Internet browsers in the classroom

When someone says internet browser in a school classroom, the usual response is internet explorer and the blue "e" icon gets clicked. The trouble with this is that kids become accustomed to only that browser and never really learn that there are other browsers out there. I have a few personal favorites that I want to share along with reasons why they may be a better choice. The biggest problem with browsers is that they are resource hogs on your computer and can really slow things down, but a couple of browsers come to mind that solve that problem. Google Chrome and Opera are two web based browsers that are fast loading and easy to use for students. They can be modified to show only a few buttons and icons instead of the cluttered explorer look and tend to handle pages with video content more easily than other browsers. If you are sick of the constant requests for plugins and programs on explorer, both of these are great alternatives.