…And we’re back! On today’s “one day late” edition of the Showdown, we take a look at four “mainstream” web browsers that are trying to take the digital world by storm. After much discussion, we have decided to forgo Firefox at this time. The reason for this is simple: It’s our browser of choice. Expect a full, unbiased Firefox review in a few weeks. What that said, here we go:

Browser #1: Internet Explorer 8

Website: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/Internet-explorer/default.aspx
Programmer: Microsoft
Rendering Engine: Trident
First Impression: “Is this really IE 8? It looks like IE 7.”
Positives: The overhauled “I’m not a toolbar” style toolbar adds some much needed screen real estate. The “safety” menu is now found inside of this toolbar, making it easy for users to change their settings on the fly. On the feature end, there’s the much hyped “Web Slice” option. For those unaware, the Web Slice tool bookmarks specific sections of a website, allowing users to revisit that particular piece of information instead of the entire site. While it might seem a bit odd, the Web Slice option is perfect for sites that are frequently updated, such as stock quotes or auction prices.
Negatives: It’s Internet Explorer. If you didn’t like the previous editions, there is a good chance that you will not be a fan of the new one.
Overall (Out of 10): 7
Final Thought: “It’s gotten better.”

Browser #2: Safari

Website: http://www.apple.com/safari/
Programmer: Apple
Rendering Engine: WebKit
First Impression: “Apple says that Safari is the fastest browser available. That’s great. Do I believe them? I don’t know yet.”
Positives: It’s a solid as a rock, which is unsurprising considering the source.
Negatives: Despite the interesting graphical enhancements and oddball “most visited” sites list, Safari doesn’t really feel like anything special. Now we’re not saying that it’s a bad browser or anything. It just comes off as rather “uninspired” and boring.
Overall (Out of 10): 7
Final Thought: “The Mac version is probably better.”

Browser #3: Opera

Website: http://www.opera.com/browser/
Programmer: Opera
Rendering Engine: Presto
First Impression: “What will I ever do with all of this extra browser space?”
Positives: Opera’s positives can be summed up in one word: Widgets. These handy little pieces of programming bliss make Opera less of a web browser and more of an “application platform.” Want to play a little Tetris, both circular and traditional? Opera can make it happen. Want to use a modified version of MS Paint or a Spirograph? That’s available as well. Need a word processor? A calculator? A ten-gallon fish tank complete with digital fish? It’s all here. The browser is great and everything, but let’s be honest here — we’re not running Opera just so we can look at sites. We want the widgets.
Negatives: Not everyone is a fan of widgets.
Overall (Out of 10): 8
Final Thought: “We apologize for being redundant, but this must be said yet again: Widgets!”

Browser #4: Chrome

Website: http://www.google.com/chrome
Programmer: Google
Rendering Engine: Gecko and WebKit
First Impression: “Why is it showing me thumbnails? And where did the bookmarks go?”
Positives: Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you the single most controversial statement ever uttered in a Free Line, whether it be written or spoken: This browser has nothing really good going for it. Sure, it “tries” hard, but it ultimately falls flat on its proverbial face.
Negatives: To say that we were thrown off is an understatement. Everything that one would “expect” in a browser is either hidden, in some foreign menu, or missing completely. As we mentioned above, the programmers are trying so hard to be revolutionary that they essentially “forgot” how to make a usable piece of software. Although the overall experience might improve over time, Chrome botched the “first impression” stage completely.
Overall (Out of 10): 4
Final Thought: “Thanks again for playing. Try again next year.”