I came across a new web browser today that is something I'd recommend everyone get a copy of.

It is quite unique, and rather than give a long description, I'll bullet the highlights:

• It never saves browser history, typed URLs, search history, passwords, auto-completes, or cached web pages to your hard drive.  Cookies are immediately and automatically deleted when you exit the browser.  Even if it crashes, the next time you load it, it figures out that it crashed last time, and cleans up.
• The browser is VERY lightweight, so it does not consume a lot of memory, and can be used on just about any PC.
• It uses the Internet Explorer rendering engine (behind the scenes), so it is compatible with just about every web site out there.  For example, Lottery Post works perfectly, and looks just like it does in IE, with semi-transparent menus, shadows, etc.
• It does not require any installation at all.  You just save the file to your hard disk and run it.  If you want to uninstall it, just delete the file.  NOTHING else is stored on your hard drive.  No registry entries, no temp files, nothing.
• There are versions for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux, so anyone can use it.

What are some advantages to using this web browser?

This is from their web site, and it makes sense to me:

• You're at a friend's house and you want to check your email, download Browzar in seconds and protect your privacy.
• You have one family computer at home that everyone shares, download Browzar in seconds and protect your privacy.
• You are on holiday and you need to check your email from an Internet café, download Browzar in seconds and protect your privacy.
• You're at work and looking for another job, download Browzar in seconds and protect your privacy.
• You are at work and need to check your online bank account, download Browzar in seconds and protect your privacy.

Keep in mind that there are other ways an employer or ISP can track your computer usage, but using this browser will not leave any tracks on the PC it is used on.  So it is perfect to use from a public PC or friend's house, or any shared computer.

The fact that you can quickly download it, and that it does not need to be installed makes it perfect for the task.

What are the bad things about it?

The browser is far from perfect, even though it does many things well.  Here are some BAD things I immediately found.  There may be more, I just haven't come across them yet.

• You can't access your Favorites (bookmarks)
• You cannot adjust any options, other than the pop-up blocker (on/off).  So it is NOT a good everyday browser, because you can't be sure exactly what its settings are.
• It is impossible to change its Home page, so you are stuck going to the Browzar home page every time it starts.
• The Browzar search engine (its Home page) is a thinly-disguised advertisement network, so any searches using it are useless.  When you load the browser, the first thing you should do is get away form the Home page that comes up.
• The Forward/Back buttons on your mouse won't work.
• Using any multi-line text editor (including the Lottery Post editor) is strange, because nothing happens when you press the Enter key.  It does not go to the next line.  You need to press Ctrl-M to do a line break.  (The company says they are aware of the problem, and are in the process of fixing it.)
• This web browser really has no features to speak of, so again, it is not a good everyday web browser, unless you never use any features.

OK, so here's the link to their home page:

http://www.browzar.com/

You'll find the download page very easily.  Give it a try.

By the way, this blog entry was written using Browzar.