Samuel Chiltern answered
From the nature of your question, I assume that you are talking about Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). By enabling browser extensions, you are potentially allowing software plug-ins to be installed within your browser, which can bring both positive and negative consequences.
Benefits of Browser Extensions
Extensions allow the user to extend the functionality of a browser. They can add tools that make repetitive or otherwise impossible tasks easy. They can also customise the browsing experience, so that certain types of data can be easily extracted from the page, for example.
Drawbacks to Browser Extensions
Extensions might be developed by Microsoft, or they could be authored by third-parties, who may or may not be reputable. By allowing other vendors to have any form of access to your machine, you are potentially creating security vulnerabilities.
Browser speed is another issue, since the more extensions you have, the longer it will take your browser to start up. Certain extensions may also require the browser to pass the code from the site you are viewing through their own routines first, and this can slow down page rendering times.
If you have several extensions installed, and IE appears to be running slowly, you should consider un-checking the tickbox in order to disable all extensions. Then restart IE, and see if this makes a significant difference.
History of IE Browser Extensions
Browser extensions were added to IE with version 5, which was released in 1999. The most common extensions back then included search toolbars and additional shortcut menu options.
Much more useful extensions have been added in recent years, including the Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar, which provides a rich feature-set of tools for web developers.
Benefits of Browser Extensions
Extensions allow the user to extend the functionality of a browser. They can add tools that make repetitive or otherwise impossible tasks easy. They can also customise the browsing experience, so that certain types of data can be easily extracted from the page, for example.
Drawbacks to Browser Extensions
Extensions might be developed by Microsoft, or they could be authored by third-parties, who may or may not be reputable. By allowing other vendors to have any form of access to your machine, you are potentially creating security vulnerabilities.
Browser speed is another issue, since the more extensions you have, the longer it will take your browser to start up. Certain extensions may also require the browser to pass the code from the site you are viewing through their own routines first, and this can slow down page rendering times.
If you have several extensions installed, and IE appears to be running slowly, you should consider un-checking the tickbox in order to disable all extensions. Then restart IE, and see if this makes a significant difference.
History of IE Browser Extensions
Browser extensions were added to IE with version 5, which was released in 1999. The most common extensions back then included search toolbars and additional shortcut menu options.
Much more useful extensions have been added in recent years, including the Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar, which provides a rich feature-set of tools for web developers.
