Chapter I
Introduction

A. Background of the Study

A browser is software application that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World Wide Web (Goertz, 2001). It uses HTTP to submit requests of web servers over the Internet on behalf of the browser user. Web browser is use for retrieving and presenting information resources identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that may be video, image, web page, or other kinds of content. It can also be used to access information provided by web servers in private networks or files in file systems. There has been a virtual explosion of browsers which are designed according to their operating system and others, target specific users such as those majoring on social networking. There are also clones of established browsers such as Firefox and Google Chrome which seek to improve on the original by being “leaner” of offering different features (Anonymous, 2011).
According to Bowler (2009) the browser world have spent time focusing on delivering their product to multiple OS. This helps them build many of the browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer and Safari.
Mozilla started from scratch — Firefox was the result. And now users have no shortage of browsers to choose from, partly due to the work of the Mozilla foundation. the first full point release of Mozilla’s popular open-source Web browser in nearly three years, combines user-interface, performance and Web-standards support enhancements, along with new provisions for making user data both more and less accessible across the network (Brooks, 2011).
“Google entered this arena and many speculated it was so they could build their operating system. Google delivered new enterprise ready installation packages and configuration options allowing administrators to centrally manage the availability, freshness and operational behaviour of the browser” (Garcia, 2011). It provides an important performance edge for companies building state-of-the-art dynamic Web applications with its powerful JavaScript engine (Rapoza, 2009).
According to Rapoza (2009), “on Vista and most likely Windows 7 systems, Internet Explorer can be run in Protected Mode, which greatly reduces the harm that can be done by malware that subverts the browser.” It is the browser that offers the most options in the way of customization, management and deployment.
“Apple’s venture into this arena, Safari is fast. Originally created so Apple could remove Internet Explorer for Mac from their computers, Safari is based on open source software and is one of the fastest browsers available” (Anonymous, 2011).
According to Anonymous (2011), “Opera is a strange bird in the browser world. It has a strong feature set and performs decently when compared to the other big names.” But for some reason, it has never really caught on and sees minimal usage on any operating system. Opera offers some of the most extensive customization and tweaking options.
Every web browser has specific feature set that attracts to some but not to others. Some of the criteria to be considered in selecting browser are: How fast does the browser load a page? It is important in any browser, but not the only criterion for judgment. Some browsers today even have a “Private browsing” mode that leaves no trace of your browsing history on the PC. Another is what kind of features is available to enhance the browsing experience such as tabbed browsing, handling of badly coded HTML pages and is it expandable through add-on programs.
There are many new web browsers flooding in the market and there are lot of confusion in everyone’s mind as to which is the best web browser. Our study aims to answer this question.
The main reason that motivates us to work on this project is that nowadays the users just use any browser they get without even knowing its positives and negatives. This study aims to clear the confusion in user’s mind by knowing the features and making a comparative study of each browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Safari), by systematically testing the browsers and deciding the best choice for different categories of users.

B. Statement of the Problem
This study is conducted to find the most useful browser for each application as well as to help users to know which among the browsers is beneficial for the users. This study will seek to answer the following: 1. Which among the five web browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Safari) is effective in terms of: * Feature Set * Ease of Use * Security * Speed and Compatibility * Help Support 2. Which is most frequently used: * At home * At work or school * On a desktop or laptop * On a mobile device
C. Significance of the Study
This study will help user choose the appropriate web browsers. When you’re surfing the net, browser should be the first line of defence. Good browsers alert you when you stumble across any sites containing malware or viruses, protect you from attempts to break into your computer, and update you quickly as soon as a new security fix is available. It will also give you flexible control over the information that the browser retains about websites visited or content that has been downloaded, and have extra privacy controls that let you block items from certain sites, if you wish. Browsers are getting tough competition from the upcoming alternatives each one having its own unique features. Hence making a right choice is a daunting task. With the best choice of web browser, it will be easier for you to create and share documents, listen to music, watch your favourite videos uninterrupted, and it’ll be easier for you to do your work online without hassle.

D. Scope and Limitation This study is limited only to 100 students of the University of the East in any year or course and 50 online users. This study will focus on the 5 web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera, the potentials of each browser, standard support, extensibility, security, administrative support, and performance. It will not include other browsers such as Amaya, NetSurf, Phoenix, Gazelle, Arena, Charon etcetera.

