 
An easy-to-use browser that works even on older computers. Can accept the interface of popular web browsers Chrome, Opera, Mozilla, Internet Explorer and Yandex Browser. Cyber attacks through the utility are kept to a minimum, since they are not registered in the system due to the “age” of the browser. 
A reliable web browser with powerful protection of confidential information from the famous Komodo company. The “portability” function reproduces all settings, saved tabs and history on other computers, and the “invisible” mode will hide your web surfing from prying eyes.
Interface copy of Google Chrome. It has its own search engine of the same name, the ability to restore an interrupted session, its own file downloader and work with several social network accounts at the same time.
Compact browser with fast data loading and stable operation. Built-in useful plugins and a translator will make visiting web pages much easier and save time. A powerful built-in downloader and an annoying spam blocker are other advantages of this web navigator. 
An analogue of Internet Explorer, but with expanded and optimized operation and data protection. Auto-fill forms and a pop-up blocker greatly facilitate the user's work in the web browser. Using the “G” button you can configure specific commands for quick access to them. 
It is similar to Mozilla, but with reduced functionality and increased performance. The ability to transfer all data from the Fire Fox to the Pale Moon has been improved. The start page is replete with popular web services, and bookmarking visited sites makes it possible to quickly navigate to them. 
A browser specially designed for a 64-bit system. It is a copy of Firefox, but with improved functionality and fast web surfing speed. Built-in players and downloaders allow you to listen and download your favorite content. 
A browser that has its own cloud storage and is created on two engines, Webkit and Trident. The “isolated window” option allows the user to log into the site under different accounts. The ability to create a screenshot of the entire web navigator window or a selected area, create your own “cloud” and various modes for high-quality surfing in the browser - these are the main features of the utility. 
The browser developed by Mail.Ru allows you to synchronize with social networks and perform continuous work on the Internet. The built-in player allows you to create your own playlist of your favorite songs, search and play multimedia content from social networks. 
Interface similar to Internet Explorer and functionally Opera. An important feature of the browser is blocking from annoying spam and flash animations that interfere with normal work on the network. You can completely switch work in the web navigator to the mouse by pre-configuring its gestures with the necessary buttons. “Protected browsing”, “smart” address bar and screen capture are important advantages of this software. 
It will be indispensable for children’s work on the Internet and for parents to control their safe web surfing. The Stalker and Advertising tools recognize malicious content and block various types of spam. The browser has its own search of the same name and can open previously viewed sites in the absence of the Internet. 
No user can do without one of the most important computer programs - a browser. It is a kind of conductor between the user and the World Wide Web and allows access to information. Their list is not limited only to well-known names. There are several dozen more interesting web browsers.
The popular Google Chrome browser was developed by the giant Google in 2008. It is the simplest and fastest due to the absence of many functions. This browser has a built-in Flash player, which eliminates the need to download videos to watch. The second most popular place is occupied by the free browser Mozilla Firefox. It has a convenient menu and can work with Linux, Windows, Ubuntu. This is the simplest and most flexible browser that allows you to manage a large number of plugins. With a lot of new innovations and stable operation, Mozilla Firefox is the best option for beginners.
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Browser (web-browser, graphical browser) is a program with which an Internet user can visit and watch websites on computers and gadgets. Essentially, it is a translator of CSS style markup, Java scripts and HTML language, processes http requests from users, receives data from the server and gives them the requested pages. Simply put, a browser is the program through which you downloaded our site and are reading this article.
Today, there are several popular versions of browsers, which differ to one degree or another, which is why inexperienced webmasters encounter difficulties when laying out web resources. However, qualified webmasters know how to solve such problems, so almost every advanced site looks great on any browser.
But before we talk about the functions and versions of modern web browsers, let us briefly recall the history of their appearance.
The first browser to receive a graphical interface for displaying not only texts, tables and lists, but also pictures, was Mosaic, created in 1993 by NCSA for Windows. In principle, it can be considered a “pioneer” among all modern browsers. At that time Mosaic was extremely popular, but 4 years after its creation, due to the loss of the market, the project was closed.
