This particular Pointers is agnostic as to your preferred choice of desktop browser, and indeed is even agnostic on your choice of platform -- hello, Windows users -- because browsers are universal, and many of them run on the two primary consumer platforms, and while we won't make reference to any specific Linux browser, this goes for both of you guys as well (insert rim shot sound effect here -- we kid, we kid). We will mostly refer to various Mac browsers, in particular Safari, because it is both the default and our personal favorite, after testing all the others.
A quick word about iOS
We cannot as whole-heartedly endorse having a second browser on iOS devices, even though there are a number of well-regarded ones. Unlike on the Mac, users cannot at present change the default browser to anything other than (Mobile) Safari, which means that links clicked in, say, an email will automatically open Mobile Safari every time. The reason we're not as keen on a s econd browser on iOS is because one big reason for having a second one is to troubleshoot issues with the first one and, due to Apple's security restrictions, all third-party iOS browers -- every one of them -- is really Mobile Safari (or more specifically, WebKit) at its core, even if the desktop version uses a different engine.
Of course that doesn't mean they can't add to the top with lots of interesting features, from a UI borrowed from the desktop version (like iOS Chrome) to new built-in features (like Dolphin's split-screen view, or built-in ad blockers, or even a way to "run" Flash -- kind of -- on an iOS device). It just means that if the issue your having is because of the browser on iOS, changing browsers won't fix or pinpoint the issue the way it will on OS X or Windows. So get a second iOS browser if you like, but for troubleshooting or web development, this is of little use -- it doesn't trump personal preference, but it puts a limit on it from a practical perspe ctive.
Web troubleshooting
The single biggest reason we think everyone should have a second browser is to reduce frustration when something goes wrong. Though it is much more uncommon than it used to be, back in the bad old days of Internet Explorer dominance of website standards, we do still occasionally see the handiwork of a lazy web designer that did not build their code to modern specs, or otherwise forgot to test his or her design against all the most popular browsers, introducing issues ranging from cosmetic glitches to seriously dysfunctional web forms or buttons. This means that for one reason or another, the site doesn't quite work in one browser, but may work fine in another.
The most common example is Flash-based troubleshooting: a site you like uses it, and it appears to be non-functional in your browser of choice. There's a number of reasons this may have happened: some of them will be on your end (out-of-date version of Flash, a Flash blocker you forgot you turned on, you should disable "hardware acceleration" in Flash preferences, or complete lack of it being the four most common), and some of them can be on the operator's end. With a second browser, particularly Google's Chrome (which comes with its own updated version of Flash included), you can very quickly determine where the issue is, and get back to work (or, more likely, play -- online casual game sites is where we often see Flash issues).
If the problem persists in Chrome and it is definitely a Flash issue, the problem is on their end and you would be a good Netizen if you took a moment to find the "contact us" portion of the site and let them know. For other desktop browsers, keepin g Flash up-to-date is easy -- install it from Adobe's website (only!), and it will install a System Preferences panel you can set to either alert you when an update is needed or just handle it all automatically.
Besides Flash, we've seen other occasional problems where something would work in one browser but not another (mostly, we suspect JavaScript issues, but it can vary). At one time (since fixed), one could navigate effortlessly through the Air Canada web site to buy an airline ticket, right up until the very last thing -- pressing the payment button. It just wouldn't work on Safari, no matter what, and it wasn't a Flash issue. It worked fine in Firefox, our personal second choice for browsers.
Another example: Twitter-shortened URLs don't work in the latest version of Safari, due to a bug that Apple has acknowledged. A fix is on the way, but that's small comfort when that vitally-important link you must click on won't work, and you can't determine the exact original URL to work around the bug. With a second browser handy, you can quickly test the link in the alternate, and get on with your day. I don't mean to make sound like all issues are found in Safari, but as that's my default browser, that's the one I find the occasional bug in first.
Website development
If you're building a website, you should stick to the widely accepted standards as much as possible, and luckily most website-generating apps try to do so, more or less. If you're a person who develops commercial websites, you should of course test your website for compliance with ADA requirements for access to those with disabilities, and you should have at least one extra browser -- preferably all th e big ones -- to check your published or prototype site in so you can spot the little differences -- and there will be little differences, at least, in all of them.
It is near-impossible to write a site that avoids the small typographic or layout or font issues that vary from machine to machine -- or at least to do so and avoid making the site a frozen still image of the text and pictures you intended -- but testing in multiple browsers will help you pinpoint where you have failed to specify a font, for example, or used one that most users won't have on their systems. Web designers must bear in mind that end users will have set their own preference for minimum text size and resolution, which can play havoc with your non-"responsive" traditionally-coded design, and of course many will be looking at your site on a smartphone or tablet rather than in a traditional desktop web browser -- hard size limits are so 1990s.