Chapter II
Review of Related
Literatures and Studies
A. Features of a Browser
Top–ranked Internet browsers offer many practical features that make surfing the web faster, easier and more convenient. A few of these features are tabbed browsing, thumbnail previews and an integrated search engine.
Most browsers have the following features. Some of these may be presenter as buttons or icons in a toolbar. If a button is not present, you will find a menu item in one of the menus provided. You can usually customize the toolbar the way you want it if you don’t want to include any or all of these features:
Address field - This area is where the URL (web page address) for the web page is displayed or entered. (A field is a text entry or display area.) In many browsers, there's a little downward facing arrow next to this field. When you click on the arrow you will see a list of recently visited websites. Clicking one of these URLs will take you to that website. You can also enter a URL into this field and then press enter or return to go to the website. In some browsers there is a "Go" button next to this field that initiates a server request after typing in a URL. By the way, you don't usually have to type in the "http://" part of the URL. Most browsers will add that information in for you when you press enter or return.
Auto fill Forms Button - When you encounter a page that has a form on it, such as an order page, this button will make filling out the form much easier. Use this button to go back to the previous page opened in this particular browser window. In some browsers, holding the mouse down on this button produces a menu of previous pages that you can then choose from. In other browsers, there's a little arrow next to the Back button that produces this menu.

Bookmarks or Favorites - You can easily create a shortcut to your favorite web pages by using the Bookmark (or Favorites) menu or button. This is a very important feature and it works a little differently in each browser. In Internet Explorer, use the Favorites Menu to Add to Favorites. You can then use the Organize Favorites menu item to place your bookmark in a folder or particular place in the list. In Netscape, Firefox and Safari, choose Add Bookmark from the Bookmark menu. You can then choose Show All or Manage Bookmarks to create folders and/or rearrange your bookmarks. In most browsers you can also place favorite websites to an area just above the main browser window.

Close Box - This button in the upper right corner of the window will close the browser window. If there is only one browser window open, the program will exit. One way to tell if you have more than one browser window open is to look at the button bar at the bottom of the screen. If you see more than one button with the icon of the browser you are using, you can switch between the open windows by clicking on these buttons. Another way to deal with multiple windows is to minimize or restore the window to its pre-maximized size. On the Macintosh, there's a similar button, but separate windows are more obvious and closing the last one does not quit the browser.

Fonts or Larger or Smaller - In Internet Explorer a button called Fonts gives you a menu to choose the size of the text displayed in the browser window. Some browsers offer two buttons, Larger and Smaller to change the size of the text.

Forward Button - Like the Back button, the Forward button takes you to pages that you have previously seen in a particular browser window. The Forward button is only available if you have used the Back button and want to go Forward to where you were before. In some browsers, holding the mouse down on this button produces a menu of previous pages that you can then choose from. In other browsers, there's a little arrow next to the Forward button that produces this menu.

History Button - Most browsers offers a History button or menu item which allows you to look at the last several hundred web pages you've been to, and select one of them for an easy return path.

Home Button - This button takes you to the page that has been designated as your "home" page. You can select your "home page" in the browser's Preferences (or Internet Options) section.
Favorites, Links or Personal Toolbar - You can add your own buttons to this toolbar. In Explorer it is called Favorites or Links Toolbar and in Netscape it is called the Personal Toolbar. These toolbars can be hidden or shown by using the View menu.

Maximize Button - In Windows you can use this button to make the browser's window enlarge to full screen. When the window is already maximized this button is replaced by the Restore button. (See also: Minimize or Restore and CloseBox.)

Menubar - In Windows the Menubar is a part of each browser window. Choices include File, Edit, View, History, Favorites or Bookmarks and Help. On the Macintosh, these Menus are always at the top of the screen.

Minimize Button - In Windows you can use this button to make the browser's window disappear from the screen. You can restore the window by clicking its button on the bottom of the screen.

Print Button - You can print any web page by clicking this button. Reload or Refresh Button If you suspect the contents of a browser's window may have changed since the last time you viewed it, you should click the Reload or Refresh button to update the page.

Restore Button - If the browser's window is maximized you can use this button to restore the size of the window so that it no longer fills the entire screen. This is very useful if you want to see more than one window at the same time.

Search Button or Field - In some older browsers there is a button to go to the page you have designated as your "search" page. You can select your "search page" in the browser's preferences section or by clicking the "Choose a Search Engine" button in the Search window. Most browsers now have a search field, at the right end of the main button bar, which you can type into to perform Internet searches. Security Indicators - Most browsers show a padlock icon in the lower left corner of the window to indicate a secure connection. This means that data being sent or received from that server is encrypted and would be extremely difficult for a third party to access. If this padlock is in the locked position, you know you have a secure server connection. If the padlock is unlocked, then you do not. Another way to tell is by the URL or web site address. If the URL begins with https:// then the server connection is secure.

