A reader has a browser question:
“Frequently I see something promoted for the Chrome Browser. Does that mean that it will only function on the Chrome Browser?”
I do give a lot of attention to Chrome browser because it is the most popular browser out there. Nearly 70% of people accessing the Internet from a desktop or laptop do so with the Chrome browser. Firefox is second at just under 10% of users. Safari follows with 6% of users. Internet Explorer and Edge each draw about 5% of users.
If I’m talking about a site or a web app, they will usually work with any browser. But if I’m talking specifically about a Chrome extension from the Chrome store, that’s only going to work with Chrome. However, many extensions are available for Firefox as well and a smaller number for Microsoft Edge and Safari.
No one is really actively developing things for Internet Explorer these days. Microsoft and most developers consider it a compatibility tool for older websites and web apps that won’t run anywhere else.
If you aren’t familiar with extensions or add-ons, they are apps that you can add to a browser to perform certain functions like checking spelling and grammar, blocking ads, or taking notes.
To check out the extensions available for your particular browser, you can follow the links below:
Safari: https://safari-extensions.apple.com/
Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/extensions/
Edge: Open the Microsoft Store or follow this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/collections/edgeextensions/pc/
Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions
Just wanted to pass on some helpful info on the question featured in the 6/13 tech email. Certain apps working in Chrome. I have been a user of Ublock add block for several years. before that I used the most often known app, adblock. I switched to Ublock because of doing research to see ratings and comparisons on the 2 different apps. Anyway, Ublock is now available for Chrome