Leading NSCA employees went to work for Netscape, which began developing a new, more functional and modern graphical browser called Netscape Navigator. They wanted their browser to be simpler, easier to use, and more compliant with standards. And they managed to do it. It is worth noting that the basis for creating the masterpiece Netscape at that time was the Mosaic code.
Such success could not go unnoticed, and soon the then well-known company Microsoft came to the rescue. They realized that a big fish was swimming away from them. However, Microsoft geniuses soon reworked the source code of the first browser, creating their own - Internet Explorer.
It was IE, being integrated with Windows OS and available to users completely free of charge, that relegated the market leaders to the background. It has become an integral part of updating Windows OS, and people have lost their choice. But no one was indignant, because few people knew about alternative options.
Thanks to its monopoly, Internet Explorer quickly captured 95% of the market and forced Netscape to go out of business, but only for a short time. Soon, a code called Mozilla public License appeared in the public domain, on the basis of which a completely new browser, Mozilla Firefox, was created, which today has become one of the leaders on the market. Due to the lack of competition, the Microsoft project did not develop in any way, since at first users did not know about better alternatives, which became Mozilla Firefox.
The same Opera appeared back in 95 of the last century, but it was popular only in the CIS countries. And all because it appeared freely on the foreign market in 2005.
What functions does the browser perform?
In order for a computer or any other device connected to the Internet to download data from it, it requires software designed for this purpose that can request information, process it and download it to the screen. For this purpose, a browser was created that opens web pages consisting of code. It receives the code from the server where the site is stored and processes it to give you a readable and watchable picture on the monitor.
To view the encoding of a site, you need to right-click on its page and select “View code”. The normal operation and loading of web resource pages largely depends on the correct source code.
Another convenient feature of browsers is storing user passwords for various sites, so that when you visit and log into your account again, you do not have to re-enter your login and password. If you visited a website before and forgot what it was called, the saved history of visiting Internet resources will help you find the necessary source. But the story can be very long and finding the site among the abundance of visited pages will be quite difficult.
To avoid such situations, browsers have the ability to create bookmarks that are displayed under the address bar. With their help, you can store the sites you need and quickly access them with one click.
In addition to loading and opening websites, browsers are designed to download files of various formats: movies, audio recordings, games, text documents, and the like. All modern browsers have the ability to download add-ons:
- Extensions. These are add-ons that, for example, block advertising banners on websites, check links for viruses, and so on.
- Informers. The same extensions, only they notify the user: about the weather, about new messages in the mail, etc.
- Themes. Change the visual design of background images and other browser elements.
Browsers do not affect each other’s functioning in any way, so they can be installed all at once on one device. However, the user must select a default application, which will be the main one in the OS, and when clicking on links, they will open through it.
7 popular browsers
The oldest modern browser, included in the Windows OS. In the last century, it accounted for almost the entire market share. But the prolonged and unconditional leadership led to the regression of the web browser, which its competitors quickly took advantage of. IE from version 6 to 8 inclusive is a horror for webmasters. They do not meet any modern requirements for creating websites. The latest 11th version is available exclusively for Windows 7 and 8. Only Internet Explorer 9 deserves attention - a more or less stable, fast and well-protected version. Although it cannot be compared with other advanced analogues.
One of the newest popular browsers. In 2015, with the release of Windows 10, Microsoft introduced its new and modern Edge browser. Unlike IE, it is constantly updated and has become the standard browser for Windows 10, replacing the completely outdated Internet Explorer.
The current leader, developed by the most powerful company in the world - the search engine Google. The WebKit engine is used to display pages of Internet resources. Chrome has reached the top at an unimaginable pace, since it appeared only in 2008 - much later than its competitors. Now it occupies about 50% of the total market. The browser pleases users with its speed, reliable protection, and simple and stylish design.
It ranks third in popularity. However, this is the first browser that managed to break the monopoly of Microsoft Corporation in the 20th century. Unlike its counterparts, Mozilla is focused on using add-ons. One of the disadvantages is that the browser becomes heavy when installing plugins and takes much longer to load pages.