Status Bar - The bar along the bottom of the browser's window shows you what is being loaded into the browser window at the moment or the URL of the link your mouse is over. There is usually also a progress indicator that shows how much of a file has already been downloaded.

Stop Button - Use this button if you want to stop loading the contents of a page.

Window Title - The title of the web page appears in the browser window's title. Sometimes pages don't have titles. When you bookmark a page, the window's title is used to identify the bookmark. (Anonymous, 2011)

B. Security of a Browser
Andrew Brandt said that “If you use a social network, a Web browser, a public computer, or a cell phone, you're in grave danger of falling victim to attacks on your PC, your bank account, your personal privacy, and more” (Brandt, 2009, p.63).

You may have nothing to hide, but that doesn't mean that your browsing history won't get you in trouble. Out of context, entries in a list of sites you recently visited are easy to misconstrue. (Solution) Try using your browser's private browsing feature — but don't depend on it. Long a feature of Apple's Safari browser, private browsing Lets you surf the Web without Leaving a trail of Web site addresses behind. Once you turn on Private Browsing in Safari, Apple says, you'll leave no trace of the sites you visit. Add-ons for the Firefox browser offer Windows users the same benefits; An app called Distrust gives users of Firefox 2.x and 3.x a way to manage their browsing history; some files that Firefox temporarily writes to disk Distrust, a free add-on, can hide surfing trails left in Firefox aren't erased until the browsing session ends, however. Firefox 3.1 (now in beta form) is likely to add more-comprehensive private browsing features to the browser itself. Two add-ons 'Private Browsing' and 'Toggle Private Browsing'—provide granular control over settings to help users manage the new features. (Warning: In recent testing by a security firm to see which browsers' tools do best at protecting against tracking by visited Web sites, Firefox, Google's Chrome, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 beta, and Safari all fared poorly, with Safari in Last place.) But no browser can completely prevent inquisitive sites from tracking your visit. For maximum anonymity, try the fee-based Anonymizer (anonymizer.com) or the free to find. (Brandt, 2009)

A browser cache keeps copies of text, images, and snippets of code from the Web pages person visits to speed up surfing. And you could learn a lot about someone’s surfing habits and interests by dumpster-diving in this collection much more than by looking at the History list. Other saved content might include the text of e-mail messages read via Web mail. For some time, Firefox, Safari, and a few other browsers have given users considerable control over cache trashing, but Internet Explorer 8will be the first version of IE to offer a secure browsing feature, called InPrivate, designed to eliminate any traces of history when you shut down IE. InPrivate deletes browsing history, cookies, and Registry traces that would enable someone to retrace your online steps. It doesn't prevent the cache from collecting content, however. (Solution) The best way to keep a truly clean slate is to prevent the browser from leaving anything on the hard drive. You can do this in two ways: Instruct IE to save its cache to a portable drive that you keep plugged in when you use the browser, or use a software utility to wipe the cache securely after you're through surfing. You can do the former{using IE) in four steps: Open the Internet Options control panel, click the Settings button in the Temporary Internet Files section, click the Move Folder button, and navigate to a folder on your external drive. For the latter, try an excellent free tool called Eraser {find.pcworld.com/6234B); it securely deletes browser cache files {and other data) by overwriting the files numerous times. (Brandt, 2009)

Brandt (2009, p.64) and Rudy (2011) said that:
Public computers located in places like schools, cybercafés, trade shows, and libraries tend to be infected with password stealing Trojan horses more frequently than most other systems. Many of these public computers are not closely monitored by their owners, which increases their vulnerability. And because scores of casual visitors use them to log into e-mail or other services, data thieves view the computers as an efficient source of harvestable information, which they then sell to spammers and other unsavory types. (Solution)If you can reboot the computer, your safest bet is to carry a copy of the Knoppix bootable operating system on a CD. DVD, or Bash memory drive; you can customize your build with up to 2GB of Internet tools, productivity apps, and utilities. If you have to use the machine's Windows OS, you're better off running your applications from a portable drive using the excellent suite of tools available from Portable Appsxom. This site hosts dozens of apps that have been "portabilized" so that they store all temporary files, cache files, and history on the portable drive itself. To protect yourself from malicious software that may be lurking on a public PC, scan the machine with the portable (and free) Clam Win antivirus software, and carry your own customized browser, office apps, IM clients, and secure file-transfer tools. Also, a password manager tool such as KeePass lets you change passwords as soon afterward as possible.

