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Which Web Browser For the Workplace?
Google Chrome continues to increase in popularity and according to Gartner, 2016 is the year it will take over the coveted number one spot from IE in the business space. The debate over which browser is best is hotly contested in chat rooms and blogs across the Internet but we won’t solve that here. Instead, we’ll discuss some things to consider when determining which browser to deploy in your workplace.
Which Web Browser For Your Workplace? There is no single browser that provides the best performance across all evaluation criteria. Some offer faster performance, others offer greater security and some web browsers provide more apps and allow for greater customization. The key is to select a browser that provides a good balance across the following evaluation criteria:
Management
Security & Privacy
Compatibility
1. Management – Keep it Simple… Your IT support team is usually stretched pretty thin on a wide range of activities. Keeping them focused on high value activities is important to maximizing their time. Establishing policies and configuring browser settings is not generally considered to be a high value activity and if you are running multiple browsers in your workplace then this places an increased burden on your IT support resources. Supporting the use of multiple browsers also means additional time and cost when you are testing new applications or troubleshooting issues.
Selecting one browser for all users makes sense from a management perspective. However, not all browsers support centralized management features so make sure that the browser you select allows your IT staff to adjust settings on a company-wide basis allowing for multiple computers to be configured at the same time – your IT staff will thank you.
Looking For A Technology Partner That Does More? Get a FREE IT Consultation Today 2. Security & Privacy – Who’s Data is it Anyway? Having your employees online presents obvious risks to your network and data, therefore, security and privacy should be important considerations in determining which browser to choose for your organization. Selecting a browser that is well supported with updates, such as Chrome with its auto-update feature that deploys patches frequently, is an important way to reduce vulnerabilities.
Browser plugins and extensions can be exploited by malware and viruses so selecting a browser that notifies users of insecure plugins and extensions is an important consideration when selecting a browser.
From a privacy perspective, where your browsing history is being sent and how it is being used is becoming a growing concern. Many claim that Chrome users are surrendering all of their user data to Google’s search engine. While we cannot verify this claim, if you are concerned about this then selecting a different browser may be your best bet. 3. Compatibility – Consider Your Environment Which web browser and what version you choose should depend on your needs in terms of functionality. In general, different web browsers do not necessarily display content in the same way. This can range from whether the fonts on a page appear correctly to if a site is able to function at all. Web browsers also render text, execute programming code known as scripts, and load external programs commonly referred to as add-ons and/or plug-ins differently.
If you use different internal web-based applications or your users rely on external websites or other cloud-based applications then you’ll want to choose a browser that is best optimized for compatibility.
Conclusion At the end of the day, no single browser is right for every user or every business. The best strategy is to find a balance between performance, security and compatibility with your technology environment and to ensure that your IT resources can efficiently manage and support the web based applications that are critical to your business.
If you are looking for support in evaluating which browser to select for your specific business needs or other advice related to web-based applications or technologies, contact us today and we would be happy to assist.
Until next time, we wish you a happy and safe computing experience.
About Infoware For over 25 years, Infoware has been a leading provider of information technology solutions and consulting services for law firms and professional services organizations across the Greater Toronto Area.
As a trusted advisor, we enable customers to focus on their business and clients while we handle their day-to-day and long-term technology concerns. If you have questions or are looking for an IT Support company that does more, contact us today.