All Topics  
Avant Browser

 
Avant Browser

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Avant Browser
 
 
  Topics Avant Browser Topic Home

Avant Browser is a popular freeware
Freeware

Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee. Freeware is different from shareware; the latter obliges the user to pay ....
 web browser
Web browser

A Web browser is a application software which enables a user to display and interact with text, images, videos, music, games and other information typically located on a Web page at a website on the World Wide Web or a local area network....
 from a Chinese
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
 programmer named Anderson Che, which unites the Trident layout engine
Trident (layout engine)

Trident is the name of the layout engine for the Microsoft Windows version of Internet Explorer. It was first introduced with the release of Internet Explorer 4 in October 1997; it has been steadily upgraded and remains in use today....
 built into Windows
Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces ....
 (see Internet Explorer shell
Internet Explorer shell

An Internet Explorer shell is computer software that uses the Trident layout engine of Internet Explorer. Although the term Trident shell is probably more accurate for describing these applications, including Internet Explorer itself, the term Internet Explorer shell or IE shell is in common parlance....
) with an interface intended to be more feature-rich, flexible and ergonomic than Microsoft
Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a multinational corporation computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of computer software products for computing devices....
's Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer

Windows Internet Explorer , commonly abbreviated to IE, is a series of graphical user interface web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems starting in 1995....
 (IE). It runs on Windows 98
Windows 98

Windows 98 is a graphical operating system released on 25 June 1998 by Microsoft and the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid 16-bit application/32-bit application monolithic product based on MS-DOS....
 and above, including Windows Vista
Windows Vista

Windows Vista is one member in a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business Desktop computer, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media center PCs....
. Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer

Windows Internet Explorer , commonly abbreviated to IE, is a series of graphical user interface web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems starting in 1995....
 version 6
Internet Explorer 6

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 , is a graphical user interface web browser developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 lines of operating systems....
 or 7
Internet Explorer 7

Windows Internet Explorer 7 is a web browser released by Microsoft in October 2006. Internet Explorer 7 is part of a long line of versions of Internet Explorer and was the first major update to the browser in more than 5 years....
 must be installed.

As of November 2008, total downloads surpassed 22.5 million.

Avant Browser is currently available in 41 languages.

t Browser was largely inspired by Opera
Opera (web browser)

Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by the Opera Software company. Opera handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, IRC online chatting, downloading files via BitTorrent , and reading web feeds....
, the first major browser to have a multiple document interface
Multiple document interface

Graphical computer applications with a multiple document interface are those whose windows reside under a single parent window , as opposed to all windows being separate from each other ....
.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Avant Browser'
Start a new discussion about 'Avant Browser'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Avant Browser is a popular freeware
Freeware

Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee. Freeware is different from shareware; the latter obliges the user to pay ....
 web browser
Web browser

A Web browser is a application software which enables a user to display and interact with text, images, videos, music, games and other information typically located on a Web page at a website on the World Wide Web or a local area network....
 from a Chinese
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
 programmer named Anderson Che, which unites the Trident layout engine
Trident (layout engine)

Trident is the name of the layout engine for the Microsoft Windows version of Internet Explorer. It was first introduced with the release of Internet Explorer 4 in October 1997; it has been steadily upgraded and remains in use today....
 built into Windows
Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces ....
 (see Internet Explorer shell
Internet Explorer shell

An Internet Explorer shell is computer software that uses the Trident layout engine of Internet Explorer. Although the term Trident shell is probably more accurate for describing these applications, including Internet Explorer itself, the term Internet Explorer shell or IE shell is in common parlance....
) with an interface intended to be more feature-rich, flexible and ergonomic than Microsoft
Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a multinational corporation computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of computer software products for computing devices....
's Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer

Windows Internet Explorer , commonly abbreviated to IE, is a series of graphical user interface web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems starting in 1995....
 (IE). It runs on Windows 98
Windows 98

Windows 98 is a graphical operating system released on 25 June 1998 by Microsoft and the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid 16-bit application/32-bit application monolithic product based on MS-DOS....
 and above, including Windows Vista
Windows Vista

Windows Vista is one member in a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business Desktop computer, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media center PCs....
. Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer

Windows Internet Explorer , commonly abbreviated to IE, is a series of graphical user interface web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems starting in 1995....
 version 6
Internet Explorer 6

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 , is a graphical user interface web browser developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 lines of operating systems....
 or 7
Internet Explorer 7

Windows Internet Explorer 7 is a web browser released by Microsoft in October 2006. Internet Explorer 7 is part of a long line of versions of Internet Explorer and was the first major update to the browser in more than 5 years....
 must be installed.

