Question: With all of the vulnerabilities, spyware, pop-ups, and viruses that seem to plague Internet Explorer, are there any other programs I can use to browse the Internet?

Answer: Yes. There are good, free alternatives to Internet Explorer. Netscape 7.2 and Opera 7.54 are good options that don't suffer from Internet Explorer's vulnerabilities. However, an alternative that has many people talking right now is a web browser called Firefox 1.0. This is another browser based on Mozilla software. The updated release was made available just last month. It's a free download at http://www.getfirefox.com/. Over eight million people already use Firefox. Plus, it works on both PCs and Macs.

Some of the features within Firefox 1.0 include pop-up blocking, privacy tools to combat spyware, and "tab browsing" which allows you to click on tabs instead of opening new windows for each web page. Firefox is also purported to be noticeably faster than Internet Explorer. For more information, including downloading instructions, go to http://www.getfirefox.com/.
Sierra Tel Internet has 24-hour phone and email support. If you have a general, Internet-related question you would like answered, email Sierra Tel Internet at feedback@sti.net.

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