Web browser explained - what it does and how it works for you

Internet for Business

Your Web Browser interprets web pages and makes them easy to read

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What a Web Browser Does
A web browser is simply a software program (like MS Word or Excel) installed on your computer that can read and display information that’s been written as a “web page”. If you’re reading this on screen, you’re using a browser, more than likely Internet Explorer (or maybe Mozilla Firefox).
When you access or “open” a web page, the words, pictures and colours that appear on your screen are rendered like that by your browser. Think of it as your friendly interpreter.
So if Tom in the US, Jane in the UK and Fred in Australia call up the same web page from a server, it will look similar on all their screens, even though they may be using different model computers and even different browsers.
This is because the author of the web page marks-up his content, which is written in plain text, with special tags or instructions known as Hypertext Markup Language or HTML.
The browser interprets these tags and converts the text into the typefaces, colours, pictures, and even video clips that comprise the modern web page.
If you’d like to see what this page looks like in HTML, click “View” on the menu bar at the top of the screen and in the mini-menu that opens, click on “Source”. That should open a page in plain text, showing the “source code” for this page.
Looks complicated, but if you scroll down the page you’ll see mainly similar commands, telling the browser to start a new paragraph or insert a headline.
While the Web has become the glamour child of the Internet, its rather plain sibling - email - nevertheless packs a powerful punch.
Next ... The Power of Email

Last updated: August 2008. Copyright © 2006-2008 Scotch Macaskill, 18 Strawberry Fields, 36 College Road, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 33 3422811. Privacy: Your privacy is guaranteed. Personal information, including email addresses, will never be sold or given to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for further details.

Internet for Business
Your Web Browser interprets web pages and makes them easy to read
Home > Internet Primer > What a Web Browser Does What a Web Browser Does A web browser is simply a software program (like MS Word or Excel) installed on your computer that can read and display information that’s been written as a “web page”. If you’re reading this on screen, you’re using a browser, more than likely Internet Explorer (or maybe Mozilla Firefox). When you access or “open” a web page, the words, pictures and colours that appear on your screen are rendered like that by your browser. Think of it as your friendly interpreter. So if Tom in the US, Jane in the UK and Fred in Australia call up the same web page from a server, it will look similar on all their screens, even though they may be using different model computers and even different browsers. This is because the author of the web page marks-up his content, which is written in plain text, with special tags or instructions known as Hypertext Markup Language or HTML. The browser interprets these tags and converts the text into the typefaces, colours, pictures, and even video clips that comprise the modern web page. If you’d like to see what this page looks like in HTML, click “View” on the menu bar at the top of the screen and in the mini-menu that opens, click on “Source”. That should open a page in plain text, showing the “source code” for this page. Looks complicated, but if you scroll down the page you’ll see mainly similar commands, telling the browser to start a new paragraph or insert a headline. While the Web has become the glamour child of the Internet, its rather plain sibling - email - nevertheless packs a powerful punch. Next ... The Power of Email
Last updated: August 2008. Copyright © 2006-2008 Scotch Macaskill, 18 Strawberry Fields, 36 College Road, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 33 3422811. Privacy: Your privacy is guaranteed. Personal information, including email addresses, will never be sold or given to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for further details.