Welcome to the Browsers & Cookies Guide by Konjopatrickhttp://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp <-- This is the actual Browser use statistics
Index-What is a Browser?
-What are Cookies?
-What is a GUI?
-Kind's of browsers
-How can i clean up cookies & cache's?
-Webdevelopment
What is a Browser?A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content. Hyperlinks present in resources enable users easily to navigate their browsers to related resources. A web browser can also be defined as an application software or program designed to enable users to access, retrieve and view documents and other resources on the Internet.
Although browsers are primarily intended to access the World Wide Web, they can also be used to access information provided by web servers in private networks or files in file systems. The major web browsers are Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari.
The primary purpose of a web browser is to bring information resources to the user. This process begins when the user inputs a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), for example
http://www.google.com/ into the browser. The prefix of the URL, the Uniform Resource Identifier or URI, determines how the URL will be interpreted. The most commonly used kind of URI starts with http: and identifies a resource to be retrieved over the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Many browsers also support a variety of other prefixes, such as https: for HTTPS, ftp: for the File Transfer Protocol, and file: for local files. Prefixes that the web browser cannot directly handle are often handed off to another application entirely. For example, mailto: URIs are usually passed to the user's default e-mail application, and news: URIs are passed to the user's default newsgroup reader.
In the case of http, https, file, and others, once the resource has been retrieved the web browser will display it. HTML is passed to the browser's layout engine to be transformed from markup to an interactive document. Aside from HTML, web browsers can generally display any kind of content that can be part of a web page. Most browsers can display images, audio, video, and XML files, and often have plug-ins to support Flash applications and Java applets. Upon encountering a file of an unsupported type or a file that is set up to be downloaded rather than displayed, the browser prompts the user to save the file to disk.
Information resources may contain hyperlinks to other information resources. Each link contains the URI of a resource to go to. When a link is clicked, the browser navigates to the resource indicated by the link's target URI, and the process of bringing content to the user begins again.
What are Cookies?A cookie, also known as an HTTP cookie, web cookie, or browser cookie, is used for an origin website to send state information to a user's browser and for the browser to return the state information to the origin site. The state information can be used for authentication, identification of a user session, user's preferences, shopping cart contents, or anything else that can be accomplished through storing text data on the user's computer.
Cookies cannot be programmed, cannot carry viruses, and cannot install malware on the host computer. However, they can be used by spyware to track user's browsing activities—a major privacy concern that prompted European and US law makers to take action. Cookie data can also be illicitly disclosed by hackers to gain access to a victim's web account.
Session management
Cookies may be used to maintain data related to the user during navigation, possibly across multiple visits. Cookies were introduced to provide a way to implement a "shopping cart" (or "shopping basket"), a virtual device into which users can store items they want to purchase as they navigate throughout the site.
Shopping basket applications today usually store the list of basket contents in a database on the server side, rather than storing basket items in the cookie itself. A web server typically sends a cookie containing a unique session identifier. The web browser will send back that session identifier with each subsequent request and shopping basket items are stored associated with a unique session identifier.
Allowing users to log in to a website is a frequent use of cookies. Typically the web server will first send a cookie containing a unique session identifier. Users then submit their credentials and the web application authenticates the session and allows the user access to services.
Personalization
Cookies may be used to remember the information about the user who has visited a website in order to show relevant content in the future. For example a web server may send a cookie containing the username last used to log in to a website so that it may be filled in for future visits.
Many websites use cookies for personalization based on users' preferences. Users select their preferences by entering them in a web form and submitting the form to the server. The server encodes the preferences in a cookie and sends the cookie back to the browser. This way, every time the user accesses a page, the server is also sent the cookie where the preferences are stored, and can personalize the page according to the user preferences. For example, the Wikipedia website allows authenticated users to choose the webpage skin they like best; the Google search engine allows users (even non-registered ones) to decide how many search results per page they want to see.
What is a GUI?GUI is an acronym for "graphical user interface", such as Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, and the X Window System. A GUI lets you interact with your computer using pictures and symbols, rather than having to memorize many complicated commands and type them precisely, as with a command-line interface such as DOS. Most computer users today become familiar with using GUIs before using any other type of interface.