5. Opera
One of the most popular browsers on the RuNet, but noticeably lagging behind on the global market. Opera pleases with an abundance of interesting and unique features, such as built-in instant messengers and an email client, VPN, and many other features not inherent to its competitors, who had to come up with special add-ons. Web browser developers offer users cool mobile versions that occupy leading positions in their field.
6. Yandex.Browser
Development from Yandex, appeared in 2012. The first versions of the application were disappointing with a number of shortcomings. However, they have been corrected in new versions, and now the modern multifunctional web browser is more than a worthy competitor to Chrome. Its main difference: speed of operation (turbo mode), reading articles without loading graphics, built-in protected technology protect.
From the name you can guess that this is the brainchild of Apple. It is included in iOS and Mac OS. At the moment, this browser cannot be downloaded for Windows - Apple has removed this option from its website.
Conclusion
We have listed the most popular modern browsers. But there are other small browsers on the market:
- Chromium;
- Nichrome;
- Comodo Dragon;
- [email protected];
- CoolNovo (Chrome Plus);
- SRWare Iron.
Previously, Internet Explorer rested on its laurels, because Microsoft literally forced Windows OS users to use its browser, while there were worthy analogues. However, the bright mind and interesting innovations of talented developers from various companies, which make it easier for users to use the Internet, prevailed, and today the monopolist’s share in the world market is sharply declining. Today, the most successful is Google Chrome, but competition breeds progress, and no one knows who will be able to offer us a cooler browser tomorrow.
Creating a new browser today is easier than ever - there is Chromium, which you can fork and add any functionality. Companies do this according to the same logic by which toolbars were once created - this is just an attempt to hammer their brand into the user and force him to use other company products. But when independent developers do it, the product's goal is to make its mark in a virtually static browser market. Don't get me wrong - I don't believe you'll switch to one of the indie browsers. But it's interesting to see what they offer, isn't it?
To switch or not?
When it seems like everything that can be said in some area has already been said, trying to do something differently is breathtaking: at first you think it’s wild and utopian, but as a result you begin to look at market leaders in a new way. For the same reason, in the December issue ][ we talked about such “strange” mobile OSs as Tizen, Firefox OS or Maemo. Therefore, in my opinion, when talking about alternative browsers, it is incorrect to pose the question bluntly: to switch or not. No, you definitely won't cross over. But you can try to repeat the functionality you are interested in in your favorite browser - for this, in each case, I tried to select the appropriate extensions.
The idea of creating a browser that closely interacts with popular social networks has long been exciting the minds of developers. There were many attempts to create such a combine, but, perhaps, the Rockmelt company did a better job. No wonder they were able to receive serious financial investments.
The project of the same name was launched in 2009 and immediately enlisted the support of one of the founders of Netscape. A year later, the first beta version, built on Chromium sources, was released, and in a short time it managed to gather a decent number of fans. The main feature of Rockmelt is its unobtrusiveness. Integration with Facebook and Twitter was implemented as additional functionality, and not an intrusive addition.
Rockmelt may have had a bright future ahead of it, but in 2012 the developers shut down the desktop version and focused on creating an iOS app. Despite the drastic changes, the mobile application was born quickly and turned out to be quite interesting.
So, we are offered a solution that is interesting primarily because of its interface. Browser control centers around a single input line. It is both an address bar and a navigator for various content groups. For example, you can select a specific topic and immediately receive a pack of thumbnails of new posts corresponding to it. The presence of additional gestures allows you to perform a number of operations (sharing, liking) with one click or swipe.
Thus, together with the browser we get a content generator. At the same time, we have the opportunity to quite easily influence the conditions for issuing materials. You just need to go to any website and click on the “Follow” pimp. The resource is added to the watch list (RSS feed is taken into account), and new materials will appear in the personal news feed.
Extensions:
- Content generator. Plugin for Google Chrome Feedly;
- New materials by category. Plugin for Google Chrome: StumbleUpon;
- Interaction with social networks (publications, sharing, etc.). Plugin for Google Chrome: Buffer.
SRWare Iron
Project audience: conspiracy theory lovers
The first releases of Google Chrome (as well as Chromium) caused a lot of noise. Users paid attention not only to the interesting interface and speed of operation, but also to a couple of clauses in the license agreement that deal a blow to privacy.
