Simply put IE is suitable for novices/casual surfers and to those who use Windows as their default operating system (OS) ; in fact, IE is probably the best browser on top of Windows (since both are products of MSFT). Mozilla-type browsers (i.e. FireFox) are better suited for advanced users or those who utilize some other OS, i.e. Linux, BSD, etc.. Like Mozilla, Opera (based in Oslo, Norway) is feature-rich and has debugging capabilities. Both of these browsers stictly follow the W3C (the body responsible for most internet standards) standards unlike IE. MSFT likes to enforce their own set of rules; as a developer this becomes quite painful when one has to make a GUI that works on both browsers conforming to their respective standards. If you are a MAC lover then there's Safari which has one of the best looking GUIs I've ever seen... If you're a Java web developer you can also make your own customizable browser; I've done this using swt and net libraries... Happy surfing !