Social networks guide their users to avoid phishing scams. It was much easier to fool people into clicking bad links, opening dangerous files, and running malicious software. They also figured out that the most effective place to exploit the trust that naturally exists between friends and colleagues was within the mechanisms of the online social networks themselves. By now, most Internet users are savvy enough to recognize spam e-mail. But what about a spam tweet that seems to come from someone in your circle of friends and links, to a page that looks almost exactly like the one you use to log in to twitter? A week may go by, and suddenly the data thieves who now control your account begin sending messages with URLs—some of which perform drive-by downloads and infect the recipients' PCs with malware—to everyone in your social network. Facebook and MySpace users have already had to deal with a number of worms and other nastiest that are designed to spread independently of any action taken by the account holder. You can expect many more of these automated attacks to occur in the future. (Solution) If you think that details of your social networking account may have been stolen or compromised in some other way, report your suspicions to the site's support team immediately. Change your password frequently, and avoid clicking message links that purport to transfer you back to the social network site. Instead, to get back to your account, type the site's address directly into your browser or follow a bookmark that you saved previously (Brandt, 2009, p.64).

According to Dormann and Rafail (2011), the following are ways on how to secure your browser from attacks and risks of getting malwares and viruses. i) Read the Home Network Security and Home Computer Security documents. ii) Enable automatic software updates if available iii) Vendors will usually release patches for their software when vulnerability has been discovered. Most product documentation offers a method to get updates and patches. You should be able to obtain updates from the vendor's web site.
Some applications will automatically check for available updates, and many vendors offer automatic notification of updates via a mailing list. Look on your vendor's web site for information about automatic notification. If no mailing list or other automated notification mechanism is offered, you may need to check the vendor's web site periodically for updates. iv) Install and use antivirus software v) While an up-to-date antivirus software package cannot protect against all malicious code, for most users it remains the best first-line of defense against malicious code attacks. Many antivirus packages support automatic updates of virus definitions. We recommend using these automatic updates when available. vi) Avoid unsafe behavior vii) Additional information on this topic can be found in the Home Network Security document. * Use caution when opening email attachments or when using peer-to-peer file sharing, instant messaging, or chat rooms. * Don't enable file sharing on network interfaces exposed directly to the internet. viii) Follow the principle of least privilege — don't enable it if you don't need it ix) Consider creating and using an account with limited privileges instead of an 'administrator' or 'root' level account for everyday tasks. Depending on the operating system, you only need to use administrator level access when installing new software, changing system configurations, etc. Many vulnerability exploits (e.g., viruses, Trojan horses) are executed with the privileges of the user that runs them — making it far more risky to be logged in as an administrator all the time.

C. Browser Gaming
A browser game is where you are using a web browser in playing a game. Using standard technologies or browser plug-ins you can create and run browser games. You can also play single-player or multiplayer in different kind of video game and genre. Using different web browser you can play in different devices with web browsers. Many players or web browser gamers are attracted by the different genres of web games. (Anonymous, 2011)
Browser games can be played without installing any software you just need a web browser to play. The present online survey of players of the German strategy browser game “Travian” is that there are 8,203 players who played this game, they enjoyed this game because of its social relationship within the game and it’s easy to play. Competition between web browser games and other client games that it’s less important to find the difference between them; it’s the difference between the game enjoyment and addiction. (Klimmt, Schmid, & Orthmann, 2009, p.231).
A web browser game is that many players played it because it doesn’t cost much. If the players are looking for much worth game they need to buy it for a cost. So for less cost gaming experience players choose browser game rather than spending much money for a game. (Anonymous 2011)

According to Klimmt et al., (2009, p.231), the most genres of browser games are strategy games. The players need to build their economic structures to maintain the military capacities to defend and attack the others player armies. It is more likely massively multiplayer online games or (MMOs). 6 Players with large communities can form allies to have a massive war campaign.

A browser game is simpler, easy to play and easy features to understand. Players who play browser games give an impression that they are less determined gamers but there are many browser gamers that still playing these games seriously. (Johnson A. 2011)

