Posted on 01/25/2005 12:36:29 PM PST by FreeMarket1
EXPLORER STUMBLES AS GOOGLE EYES BROWSER MARKET
Jan 25, 2005 - FreeMarketNews.com
by Chris Mack
According to the Xinhua News Agency, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) browser is losing market share against open source Firefox browser. Two online market tracking companies OneStat and WebSideStory had studies in December and found that IE market share has fallen to 88.9%, while Firefox has jumped to 4.8%. Microsoft has disputed the results.
Last summer there were a number of serious scares with IE security. Several bugs were found that enabled hackers to use JavaScript in order to install keystroke-logging software and Trojans horses. The programs were then used to obtain login, password, bank account and credit card information in order to empty people’s pockets. That is a very high price for choosing to stick with IE.
The Xinhua News Agency commented, “Firefox fans praise the new browser's automatic pop-up blocking and tabbed browsing features, but security has been one of the big points.” Internet surfers fed up with Microsoft’s insecure and buggy software are running to Firefox like wild fire. Mozilla, an open-source software organization, released Firefox last November, and on January 24 they announced that Firefox already had been downloaded over 20 million times.
Meanwhile, according to Reuters today Google has hired top Firefox programmer Ben Goodger adding to speculation that Google wants to get in on the browser business. Goodger will continue to work part time for Firefox as he programs for Google. Downplaying recent rumors, Google said that it ..................Full Article www.FreeMarketNews.com
As I always say.... www.avantbrowser.com.
Firefox may (or may not) be "right" about everything, but the IE kernel WORKS with everything.
Dan
Snort!
Ping
avant is pretty sweet.
Ping
With IE, I would walk away from my PC for an hour, and when I came back 132 popup windows were open...since I switched to Mozilla-zero.
Plus there's a site I use where Firefox doesn't recognize a mouseover event and IE does. I reported it to Mozilla as a bug. They sniffed that the page was incorrectly coded, and so not a bug.
What do I care? I just want my browser to see it. IE does, Ff won't, so much for that!
Dan
my goodness they have lsot market share to the original developer of the browser. how much? all they way down to 89% looks bad at MSFT. AOL killed the netscape browser that we all loved. now they are giving it away again as it once was -but all the parts are not as geat as when they ruled. too bad. cycles and the invisible hand always repeat. /anti- AOL rant off.
Maybe it's just me but it's a little hard to read an article that talks about comparing "market-share" for two products neither of which is ever explicitly purchased in a market-like setting.
One is included with every copy of Windows (of course one is still paying for it - you just can't unbundle the cost from that of Windows itself). The other is a free download.
So what, precisely is meant by "market-share"?
Now if they want to talk about how often one is used versus the other, then OK that seems like at least a reasonable discussion.
But as I said, maybe it's just me.
end of the article:
"Downplaying recent rumors, Google said that it is not planning on building a new browser but may be looking into adding additional features to the browser. The brand name power of Google maybe just what Firefox needs in order to go mainstream and eradicate IE from web surfers."
I have a hard time believing that given this article from CNet.
They just hired Firefox's top programmer, and registered gbrowser.com
wow. Sweet...movable tabs.
I hope it can import Firefox bookmarks.
I never liked Netscape in its popular days. All the profiles and stuff were annoying, as well as having to sit for 100 hours waiting for Java to load. With IE, it was there.
But, I do love my Firefox, which ironically is built upon the crappy Netscape.
As opposed to sniffing over small "bugs" like the gigantic holes in IE that allows a malicious coder to drill down directly into the operating system?
Yeah, real good analysis.
Firefox is written as an app, which is what a browser is supposed to be. Microsoft has made their own bed. Microsoft has let legal strategy direct their technical development in the browser.
Notice when Microsoft started to tie IE down into Windows? Hmm? Would it surprise you that it was after they made their legal arguments. They made the legal arguments, then they coded accordingly. That's simply bad business. And, they are paying for it.
And, is it going to be the end of Microsoft? No. But, please, don't delude yourself about IE or browsers based on IE. IE is spyware masquerading as a web browser.
Obviously you were leaving your browser open at the Drudge Report.
I only care that it works -- and IE works.
As to holes... you think that, if Firefox ever gets out of single digits, it won't be targeted just as heavily?
Big target always draws the most fire.
Dan
I have gotten web traffic reports on my site from day one which was years ago. I have seen MS drop from 96% to around 87% last month.
I would expect it is the same for any Freepers who have their website monitored,where they tell you what browsers are looking at your site-among many other things.
How can MS deny this obvious drop off? - tom
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