As of November 2008, total downloads surpassed 22.5 million.

Avant Browser is currently available in 41 languages.

History and Development

Avant Browser was largely inspired by Opera
Opera (web browser)

Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by the Opera Software company. Opera handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, IRC online chatting, downloading files via BitTorrent , and reading web feeds....
, the first major browser to have a multiple document interface
Multiple document interface

Graphical computer applications with a multiple document interface are those whose windows reside under a single parent window , as opposed to all windows being separate from each other ....
. The developer's objective was to wrap a comparable interface around the layout engine
Layout engine

A layout engine, or rendering engine, is software that takes Markup language content and formatting information and displays the formatted content on the screen....
 used by Internet Explorer, thereby achieving Opera-like ergonomics
Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with designing according to human needs, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance....
 without suffering the frequent problems that browser had rendering pages tested only in IE. In fact it was initially released under the name "IEopera", though this was soon changed due to the obvious trademark issues.

Latterly, Avant's developer Anderson Che has concentrated on adding user-requested features, and Avant was among the first browsers to have popup blocking, advertising server blocking, and one-click disabling of potential security vulnerabilities such as ActiveX
ActiveX

ActiveX is a component Object Model developed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. By using the Component Object Model runtime, developers can create Component-based software engineering that perform a particular function or a set of functions....
, Java
Java (programming language)

Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java ....
, and scripts
ECMAScript

ECMAScript is a scripting language, standardized by Ecma International in the ECMA-262 Specification . The language is widely used on the World Wide Web, and is often confused with JavaScript or JScript, the two major Programming language dialect from which ECMAScript was standardized....
.

The Avant Browser's default search engine is a version of the Yahoo! search
Yahoo! Search

Yahoo! Search is a search engine, owned by Yahoo! and is currently the second largest search engine on the web, after its competitor Google. Originally Yahoo! Search started as a web directory of other websites, organized in a hierarchy, as opposed to a searchable index of pages....
 engine renamed Avantfind and given a custom look. Other search engines are available via the address bar "Quick Search" facility, and instructions on how to change the default to an engine of the user's choice have been posted by the very active Avant Browser .

The community has also created other tools and extensions for Avant, including registry files which allow it to use the Information Bar and other security enhancements of XP SP2.

Alongside Avant, the developer has a sister project known as Orca Browser, an Avant-like shell of Mozilla
Mozilla

Mozilla was the official, public, original name of Mozilla Application Suite by the Mozilla Foundation, currently known as SeaMonkey internet suite....
's Gecko layout engine as used in Firefox 3
Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox is a web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. Official versions are distributed under the terms of the proprietary EULA....
 and has similar approaches as Flock
Flock (web browser)

Flock is a web browser built on Mozilla Firefox codebase that tends to specialize in providing Social network service and Web 2.0 facilities built into its user interface....
. It is in the final testing stage and a public release candidate version is available.

Avant Browser 11

Avant Browser 11 (build 25 released on October 23, 2006), introduces more new features than any previous iteration. These include support for many toolbars that are compatible with IE, a facility for users to create their own scripted toolbar buttons, and a password and form-filling wizard. The overall trend though seems to be a gradual movement away from Avant's IE roots.

More radical is the addition of a native bookmark system in place of sharing IE's favorites. These bookmarks may be stored online - as can feeds
Web feed

A web feed is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it....
, autofill
Autofill

Autofill is a function in some computer applications or Computer program, typically those containing form , which fills in a field automatically....
s, and browser settings. This allows the user to synchronize any number of Avant installations on different computers. Avant can still share IE's favorites. This option was reintroduced by the developer after some users lamented its loss.

