More than just surfing
Although there are many browsers on the market, most likely you are using just one - Netscape or Microsoft Explorer, or perhaps Opera or America On line.... Using one or the other is fine if you are just surfing on the web. However, if you are building a business here, I suggest you download and use from time to time other browsers as well.

New web browsers come with incredible features. For example, Netscape has Netshow and MSE has Net Meeting. Place at the top of your monitor just a simple, inexpensive, camera (most likely you have already a microphone and speakers) and voila: you are equipped to conduct your own online tele-conferencing!

Can we chat (and more than that)?
As you probably know, I host and moderate a MasterMind Chat. Since the chatroom doesn't like Microsoft Explorer - causing constant scrolling of the chat messages - I advice participants and guests to use Netscape. Quite often this creates a problem. Many people say "I don't have a Netscape because I prefer Internet Explorer..."

Either way, if you are serious about your Internet business, you better get used to the idea of having more than one browser. Not because of my MasterMind Chat (although this alone may be a good reason -- among my guests were Ken Evoy, Marlon Sanders and Tony Blake, you can gain a lot from chatting with guys like that).

However, the most important reason for using more browsers is your ability to see web pages the way other visitors do.

Don't trust your designer
You might think that if your website was professionally designed, you are in good shape. Not so. Web designers are notorious for paying attention only to their own computer's capabilities, which are usually fast and equipped with huge monitors set to millions of colors. Sadly, this is not the way most people see the world wide web and what looks great on the monitor of your designer may look quite awful to your visitors.

If you are really serious about your web site, you should check the look of your pages not only on IE and Netscape, but even on AOL and WebTV. For example, take a look at a beautiful model cut in half and a disappearing act of one of my own pages:

WebTV, which is becoming increasingly popular, can mess up your pages big time. Pay attention, especially if you cater to visitors who are likely to surf from their living rooms (you do know a lot about your target market right?) See this Explorer/WebTV example

If you use PC, you should also check how your web site looks on Mac (many surprises here as well).

Convinced that you need more than one?
I am so glad you are! Here are the places to get your downloads of the most popular browsers -- it's free of cost.

Internet Explorer: microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.htm

Netscape: home.netscape.com/download/index.html

Web TV viewer developer.webtv.net/design/tools/viewer

America On Line: This is not free, but the $4.95 p/month light usage plan is worth the price - go to http://aol.com

Download Lynx at: trill-home.com/lynx/binaries.html

For a complete collection of current browsers go to browserwatch.internet.com/browsers.html