Internet
software

• Table: Internet software for three OS families
• Big Five Web browsers including Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome
• Some other browsers (such as Netscape, SeaMonkey, Flock)
• Browser Wars & history of browsers timeline
• Bookmarks managers
• Download manager
• POP email clients (client/server style)
• Web-mail systems (browser-based)
• Usenet newsreader
• FTP file transfer
• Internet chat - IM, IRC, VoIP, video conferencing
• Other protocols - password manager, time synch, Gopher

Once you have an Internet account, you'll need Internet software to use on it, a Web browser plus a few other things you might not be aware of.

For antivirus, personal firewall, and other security software, see my Antivirus page under PC maintenance. For definitions of types of software in terms of distribution model (shrinkwrap, shareware, freeware) see my Software page in the same PCs section.

I was conflicted about whether discussion of security software belonged here under Internet software or under About PCs. I decided to put it there, because antivirus software is needed even on PCs that never connect to the Internet.