Why you should upgrade your browser
Here at SharpSchool, we’re all about designing websites and web solutions that optimize the K-12 learning experience. Security, optimized loading speeds, attractive graphics and animation are some of the key criteria that define a well-built district website. However, despite your webmaster’s best efforts, one little thing may undermine your whole web experience – your web browser.
Is your browser old?
The latest official releases of the major browsers are Internet Explorer (IE) 9, Safari 5.1, Firefox 9, Chrome 16 and Opera 11.6. If you’re using versions older than these, then it’s probably time to upgrade your browser.
Here are 5 reasons why you should update your web browser:
1) Old browsers are more vulnerable to viruses, spyware and malware
Security is especially important for the K-12 community. A virus could hijack your browser and expose your students to inappropriate material. Malware and other security issues can also damage hardware, which many schools can’t afford to replace.
2) Old browsers are prone to crashing
Older browsers take longer to process images, programming scripts and other web functions. When the browser takes too long to process files, it also increases the likelihood of a browser time-out, which directly impacts your district website’s usability.
3) Old browsers are not compatible with today’s web development standards
Older browsers, like IE 6 & 7 were not built to support web design standards as common as jQuery and cascading style sheets (CSS). While SharpSchool’s solution is backward compatible with older versions of a variety of web browsers, these web standards form the foundation of many new websites and online tools. Having an upgraded browser will ensure that the site’s design and web functions can render correctly on school computers and mobile devices.
4) New browsers keep you updated
It is common practice that new browsers provide automatic updates or prompt users to upgrade when new versions are made available. This ensures that you always have access to the latest plugins and built-in security features from your new browser.
5) It’s ridiculously easy to upgrade
Updating your browser requires no technical skills and takes almost no time at all. Check out these simple walk throughs for all major browsers and steps to backup bookmarks