D. Review on Browsers
What to Look for in Internet Browsers? Internet browsers should have three main objectives: simplicity, security and helping you get the most from the web. Because all of the browsers in this review are free, after reading the reviews you may want to download and consider a couple of browsers. You might even decide to use more than one browser—for example, one for fun and one for research.
Feature Set, Top–ranked Internet browsers offer many practical features that make surfing the web faster, easier and more convenient. A few of these features are tabbed browsing, thumbnail previews and an integrated search engine.
Ease of Use, Internet browsers ought to be simple to use so anyone, regardless of their knowledge of computers or the Internet, will feel comfortable using the web.
Security, security is one of the most important aspects of browsing the web. Internet browsers should protect against pop–ups, viruses and phishing frauds and allow you to clear personal information so you can feel confident while online.
Speed & Compatibility, your internet browser should help you surf fast and efficiently. While the speed of your computer and internet connection account for most of the speed, not all browsers are created equal in regards to how fast they startup, process HTML and JavaScript. Likewise, not all internet browsers will open all pages correctly. The best browsers will open websites quickly and properly.
Help/Support, although most internet browsers are free, quality customer support helps if you run into problems. Developers provide support through email, phone, FAQs, manuals and tutorials. (Toptenreview, 2011)
I. Mozilla Firefox
Feature Set, Mozilla Firefox has over 6,000 add-ons to customize and enhance your web browsing experience. Categories include blogging, tools, entertainment, humor, news, privacy and security, and more. You can add style to your browser with skins and themes. Or, equip your browser bar with a dictionary or add a media toolbar with games and other forms of entertainment. Firefox features the innovative use of open audio and video. With HTML 5 audio and video support (and the OggTheora open video format), you can expect a richer media experience with fewer format problems and plug-ins getting in the way. You can even save a video directly from the site to your desktop.
Firefox has tabbed browsing so you can quickly jump from site to site and open more than one website in the same browser window. Firefox also allows you to change the order of your tabs, and has a redo function for when you accidentally delete tabs. The “tab group” feature allows you to place multiple tabs into customizable groups. This is useful if you have several tabs open for specific tasks or on similar topics. There is an add–on for voice interaction so you can navigate the internet through simple voice commands. Firefox's integrated find-on-page function is slick and non-intrusive. You can easily find a word or phrase on a specific webpage without dealing with a pop-up window; Firefox puts the feature right into the bottom of the browser.
This is a great browser for students or others who conduct research on the internet. Mozilla has developed virtual sticky notes so you can add your own notes to web pages, and they will be there when you return. The Library archives your browsing history and bookmarks for easy organization. And, when you need a little break from research, you can access your favorite sites like Twitter and Facebook by using the “pin as app tab” feature. This minimizes the tab of a site that you visit frequently down to just its favicon image, making it easy to jump back and forth between research and leisure.
The innovative Smart Location Bar will adapt to your use and preferences. This handy tool makes it easy to return to websites you've previously visited, even if you don't remember the exact URL. The smart location bar helps you locate sites based on titles and content. The improved "Awesome Bar" has been refined and now includes privacy settings. One-click bookmarking makes it easy to organize your favorites. Firefox also now includes anti-phishing capabilities, a pop-up blocker, a password manager, and parental controls. Another nice feature is the anywhere drag and drop, which allows you to drag text or a link from anywhere on a web page and put it directly into your search bar.
Ease of Use, Firefox is well organized and intuitive. The browser has an easy-to-use interface that has all the essentials but isn’t cluttered. Firefox features are powerful and useful, yet simple. Firefox has several additional features that further improve usability. A fully integrated spell checker allows users to work directly on the web and still have check for spelling errors. Another great function is an automatic session restore. When Firefox reopens, you pick up where you left off, even if the browser closed unexpectedly or by accident. It's really nice to not have to spend time getting back to where you were. Session restore can restore text you were writing in an email and even download in progress.
The Firefox download manager is easy to use and integrates simply with the browser interface. The download manager gives you the ability to pause downloads and then pick up where you left off. This straightforward resume function is even available after a system restart.
Security, Firefox has integrated private browsing. With Firefox, you can easily enter and leave the private mode, browsing seamlessly in complete stealth. Furthermore, unlike other browser privacy modes, there is no noticeable icon or change to the interface in private mode. Firefox protects against viruses, spyware, malware, phishing, and pop-ups. Firefox has an integrated password manager, automated updates to help locate and fix security problems, and parental controls. Another impressive browser security feature is the one-click site info. Simply click on the site in the location bar and you can view important safety information. You can easily clear your personal information including history, cookies, passwords and web-form entries with the click of a button. You can even remove all traces of your visiting any specific site. Think of it as a selective private mode that can go back in time.

Speed & Compatibility, Firefox has always been a fast internet browser and now it's even faster. We had no problems loading Firefox or quickly navigating from page to page. Firefox provides a fluid web browsing experience from start to finish, and boasts compatibility across the web. Firefox is fully equipped to accommodate multi-touch gestures with OSX and Windows 7.