After this, a boom in articles on the topic “Big Brother is watching you” began, eventually forcing Google to reconsider its ambitions. Despite this, Chrome still contains several features that somehow violate the user's privacy.
For example, everyone knows that immediately after installation, Google Chrome generates a unique identifier, which is transmitted to the company’s server. The "suggestions" function works in a similar way. All entered data is sent to Google for the purpose of producing search suggestions. The discussion about other nightmares is in roughly the same vein: the background update service, sending error reports, and so on.
SRWare is ready to solve all the problems raised. In fact, this is the same Google Chrome, but with the language cut off. It does not transmit any information to the Google server, but also brings several nice features:
- offline installer;
- built-in ad blocker;
- ability to change User-Agent.
Verdict: The solution is primarily for conspiracy theorists. The browser has few additional functions, and all of them are implemented using appropriate extensions. As a result, it turns out that all the advantages come down to providing an additional level of privacy.
CoolNovo
Project audience: web developers, enthusiasts
Another project that grew out of a Chromium fork, CoolNovo compares favorably with similar alternatives. Firstly, developers from the Middle Kingdom are setting ambitious goals for themselves, and not just creating another clone with a couple of additional extensions. Secondly, they position their solution as a full replacement for Google Chrome. The idea of such a solution managed to win the hearts of users, and the browser itself received a number of awards.
One of the most interesting and useful features is IE Tab. My main activity is partly related to the development of web applications, which means testing whether the layout is displayed correctly in browsers that use different rendering engines. IE Tab simplifies the testing process in Internet Explorer. It eliminates the need to launch a separate copy of IE, and allows you to change the rendering engine used for rendering with one click.
Gesture controls also deserve special attention. At one time I got used to using similar functionality in Opera, and I must say that the implementation in CoolNovo is no worse.
The developers share the same views on the inviolability of personal space as the guys from the SRWare Iron project. All secret transfers of information to the company’s servers are cut to the ground.
Other most interesting features worth noting:
- instant translation of pages into other languages (using Google Translate);
- taking screenshots of a page or selected area;
- quick history clearing;
- separate sidebar for placing frequently used widgets and extensions;
- ad blocker.
Verdict: CoolNovo has long been a leader among alternative Chromium-based builds. Today it continues to hold its position and remains a good solution for users who want to get a beefed-up browser out of the box. The only sad thing is that CoolNovo has been updated less frequently lately. If this continues, sooner or later a competitor in the form of Chrome will throw it out of the race.
Extensions:
- Fast and flexible cleaning of history, cookies and other network activity files. Plugin for Google Chrome Click&Clean Click&Clean ;
- Link shortener. Plugin for Google Chrome URL Shortener;
- Gesture control. Plugin for Google Chrome: CrxMouse or Gestures for Chrome;
- Reading mode (without displaying pictures and unnecessary layout elements). Plugin for Google Chrome: iReader or Clearly;
- Button for quick RSS subscription. Plugin for Google Chrome: RSS Subscription Extension;
- Super drag. Plugin for Google Chrome: Super Drag;
- Translator. Plugin for Google Chrome: Google Translate.
Maxthon
Project audience: All inclusive lovers
Maxthon is one of those projects that has experienced a rebirth. He first saw the light in the early 2000s under the pseudonym MyIE. Back then it was a convenient wrapper for Donkey IE and a number of useful functions. It had a built-in download manager, tabs instead of separate windows, and other useful features.
When Firefox and subsequently Google Chrome boomed, MyIE was forced into obscurity for a major overhaul. The total straightening brought it back with a new name, an updated set of functions and a completely different face.
Today Maxthon is more like a powerful Internet center than just a browser. Under the hood of the adventure game there are already two engines - WebKit and Trident (used in Internet Explorer). Moreover, unlike most similar solutions, Maxthon is able to independently determine pages for which the use of Trident is more preferable (as a rule, these are old sites). I specifically took one old project out of the closet, adapted for viewing in IE, and tried to view it in Maxthon. Without thinking twice, the browser immediately switched the display to retro mode and rendered the page using Trident. In addition to working with two engines simultaneously, Maxthon’s greatest strengths are its own cloud and the availability of versions for mobile platforms (Android, iOS). Your own cloud not only allows you to store various small information such as browsing history, a list of open pages and similar things, but it is also quite suitable for storing files.
