Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Tools for Your Desktop

Your computer is unpacked. You're ready to explore a world of business opportunity. Before you dive in, make sure that you have these basic — but necessary — applications on your desktop, ready to run.

Inventory the built-in (supplied) programs to determine which ones work for you and which ones don't. Using the built-in software can save you money, but don't sacrifice your need for functionality by using an inferior product. Buy what you need to get your jobs done.

Searching for a Web browser

Your Web browser is the software that lets you travel from site to site across the Internet. You enter a site's address, or URL (Uniform Resource Locator), and the browser displays the site or page on your computer screen. For an online business, having a good Web browser is an absolute requirement.

Statistics vary, but it's estimated that roughly 40 to 45 percent of computer users still rely on Microsoft Internet Explorer. Mozilla's Firefox Web browser is rapidly gaining in popularity. Its increased security features continue to appeal to users. Steadily catching up to the popularity of Firefox is Google's Chrome browser, which is possibly the fastest loading of the bunch and, like the other browsers mentioned here, remains free to download.

Keep in mind that a browser is typically already included when you purchase a computer, although which browser varies based ...