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The single biggest annoyance in modern technological life, the pop-up browser window, can't even get the time of day from this new browser.
  technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

'Off by One' browser is a Windows speed champ


Oct. 24, 2001


By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2001, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2001, The Post Standard

   Microsoft's Internet Explorer is the ubiquitous browser for Windows PCs. It's common not because it's so good but because it's part of the Microsoft Windows monopoly.
   Internet Explorer is a fine browser in most ways. As a dozen experts to tell you the biggest advantage of Internet Explorer and they'll tell you the best thing about IE is that it's fast. Nothing comes close.
   But that's not true any more. There's a new Web browser for Windows that makes Internet Explorer seem like Internet Molasses. The new browser, called "OffByOne" (no, I don't know what the name means either), is available free from http://www.OffByOne.com.
   OffByOne doesn't have all the features most people want in a browser, so don't expect it to be a full replacement for Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. But the lack of features could be a big advantage. Most of the dangers of Internet Explorer come from the extras Microsoft built into it, such as Visual Basic scripting and JavaScript. They're all missing in OffByOne.
   Likewise, what I consider the single biggest annoyance in modern technological life, the pop-up browser window, can't even get the time of day from this new browser. Since it doesn't know Java from beans, OffByOne can't let Web sites stick extra windows in your face. They just can't get through.
   OffByOne has a few extra touches of its own that help make up for what it lacks. One is a "Cookie Viewer," reached through the Edit Menu. It shows information on all cookies on the Web page you have open. (Unfortunately, OffByOne doesn't seem to have an option to block cookies, but I'm hoping that's added later.) Another is a quick way to make images you see on Web pages larger or smaller.
   I should point out that OffByOne is not based on Internet Explorer the way all "private brand" Windows browsers are. Like Netscape, Mozilla and Opera, the three independent Windows browsers, OffByOne is designed its own way, without using part of Internet Explorer.
   OffByOne doesn't work the way Internet Explorer or Netscape work. There's no way to go back to the previous page from the keyboard, for example. And in another oddity, there's no address line. You can see the address of the current page at the bottom of the browser window, and you can copy the address by right clicking anywhere on the page. But to type or paste in a new address you have to click a toolbar button or press Ctrl-W to get a URL window to pop up.
   There are other differences, but I doubt that you'd have a problem with them. One nice touch: You can continue to use your Internet Explorer Favorites by clicking one toolbar button to open the Favorites list and another to save a new Favorite.