For example, I was very pleased with the ability to save files from a web page to the cloud with one click. This function looks most beneficial when working on a mobile phone/tablet. The usefulness of Maxthon does not end there, but rather just begins. Among them:
- Gesture support;
- SuperDrop function, which simplifies interaction with the browser interface in the absence of a mouse;
- ad blocker;
- a completely redesigned application interface (not another Chrome clone);
- simultaneous processing of search results from several search servers;
- viewing pages in reading mode (without unnecessary information);
- saving videos from YouTube;
- mute sound on any page;
- simultaneous viewing of several tabs in one window;
- download manager;
- own extension store;
- setting an arbitrary refresh time for open pages;
- night surfing mode. When this mode is activated, Maxthon darkens the bright background of pages, thereby reducing eye strain;
- increased productivity and much more.
Verdict: Maxthon will appeal to both casual users and hardcore geeks looking for new adventures. The presence of versions for mobile platforms and a full-fledged personal cloud are two key features that allow Maxthon to surpass many competitors. Add to this good performance, numerous victories in tests for compliance with web standards, and we get an almost ideal, but little-known browser.
Extensions:
- Retro mode (page rendering using the IE engine). Plugin for Google Chrome: IE Tab;
- Taking screenshots. Plugin for Google Chrome: Webpage ScreenShot;
- Night mode. Plugin for Google Chrome: Hacker Vision or Turn Off the Lights for comfortable viewing of videos;
- Password storage. Plugin for Google Chrome: LastPass;
- Ad blocker. Plugin for Google Chrome: AdBlock;
- Built-in notepad with the ability to store notes in the cloud. Plugin for Google Chrome: Memo Notepad;
- Resource sniffer. Plugin for Google Chrome: Web Developer.
Project audience: lovers of everything fresh
Chromium became the father of many webkit-based browsers. It forms the foundation of almost every new browser, and it is hardly possible to shake its dominant position.
So, you probably already know that it is on this project that all new products are tested before they get to Google Chrome. Support for new HTML5 features, corrections of terrible bugs, new interface features - all this is primarily received by Chromium users. Unfortunately, the frequency of updates comes at the price of stability. Major problems that prevent you from working normally with the browser are rare, but accurate.
It is quite difficult to single out some original interface features or capabilities, since they are largely the implementation of new HTML5 features and are relevant for web developers, not mere mortals.
Nevertheless, Chromium still has a number of differences that can interest the average user. For example:
- no error reporting;
- the RLZ identifier is not transferred to the company servers;
- there is no Updater hanging in the background;
- Only open and free media formats are supported;
- productivity is very high.
Verdict: A special version of Google Chrome for enthusiasts and geeks. Everything new appears here, and these user groups will definitely like it. Chromium is unlikely to be suitable for mere mortals, since this is a product primarily for testing. And there are few users eager to be the first to test, say, the Battery API.
Avant Browser
Project audience: web developers
The primary goal of the Avant Browser developers is to provide users with an easy way to combine the work of engines within one application. It would seem that the task is not easy, but looking at Avant Browser, you are convinced of the opposite. The developers were not only able to bring together all the popular engines under one wrapper, but also came up with an easy way to switch between them. Changing the rendering engine is done in a couple of mouse clicks.
This is where the super useful functions end, and what remains are typical for such solutions:
- a simple cloud storage capable of storing RSS subscriptions, favorites, passwords and other information;
- ad/popup blocker;
- creating screenshots of pages;
- simple implementation of gesture control;
- creating aliases for pages, with which you can quickly navigate to frequently visited sites;
- built-in RSS reader;
- mail client.
Verdict: Avant Browser cannot be considered as a full-fledged application for everyday use. This is more of a specialized solution that can serve web developers well, but not the average user. There are simply no other interesting features in Avant Browser.
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