Kind's of browsersGoogle chrome:
Review:
Duration of ownership: 12 Months
Strengths: Very Clean cut and simple interface, Unlike other browsers your space near the address bar isn't cluttered with useless links and buttons that you don't know what they do. Very fast searching and loading of sites.
Weaknesses: Harder to access saved bookmarks.
Overall: VERY satisfied!! Best thing since sliced bread!!
http://i44.tinypic.com/2dwgl7d.pngFirefox:
Firefox has a secure privacy mode and a new minimalist interface that enables easier and more intuitive navigation.
There are no thumbnail previews or mouse gestures, but you can get the latter through an add-on.
The VerdictFirefox is a versatile and feature-rich browser ideal for both advanced and beginner users.
http://i41.tinypic.com/f0yfxk.pngInternet Explorer 9:
IE9 simply got better. From the multifunctional One Box, minimalist interface that provides more screen for the web content, the dynamic Jump Lists or the discreet notification system to the improved SmartScreen Filter, the download manager sporting malware protection or the Tracking Protection system, the browser just got back into the game.
Opening previous browsing sessions is still done in an uncomfortable way, either from the hidden Tools menu or by opening a new tab and choosing the option from the lower part of the screen. If you choose the latter method when the tabs open the new tab will not be replaced by one of the tabs in the session. It would also be nice to have the option to save tab groups to favorites section for later referral.
http://i44.tinypic.com/10z4x92.pngOpera:
The second-oldest browser currently in use, Opera debuted way back in 1995 and has recently undergone a major overhaul. No longer the quirky choice of enthusiasts, Opera has developed into a robust, full-featured suite of browsing tools.
Opera covers the basics with tabbed browsing, mouse-over previews, a customizable search bar, advanced bookmarking tools, and simple integration with e-mail and chat clients. Mouse-gesture support, keyboard shortcuts, and drag-and-drop functionality round out the essentials.
http://i41.tinypic.com/1trf3t.pngSafari:
The previous version of Safari for Windows dramatically changed the nature of the browser from something of an unfinished curiosity to an alternative with seriously quick chops. It lacked many of the customization features that define most other browsers, but certain unique default features, such as the visually impressive, Cover Flow-inspired Top Sites and history viewing, made it worth checking out for more users besides just browser enthusiasts and jaded reviewers.
http://i39.tinypic.com/24mtax1.pngHow can i clean up Cookies & Cache's?Chrome:
Click the wrench icon
on the browser toolbar.
Select Tools.
Select Clear browsing data.
In the dialog that appears, select the checkboxes for the types of information that you want to remove.
Use the menu at the top to select the amount of data that you want to delete. Select beginning of time to delete everything.
Click Clear browsing data.
Internet explorer 9:
Visit the website that you would like to clear the cookies for and then Press the F12 key on your keyboard.
The developer tools should appear at the bottom of Internet Explorer 9. Click the Cache menu and then Click Clear browser cache for this domain…
Repeat the process for the other option, Clear cookies for domain.
For both the cache and cookies you’ll see confirmation pop-ups, Click Yes to confirm that you want to delete both the cookies and the browser cache for this domain.
Firefox:
At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button, go over to the History menu (click on the Tools menu in Windows XP) and select Clear Recent History....
Set Time range to clear to Everything.
Click on the arrow next to Details to expand the list of history items.
Select Cookies and make sure that other items you want to keep are not selected.
Opera:
To ensure that cookie information is kept in the browser, select Settings > Preferences > Advanced > Cookies and check "Delete new cookies when exiting Opera" and close Opera when you have finished browsing.
Safari:
From the Safari menu, click Empty Cache. When asked Are you sure you want to empty the cache?, click Empty. From the Safari menu, click Preferences.
From the Security dialog box, click Bookmarks. Click Show Cookies. From the Cookie dialog box, click to choose a cookie, and click Remove.
Alternatively, if you want to delete all cookies, click Remove All.
