Tech Geek

The majority of Internet users access the Internet using Windows Internet Explorer as their web browser. Depending on whose statistics you believe, between two out of every three and three out of every four people are using IE. The majority of those who use IE are using IE 7, with a fair amount still using IE 6 and the early adopters having moved over to IE 8. IE used to be available on Linux and Macintosh platforms, but now is Windows-only with a mobile version as well.

I think the biggest reason that folks use IE 7 is that it's easy. When you open your Windows-based computer up from its box, Internet Explorer is already installed. It's a part of Windows and it's ready to go. Windows/Microsoft Update keeps it up to date and it's installed on virtually every PC running Windows XP or later. It may very well not be the best, but it's familiar to many users and displays almost every website as it was intended to be displayed. Some website are indeed written especially for IE 7's quirks and therefore don't display perfectly in other browsers! IE 7 only gets a bad looking 12/100 on the Acid3 Browser Test, which is designed to measure how well a browser adheres to Web Standards.

IE 7 supports tabbed browsing, which means that you can have multiple web pages open within one browser window. I find these tabs to be annoyingly slow to open, but yourmileage may vary. It also supports toolbars which give you a variety of customizable buttons across the top of your window. Google Toolbar and Yahoo Toolbar are two popular bars that integrate with their respective sites and provide features such as bookmark synchronization across multiple browsers. ActiveX controls provide other functionality within the browser window.

I used IE for many years as my primary browser, largely because I figured it was already on my system and parts of it get loaded to run Windows anyways. But I couldn't shake the sneaking suspicion that it was getting slower and slower and bogging down my system when I used it. Soon after upgrading to IE 7, Iabandoned IE as my primary browser. I still use it occasionally, both on its own and within FireFox, but not nearly as much as I once did. I'll talk more about using IE within FireFox next week!

If you use IE, I'd suggest upgrading to at least IE 7. Microsoft is constantly releasing patches to prevent malicious users from exploiting vulnerabilities in the code. Even if you don't regularly use IE, I'd still suggest upgrading to IE 7 because IE code can also be used by other programs in their mini-browsers. Some developers make the assumption that all Windows systems have an up-to-date version of IE on them.

If you use IE and are sick of it, stay tuned. We'll be exploring some other alternatives in the coming weeks.

Did you know that you have choices as to which browser you use to access the internet from your computer? While your operating system, whether it's Mac, Linux, or Windows, comes with a browser, you can install one or more additional browsers and use them instead or in addition to the default browser.

In order to add a liturgical flavor to these Tech Geek posts, I'll be looking at some of the more popular browsers and my experiences with them throughout the Easter season. Justin Snider, our Mac-based friend, and some others may join us. I'd also like to welcome your comments as we go along. My goal is not to pick the best one, but to highlight options that you may not have even known you had.

My wife and I share our desktop machine at home. We don't bother with separate user names on the system, but I have it set up with two different browsers. She uses one to access her Gmail and I use another access mine. By using two different browsers, we can both stay logged into our e-mail and chat accounts.

Go ahead and post your answers to these questions in the comments section below.

Which browser do you use most often? Mozilla Firefox 3

Which other browsers are on your system? Internet Explorer 7, Google Chrome 2 Beta, Apple Safari

Why? I find that IE7 is useful for keeping my Windows system updated and still necessary for a few sites. I use Firefox 3 as my primary browser because I like all the ways that I can use extensions and configure it for my tastes.

God's blessings on your ministry,
Pastor Andy

P.S. - I came across an article in USA Today talking about teens and how their online friends are usually the same as their offline friends. Check it out and see if it fits your experience.

Those involved in youth ministry understand that communicating effectively and easily with teenagers and parents is one of the most important parts of the job. Even though a perfect solution to the communication conundrum doesn’t exist, Tatango makes the process significantly easier, and best of all — free.

Before I say any more, I’ll let the CEO of Tatango describe their utility for youth workers. Check out the video below:

Like Derek said, Tatango lets you send out group text messages and voicemails for free, which for youth workers might as well be manna from heaven. Although the free version is supported by ads, they are unobtrusive and the message you send is still communicated, so who can complain?

One of my favorite things about Tatango is the different ways available for you to promote your group and get members to join. You can embed a widget in your website where users can type in their information, and every group you create has a unique web address where users can sign up as well. But the greatest tool, in my opinion, is using customizable keywords. For example, I set up a customized keyword of “EIKON” (the name of my high school ministry). All I have to do is tell students to text the word EIKON to a five-digit shortcode number, and they’re immediately subscribed to any updates I send out for that group.

Of course, Tatango has paid subscriptions ranging from $5/month to $100/month, which give you some benefits, such as using customized widgets and personalized keywords, but it’s an expense I think many youth workers will easily be able to justify.

On top of everything else, the guys running Tatango are great people, and they have offered readers of JakeBouma.com a 10% discount on any of their paid subscriptions. Just enter the word Tango in the “Coupon Code” box on the payment page, and you’re all set.

If you have any questions about Tatango’s services, be sure to check out their Frequently Asked Questions page, follow them on Twitter, and/or leave a comment below. And, in the interest of full disclosure, I am not receiving anything from Tatango in exchange for blogging about their company. I simply feel strongly about their services and believe that other youth workers could benefit from them as well.

Thanks to Jake Bouma for giving me permission to share his article. Jake blogs regularly at JakeBouma.com. He currently resides in West Des Moines, Iowa, where he works as both the director of youth and family ministries and contemporary worship leader at St. Mark Lutheran Church.