Help/Support, Mozilla provides a lot of useful online documentation, including FAQs, a knowledge base and tutorial. You can even get some help through email. The Mozilla team puts useful help right at your fingertips. The support center is searchable and includes standard help as well as personalized help in the form of live chat with the Firefox community. But even better than providing great support, Firefox makes it so that you won't need much help doing exactly what you want to do.

II. Google Chrome

Feature Set, Google Chrome has a load of easy-to-use features and tools. Chrome takes the traditional toolbar and turns it on end, placing the tabs on top. Google further develops the tab-centric focus with several unique tab features. You can drag tabs from the browser to make new windows, rearrange tabs, and even duplicate tabs. And because each tab is run independently in the browser, if one tab crashes it won’t ruin your whole session.
Chrome features an Incognito mode, so you can browse in private. This stealth browsing mode allows you to open sites and even download files without affecting your histories. Additionally, cookies and passwords are deleted after you close the incognito window. You can even have one browser window open in normal mode and another in incognito mode.
The download manager of Chrome is inconspicuous, integrated at the bottom of the tab where the downloading is occurring. Chrome also has an integrated find on page feature, which appears near the top right corner.
Another nice feature is the anywhere drag and drop, which allows you to drag text or a link from anywhere on a web page and put it directly into your search bar. The smart toolbar gives helpful suggestions while you are typing in it, and makes it easy to revisit a previously viewed site that you’ve forgotten because the toolbar searches through titles as well as actual in-page text.
Ease of Use, Google Chrome is well organized and fairly intuitive. The simple interface is anything but cluttered, but gives users the tools they need at hand. Google Chrome features are powerful and effective, yet simple to use. The frame is thin, and Google Chrome even allows users to launch certain web apps in their own window, without the toolbar and url box, taking fullscreen views to a new level.
Google Chrome adds a whole new level of simplicity to web applications. You can run a web application in a designated window and have it feel more like distinct software. You can create desktop shortcuts that when opened, reveal your desired web application without tabs, address bars, or even buttons. You can even use the “Google Gears” to create shortcuts (desktop, start menu, and quick launch bar) for your newly created application window. Google Chrome helps bridge the gap between your desktop and online applications.
The tabs in Google Chrome are designed to be simple and help you utilize tabbed browsing in a whole new way. Like other browsers, you can easily rearrange tabs, create new ones, and even transfer tabs from one window to another very easily. But the dynamic tabs in Google Chrome can also be pulled out from the browser to create a whole new window. Furthermore, the visual tabs in Chrome simply get smaller and still display all of them rather than in a side-scrolling fashion like other browsers.
Another unique tab feature that simplifies your browsing is related tabs. When a new tab is created from an existing tab, the new tab is placed next to the originating or parent tab, rather than at the end of your list of tabs. This makes it much easier to keep related tabs organized and grouped together, as they naturally should be.
Chrome does a good job with providing the essential tools (and more) easily at hand, but not bombarding users with extra toolbars and extra buttons. The interface is simple and intuitive, but doesn't draw your attention away from the actual web content. In these regards, less browser is more.
Security, Chrome is safe and secure, protecting from phishing schemes, malware, pop-ups, and viruses. Chrome warns you if you’re about to access an unsafe website. You can have Chrome remember your passwords or opt not to.
Google Chrome uses “sandboxing”, which makes every tab run independently in the browser. This is great because if a certain application crashes, it will stay isolated to the tab it’s in, not affecting any other tabs. Different processes run separately in their own tab. This technique helps prevent malware from installing itself on your computer and also stops one tab from taking control of all others. Once you close a tab, that process is completely terminated.
Another innovative feature that Google takes from traditional operating systems and applies to internet browsing is a task manager. Users can open the online task manager and see which websites and applications are running and how much computer memory they are using. Users can even check out the "stats for nerds" section and see detailed information about browser memory usage and the processes running.
Speed & Compatibility, Google Chrome is fast. We had no problems downloading or installing Chrome. Initializing Chrome for the first time of the day is very fast, as is the average time it takes to open subsequent times. Navigation time is remarkably fast as well.
Google has taken initiative in making Chrome very compatible with the Internet. Chrome was specifically designed to quickly and efficiently load, display, and interact with the huge variety of applications on the web.
Help/Support, Google Chrome has an in-depth help center with help in a variety of categories. The knowledge center has resources to help get new users started, and help advanced users customize their experience. Users can also check on known problems and add comments or suggestions online.