Another innovation is that Avant may now be run from a flash drive (or other portable storage device such as an MP3
MP3

MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a digital audio Encoder format using a form of lossy data compression. It is a common audio format for consumer audio storage, as well as a de facto standard encoding for the transfer and playback of music on digital audio players....
 player) without needing to be installed. In conjunction with Avant's session saving facility, this allows the user to halt a browsing session on one PC, move to another and resume viewing the same web pages.

Features

Ieopera

Interface


Tabbing
  • User-customizable tabbed interface
  • Progress bar on each tab (optional)
  • Tab locking, duplication, and drop-and-drag arrangement
  • Automatically save and reopen any number of pages
  • Can restore open pages after system crash
  • Undo menu for last 25 closed tabs
  • All pages open in single process, reducing resource demands
  • Multiple home pages


Tools
  • Compatible with many IE toolbars and add-ins, including Google toolbar
  • Highlight marker to find keywords on any page (the words also used by the search engine)
  • Facility for user to add custom-made function buttons
  • RSS feed reader built in
  • URL alias facility to create keyboard shortcuts to favorite sites
  • Page zoom slider - 25% to 500%
  • Full desktop mode - hides toolbars
  • Full screen mode - hides toolbars and taskbar
  • Compact mode - saves interface space
  • Boss button - quickly hides browser
  • Tray icon - keeps Avant running in system tray for fast access (optional)
  • Mouse gestures (customizable)
  • Autoscroll facility for hands-free reading
  • Context-activated floating toolbars to save and edit images, text and Flash
  • Customizable right-click menu entries
  • Quick translation menu
  • 15 interface languages available so far
  • Automatic page refresh at custom intervals
  • Sidebar access to:
    • Advanced search
    • Blocked URL record
    • History
    • Bookmarks
    • Feeds


Appearance
  • Fully skinnable:
    • Range of bundled skin options (21 total)
    • Accessory application allows user to create own skins
  • Highly customizable:
    • Toolbars can be rearranged freely
    • Most functions may be accessed from either toolbar buttons or menus
    • All Buttons and menus are optional


Security and privacy

  • Push-button quick blocking of unwanted items (Popups, Adverts, ActiveX, Java, Scripts, Flash, Video, Sound, Images)
  • Customizable black/white lists for popups and ad servers
  • Multiple proxy servers may be configured
  • Browsing tracks cleaner - can clear traces automatically
  • XP Service Pack 2 security extensions can be integrated


Search

  • Search bar with separate engines configurable for web, images, groups, directories and news
  • Search within site, search within page, and target word highlight buttons
  • Quick Search facility - user can configure any engine for searches from the address bar
  • Similar websites toolbar - searches in background for pages that relate to the current


Bookmarks and online storage

  • Online secure bookmark, feed and setting storage - allows access of same browser setup anywhere
  • Portable flash drive version allows running of Avant without installation
  • Bookmark search
  • Bookmark validation
  • Bookmark toolbar for fast link access
  • Bookmarks can be arranged in task-orientated groups that can be opened together or individually
  • Optionally uses IE favorites


See also

  • List of web browsers
    List of web browsers

    The following is a list of web browsers....
  • Comparison of web browsers
    Comparison of web browsers

    The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of web browsers. Please see the individual products' articles for further information....
  • Internet Explorer shell
    Internet Explorer shell

    An Internet Explorer shell is computer software that uses the Trident layout engine of Internet Explorer. Although the term Trident shell is probably more accurate for describing these applications, including Internet Explorer itself, the term Internet Explorer shell or IE shell is in common parlance....
     browsers
  • IE7pro
    IE7Pro

    IE7Pro is an add-on to Internet Explorer Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, Windows Internet Explorer 7, and Windows Internet Explorer 8 that aims to enhance the feature set provided by the web browser....
  • iMacros
    IMacros

    iMacros is an Mozilla extension for the Mozilla Firefox web browsers and Internet Explorer which adds record and replay functionality similar to that found in web testing and form filler software....
  • List of feed aggregators
    List of feed aggregators

    The following is a list of notable feed aggregators....
  • Comparison of feed aggregators
    Comparison of feed aggregators

    The following is a comparison of notable feed aggregators. Often e-mail programs and web browsers have the ability to display feeds. They are listed here, too....


External links