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After some issues, I’ve recently switched internet browsers from Mozilla Firefox to Google Chrome. After taking it out for a spin on a patent search, I’m enjoying the changes and subtle improvements. It got me thinking…
What’s the best browser for patent searching?
It’s certainly a matter of opinion to some degree, but hopefully we can look at some features of the three top internet browsers and make you think about switching.
I’m sure you have your own favorites, and we’d love to hear from you in the comments section!
Let’s take a look at some of the positives and negatives of the top three most used internet browsers:
1. Mozilla Firefox
2. Google Chrome
3. Microsoft Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
+ Having the largest userbase, search sites are most likely to support Firefox
+ There are many useful extensions and add-ons for Firefox, including support for the IPNetwork Toolbar and the PatentPal Toolbar that we profiled recently
+ Runs reasonably fast on most systems
+/- Major update version releases are coming out frequently, introducing new features but also breaking some compatibilities
Google Chrome
+ Fast growing userbase bodes well for future compatibility with search sites
+ Built in in-page search/highlighting can help identify keywords, including a highlighting map and next/previous keyword browsing
The search/highlight function in Chrome is reason alone to check out this web browser.
+ Built in (simple and useful) PDF viewer
+ Runs reasonably fast/light on most systems
– The latest browser of prominence, it may not be fully compatible with some search sites that are more seldomly updated
Microsoft Internet Explorer
+ It probably came on your computer
+ Has caught up to prevailing trends in recent years (tabbed browsing)
– Has a reputation for lacking/lagging safety
– Reputation for slow bug fixes
Personally, I recommend checking out Firefox and Chrome if you haven’t already…it’s worth a look to see if these browsers improve your patent searching experience.
What browser do you use for patent searching, and why? Let us know in the comments below!
This post was contributed by Intellogist Team member Chris Jagalla. The Intellogist blog is provided for free by Intellogist’s parent company Landon IP, a major provider of patent searches, trademark searches, technical translations, and information retrieval services.
Filed under: Search Tips and Tricks | Tagged: Chrome, Firefox, Google, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, patent, patent searching, patents |
The Intellogist Blog 
I personally feel Google chrome is best with following reasons;-
– update itself i don’t have to check frequently like Mozilla or e explorer.
– Petapator extension of chrome webstore is good with some programming of modified espacenet. USPTO searching . it was first available with Mozilla but as Mozilla pdf extension negative point so i don’t like using Mozilla.
– most important feature of chrome is work around of element programming.
All great reasons. Thanks for sharing!
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If the patent searcher is taking advantage of synonyms (e.g. car/automobile) and different lexical forms (throw/threw; person/people) in the patent search engine, wouldn’t a pure text highlighting facility have problems? It sounds like the search engine and display need to “collaborate” on the proper highlighting.
I agree, that a general highlighting solution isn’t the complete solution for the patent searcher. Certain in-system highlighting systems, such as PatBase will account for lexical branches, or you can use truncation to account for this. General keyword highlighting can still be useful for a quick approach, or to use the root of the word for intra-word highlighting.
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