What is a Browser?

A browser (short for web browser) is a software program used to access and display pages and files on the World Wide Web.

Browsers require a connection to the Internet, either through a direct Ethernet connection or by using a modem over telephone lines. If you are connecting via a modem, you will have to establish a PPP connection before you can use your browser.

Popular Web browsers include the following:
Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer
Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer are full-featured graphical web browsers that offer text, graphics, sound, and other multimedia resources. Both have a graphical user interface, which lets you use a mouse to click highlighted words and pictures to make selections or jump to other links.

Lynx
Lynx is a text-only browser that lets you view hypertext web documents, but doesn't support viewing graphical images or playing sound files. It is useful if you have a slow or restricted connection to the Internet, or if your computer hardware does not support multimedia features. Lynx does not support a graphical interface; you must enter all your selections with the keyboard, using arrow keys to move through menus and links.

Others
There are also many alternative browsers for people who do not wish to use Internet Explorer or Netscape. Some of these include: Amaya, Opera, 1X Browser, and iCab.