Webdevelopment:Web development is a broad term for the work involved in developing a web site for the Internet (World Wide Web) or an intranet (a private network). This can include web design, web content development, client liaison, client-side/server-side scripting, web server and network security configuration, and e-commerce development. However, among web professionals, "web development" usually refers to the main non-design aspects of building web sites: writing markup and coding. Web development can range from developing the simplest static single page of plain text to the most complex web-based internet applications, electronic businesses, or social network services.
For larger organizations and businesses, web development teams can consist of hundreds of people (web developers). Smaller organizations may only require a single permanent or contracting webmaster, or secondary assignment to related job positions such as a graphic designer and/or information systems technician. Web development may be a collaborative effort between departments rather than the domain of a designated department.
Since the mid-1990s, web development has been one of the fastest growing industries in the world. In 1995 there were fewer than 1,000 web development companies in the United States, but by 2005 there were over 30,000 such companies in the U.S. alone. The growth of this industry is being pushed by large businesses wishing to sell products and services to their customers and to automate business workflow.
In addition, cost of Web site development and hosting has dropped dramatically during this time. Instead of costing tens of thousands of dollars, as was the case for early websites, one can now develop a simple web site for free using one of the many free website builders such as Google Sites etc., depending on the complexity and amount of content. Smaller Web site development companies are now able to make web design accessible to both smaller companies and individuals further fueling the growth of the web development industry. As far as web development tools and platforms are concerned, there are many systems available to the public free of charge to aid in development. A popular example is the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack, which is usually distributed free of charge. This fact alone has manifested into many people around the globe setting up new Web sites daily and thus contributing to increase in web development popularity. Another contributing factor has been the rise of easy to use WYSIWYG web development software, most prominently Adobe Dreamweaver, Netbeans, WebDev, or Microsoft Expression Studio, Adobe Flex. Using such software, virtually anyone can develop a Web page in a matter of minutes. Knowledge of HyperText Markup Language (HTML), or other programming languages is not required, but recommended for professional results.
The next generation of web development tools uses the strong growth in LAMP, Java Platform, Enterprise Edition technologies and Microsoft .NET technologies to provide the Web as a way to run applications online. Web developers now help to deliver applications as Web services which were traditionally only available as applications on a desk based computer.
Instead of running executable code on a local computer, users are interacting with online applications to create new content. This has created new methods in communication and allowed for many opportunities to decentralize information and media distribution. Users are now able to interact with applications from many locations, instead of being tied to a specific workstation for their application environment.
Examples of dramatic transformation in communication and commerce led by web development include e-commerce. Online auction sites such as eeeeeeebay have changed the way consumers consume and purchase goods and services. Online resellers such as Amazon.com and Buy.com (among many, many others) have transformed the shopping and bargain hunting experience for many consumers. Another good example of transformative communication led by web development is the blog. Web applications such as WordPress and Movable Type have created easily implemented blog environments for individual Web sites. Open source content management systems such as Joomla!, Drupal, XOOPS, and TYPO3 and enterprise content management systems such as Alfresco have extended web development into new modes of interaction and communication.
In addition, web development has moved to a new phase of Internet communication. Computer web sites are no longer simply tools for work or commerce but used most for communication. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter provide users a platform to freely communicate. This new form of web communication is also changing e-commerce through the number of hits and online advertisement.
Google Web Toolkit provides tools to create and maintain complex JavaScript front-end applications in Java.
Opa is a high-level language in which both the client and the server parts are implemented. The compiler then decides which parts run on the client (and are translated automatically to JavaScript) and which parts run on the server. The developer can tune those decisions with simple directives. (open source)
Pyjamas is a tool and framework for developing Ajax applications and Rich Internet Applications in python.
Tersus is a platform for the development of rich web applications by visually defining user interface, client side behavior and server side processing. (open source)
However languages like Ruby and Python are often paired with database servers other than MySQL (the M in LAMP). Below are example of other databases currently in wide use on the web. For instance some developers prefer a LAPR(Linux/Apache/PostgreSQL/Ruby on Rails) setup for development.
I hope this was helpful for you all.
This post was edited by Konjopatrick on Mar 20 2012 04:34am