III. Internet Explorer
Feature Set, Microsoft offers a variety of add-ons to customize Internet Explorer and provides the features that will help you make the most of the web. There are four different categories of add-ons: security, time savers, browsers and entertainment. In each category you’ll find a number of downloads, each with a description. Many are free, but some you’ll have to purchase.
Internet Explorer incorporates tabbed browsing. With tabbed browsing, you are able to switch quickly between open websites, and you can open more than one website in a single browser window.
Internet Explorer has a private browsing mode, which stops the browser from adding any sites you visit to your history. Private mode also prevents your computer from picking up temporary internet files, form data, cookies, usernames, and passwords.
Internet Explorer also now has a smart toolbar, offering search suggestions based on your previous browsing and even visual previews.
Another handy feature that this browser provides is the “Pin” ability. With this, you can pull out a tab from your browser and pin it to the taskbar along the bottom of your screen if you’re using Windows 7.
Ease of Use, Internet Explorer is fairly intuitive and easy to use. Making new tabs couldn't be easier. The Internet Explorer interface has the essentials right where you need them, and it isn't cluttered.

Security, Internet Explorer has enhanced security features. It protects against viruses, spyware, pop-ups and phishing schemes. You can download additional security tools from the add-ons list on their homepage. You can also easily clear your personal information and stored cookies.
IE provides security for the entire family and offers extensive parental controls to protect children against web predators and inappropriate content.
Speed & Compatibility, Internet Explorer is pretty quick. And while not technically the speediest browser, we had no problems quickly browsing, and certainly no issues with compatibility problems.

Help/Support, Internet Explorer comes with first-class help and support. You can find answers to your questions in the online content. The FAQs page has answers to common questions, or you can search the database by keyword to find specific information. Furthermore, Microsoft offers personal assistance by phone or email.

IV. Opera
Feature Set, Opera offers a combination of features unlike any other Internet browser that will allow you to experience the web a new way. For example, through voice commands you can navigate the web and even have Opera read the text to you. We were skeptical, but the feature works great. The browser offers tabbed browsing, complete with the ability to save tabs and even undelete them. Opera also boasts the ability to surf the web utilizing mouse gestures.
Other convenient browsing features include an integrated search function, quick find, and customizable toolbars. Furthermore, you can cascade or tile web pages to view and work on more than one page at a time. You can use Opera Link to sync bookmarks and Speed Dials with your mobile phone.
Through Opera, you are able to customize your web experience. They offer a large database of skins so you can change the appearance of your browser. Choose from hundreds of widgets to make your web experience more enjoyable. Widgets are small programs like games, news, tools and more.
Another standout feature is thumbnails that appear as you mouse over a tab, so you can visually jog your memory without going to the site. One thing Opera is missing is parental controls.
Ease of Use, The browser is user–friendly and because it is so customizable, it will adapt to you-not the other way around. All of the buttons are well labeled so you’ll have no problem finding what you’re looking for, even the first time you use the browser. Opera is fairly intuitive and simple to learn and use.

Security, Opera allows you to customize your security settings. This browser protects against pop–ups, spyware, viruses and phishing schemes. You can also clear all of your personal information with just a click.

Speed & Compatibility, Opera claims to be the fastest browser on earth and on most accounts it delivers. Opera is fast at startup, fast at loading, and fast at running applications. However, Opera has had struggles with compatibility with some websites since it isn't as well known as Internet Explorer or Firefox.

Help/Support, You can purchase a premium support package that comes with email support. However, there is enough online information you really shouldn’t need the extra help. You’ll find tutorials, FAQs and a knowledge base on the Opera help page. You can also join a user forum to learn from other users.

V. Safari
Feature Set, Safari's features are comparable to the other top-notch browsers. Additional features include spell checking, snapback, and resizable text boxes. One standout feature is integration of Top Sites, a feature exclusive to Safari which offers an at-a-glance preview of your favorite websites. We also like the colored progress bar on the toolbar that shows how fast a page is loading and how close it is to being complete.
Safari does not incorporate anti-phishing technology nor does it include parental controls. We also would have liked to see more customization possibilities.
Ease of Use, if you are comfortable on a Mac, Safari comes naturally. Those unfamiliar with Macs may struggle at first. However, at the roots, Safari is similar to most of our top rated browsers and would be easy to figure out.

Security, Safari blocks pop-ups, spyware, and viruses, but not phishing schemes. Clearing your history and information from forms is simple, especially with the development of Safari’s Full History Search option, which is a Mac-esc way of viewing where you’ve been on the Web.

Speed & Compatibility, Safari is a very fast browser, outperforming some on its native platform. The built in progress bar lets you see how fast it is actually going. Safari is compatible with most of the web.

