It used to be that Web browsers were just that: a way to browse the Web. But the Internet is no longer just a huge online library. It’s also a shopping mall, television, workshop, school, and community center. And as the Web has matured, so too have expectations for what a browser should do. Now many people rely on browsers for reading e-mail messages and news feeds, creating spreadsheets, editing photos, watching videos, and doing dozens of other tasks that once required stand-alone software.
So what constitutes a solid Web browser these days? All modern Mac browsers can competently display HTML pages, interactive Flash animations, and QuickTime video. But they should also be able to protect your security and privacy; facilitate your ability to fill out forms; integrate well with your operating system, applications, and various Internet services; provide extensive search capabilities; and allow oodles of customization options to let you conform them to your every whim. And, of course, they should do it with style.