Safari, and other browsers, have a built-in but usually-hidden "developer" type menu that tells the browser to pretend to be other browsers for testing, but this in our experience is rarely as good as actually testing with different browsers. In addition to the big names, you also need to view the site on multiple platforms and their biggest browsers, especially Windows. The Mac is unique in that it is the only major hardware platform that can run all three of the most common operating systems natively: Windows, OS X, and Linux -- and can emulate, with the assistance of third-party software, nearly any other OS past or present. This makes it an invaluable tool for website testing, and for app development as well (but that's another topic).
Avoiding network hassles
Here's another reason to have a second browser handy, that springs from my own real-world use: there isn't a cafe in this town (or the others I frequently visit) with free Wi-Fi that I haven't sat in. Each lo cation has its own way of allowing you on to their network: some require a sign-in with an email address, most just make you acknowledge a disclaimer that they aren't responsible for anything and don't you dare look at pornography while you're in here, and a few just let you on -- no password, no hoops, no nothing.
Because most of them do, however, stop at the obligatory disclaimer, you may see something awful happen when you sit down in that coffee shop or airport lounge to get to work: you open up your browser, and one by one your 26 tabs of previously-opened websites are replaced with the stupid sign-in page. There go your not-yet-bookmarked tabs, but fear not: there's a workaround to save them. As well, these place generally have a time limit before they will log you out, and the problem could happen again once you realize this. Aggravating, to put it mildly.
Since I do this at least three times a week -- work on my notebook away from home -- I keep a second browser around and have trained myself to launch it first, particularly when I am at a new place and have not connected to that network before. Generally it is Firefox I offer up as the sacrificial lamb, since I don't use it for keeping my work tabs open, but I have recently also been testing a new entry in the crowded Mac browser field, called Vivaldi (from the makers behind Opera) and will sometimes use that.
If I lose track of time and the cafe's connection has silently logged me out, the moment I notice a connection issue with a new tab or refresh of an existing page, I fire up the second browser and go to a random website to see if what is needed is a new login, which often helps preserve the browser tabs in my primary browser. This keeps the workflow humming all afternoon, if need be.
In the event that a sign-in page has replaced my various tabs of content, however, there is a way to restore them, second browser or not: in Safari, this is done by closing the browser window , opening a new one to login (or use a second browser to do this), and then choose to "Reopen all windows from last seesion," which is a commend in the History menu of Safari (and something like it exists in the other browsers). There they are again, even if you didn't save them to bookmarks. Wonderful.
Other reasons
As if I haven't oversold this idea enough, there are still other reasons why you might want to consider having a second browser. If there is one site you use that requires Flash but you otherwise wish to avoid having Flash on your main browser, keep a copy of Chrome handy, and use it for the one Flash-based site, using a primary browser free of Flash for all your other browsing. This is also useful for testing Flash elements and their non-Flash fallbacks in website testing, but of course remember: it's imperative to keep Flash or Chrome up-to-date at all times to avoid security issues.
While extensions or add-ons are available for most browsers that ca n offer extra abilities, from instant translation to Facebook filtering, the Chrome community is particularly quick with browser extensions, and have invented a niche community of plug-ins that will block or replace certain terms with alternatives, often with hilarious results. A current one swaps out all mentions of the leading GOP candidates last (and brand) name with that of his original family name, Drumpf. Another just outright blocks all mentions of Kanye West. Depending on your personal biases, this can be delightful. Most of the popular ones get translated to Firefox and Safari in due course.
In case you didn't know (and a surprising number of people don't), you can change the default browser on OS X to be whatever one you want by simply visiting the General system preference in OS X El Capitan (10.11) or Yosemite (10.10) -- it was located in different places in earlier OS versions, including originally within Safari's preferences (yes, that's right -- you had to speci fy that you wanted to use a different browser by default by opening Safari and going into its preferences to tell it it had been demoted).
The bottom line is simple: a second browser is handy, takes up minimal space on a hard drive, and can help you avoid some hassles that can stem from the little "bumps in the road" on the -- here's a term you haven't heard in 20 years -- "information superhighway." Whatever browser you like the best, you can have it be the default in OS X, set it with powerful extensions or plug-ins that add features, and use a second one for troubleshooting, website checking, special features, or just to periodically test speed against your primary browser. We are spoiled for choice, and having second one may reduce frustration when something goes wrong. As with travel generally, it's often handy to carry a spare when you're on the road.
-- Charles Martin
Source: Pointers: Why you need a second web browser
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