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Browsing Browsers
There are a few things appraisers should consider when using or adopting a web browser (Safari, Chrome, etc) for work. Not all browsers are alike. It the early days of the world wide web, you had to know the exact name of the website you wanted to reach and enter it into the URL, but browsers made our lives so much easier allowing us to enter in a search in the browser and miraculously, multiple options would appear.
Like everything else, browsers have become so ubiquitous we don’t even think about them. We most certainly don’t think about whether they are up-to-date or using the latest encryption protocols. While our phones and other devices get regular updates, the old desktop in the office hasn’t always received such love.
When selecting your browser there are several considerations. For appraisers and industry professionals, in addition to personal choice we also need to consider compatibility and security.
Getting the Page Right
Compatibility is one of the most important things we look for in selecting a browser. This usually starts with selecting a browser that accurately supports open standards. It’s difficult for appraisers to work on websites that won’t load or display correctly. We’ve all had bad experiences with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, which has a notorious reputation for not keeping up with browser technology causing display issues on webpages, videos which won’t play, crashes, freezes and 404 error messages. In fact, at Clarocity we would often recommend that our appraisers use Chrome if they encountered issues with Internet Explorer. Fortunately, Microsoft is singing a different tune these days and the latest builds of Microsoft Edge rival the other browsers in rendering speed and fidelity.
Keeping Data Secure
We are in an industry that prioritizes data security, after all we are often entrusted with sensitive client and borrower data. If you’re using an outdated browser, you’re not secure. Period. In addition to bug fixes, browsers are constantly pushing security updates. Of course, that leads to the fear that updating your browser security will leave you incompatible with clients that are often slow to update technology. We had such an experience at our company about six years ago during a major security vulnerability outbreak. We quickly updated our systems but were unable to transition an integration with a well-known lending platform until they upgraded their security over a year later. Over the last couple of years, Browsers have integrated a much more modular security protocol that allows it to adapt to conditions where it needs to downgrade to maintain compatibility.
Going Forward
All the browser manufacturers are working hard to make sure you have an optimal experience. If you’re currently running the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Apple’s Safari you’re probably set. If you’re in the market for a new browser, I would typically recommend Google Chrome, but that usually comes with a lot of privacy strings. If you are concerned about privacy, but want to maintain compatibility, any of the other major browsers will work equally well. If you haven’t looked at Microsoft Edge lately, I’d highly recommend it – the latest releases are a welcome departure from its Internet Explorer heritage.
Downloads:
Apple Safari (Mac Only): www.apple.com
Google Chrome (Mac, Windows): www.google.com/chrome
Mozilla Firefox (Mac or Windows): www.mozilla.org
Microsoft Edge (Mac or Windows) www.microsoft.com
Opera (Mac or Windows) www.opera.com
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