Help/Support, Apple provides good support for their products and Safari is no exception. You can find help online, in tutorials and FAQs, or ask questions in a user forum.
Chapter III
Research Methodology
A. Research Design
Descriptive research involves both quantitative and qualitative data collection. Data is gathered that explains actions. The data is then organized and described. Descriptive data looks for patterns to form in the collected data, and asks "what is." For instance, what is the best way to do something? Variable control is not realistic in descriptive research, because you are observing life of a large number of people and large geographic area.
With descriptive research, surveys contain both open-ended and closed questions. Researchers must first determine the purpose of the research and create the questionnaire based on what they are trying to discover. Surveys can be conducted in person, by telephone or by mail. The method of survey collection will depend on your budget, the amount of respondents you need, the quality of the data you need, how long the questionnaire is and the respondent potential (Smith, 2011).
Descriptive studies often represent the first scientific toe in the water in new areas of inquiry. A fundamental element of descriptive reporting is a clear, specific, and measurable definition of the disease or condition in question. Like newspapers, good descriptive reporting answers the five basic W questions: who, what, why, when, where, and the sixth, so what? Case reports, case-series reports, cross-sectional studies, and surveillance studies deal with individuals, whereas ecological correlation studies examine populations. A frequent error in reports of descriptive studies is overstepping the data: studies without a comparison group allow no inferences to be drawn about associations, causal or otherwise. Hypotheses about causation from descriptive studies are often tested in rigorous analytical studies (Grimes & Schulz, 2002).

B. Subject of the Study The respondents of the study are 100 students from the University of the East –Caloocan of different courses and 50 online users. This number is suggested by the research adviser as long as the respondents are fit and knowledgeable in answering the survey questionnaire. C. Research Locale The survey will be conducted in UE Caloocan and through online. In June 1948, the PCCBA moved to what is now UE's main campus, and in rapid succession, opened the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Education, Graduate School of Business Administration and College of Dentistry.
On July 3, 1951, the PCCBA marked a milestone when it was granted university status and became the University of the East with Dr. Dalupan as President and Chairman of the Board.
UE was to expand further. UE-Caloocan on Samson Road was established in 1954 as a Vocational and Technical Training Center. Later, it became an autonomous unit headed by a Chancellor with the College of Business Administration, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Fine Arts. Henceforth, UE Caloocan was called Caloocan Campus to distinguish it from the Manila Campus on C.M. Recto Avenue.
The university started to offer Engineering Courses in UE-Caloocan Extension Campus (former name of Caloocan Campus) in SY 1977-1978. Four courses were initially offered: Civil Engineering (CE), Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE), Electrical Engineering (EE) and Mechanical Engineering (ME) whereby classes were conducted in the Shop Building.
From 1977 till 2003, the College of Engineering (COE), Caloocan Campus acted merely as an extension college whereby students from the College Of Engineering (COE) - Manila Campus automatically transfer and merged with students of Caloocan Campus once they reach their third year curriculum level. The World Wide Web ("WWW" or simply the "Web") is a global information medium which users can read and write via computers connected to the Internet. The term is often mistakenly used as a synonym for the Internet itself, but the Web is a service that operates over the Internet, as e-mail does. The origins of the World Wide Web can be traced back to 1980. Since then it has evolved beyond what its creators imagined would be a file-sharing tool for academic and U.S. government contract researchers. D. Research Instrument The instrument to be used by the researchers to gather data is questionnaire which will be distributed to 150 respondents. The questions are focused on the effectiveness of a browser in terms of different criterion. E. Data Gathering Procedure The questions that will be included in the survey questionnaire will be constructed by the researchers to assess which among the five browsers given is more effective and beneficial to the users. Further revisions and improvements will be made through validation of the research adviser. The questionnaires will be distributed to 100 students of the University of the East – Caloocan who are taking different courses. After distributing the questionnaires, it will be collected right after they finish answering the questions and 50 online users will answer it online and it will be tallied properly. F. Statistical Treatment Responses to the questionnaire by 100 UE student and 50 online users, will be tabulated systematically. The data will be statistically analyzed with the data instrument of the study. In statistical treatment of the data the researchers will be using percentage formula shown below: Where: P = percentage P = FN x 100 F = frequency N = number of respondents

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Klimmt, C., Schmid, H., & Orthmann, J. (2009, November 2). Exploring the enjoyment of playing browser games. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 12, 231-234

Rudy (2011). High risk security threats and how to fix them. Retrieved from http://www.goblogin.com/index.php/internet/355-security/5581-high-risk-security-threats-and-how-to-fix-them Smith, R. (2011, April 4). Descriptive methods in research design. eHow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8163642_descriptive-methods-research-design.html

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