Internet Explorer's Share Dips Below 90% 463
sheepoo writes "CNN has a story stating that, according to a WebSideStory report, Internet Explorer has slipped below 90% usage share for the first time." From the article: "Firefox, an open-source browser collectively developed by the Internet community under the Mozilla Foundation, had a 6.8 percent share as of April 29, an increase from 3.0 percent since WebSideStory began tracking Firefox separately in October."
Statistics (Score:5, Interesting)
You can look at a few statistics here [extremetracking.com] that have been collected since over a few months.
Where were the clicks from? (Score:3, Interesting)
Surfing from work (Score:5, Insightful)
When i was at school i predominantly surfed from linux, at work it's predominantly solaris, and when i change jobs i'll be back to windows.
If you are in the computer field then you pretty much run whatever OS is required for your job.
Re:Surfing from work (Score:2, Insightful)
Yep, and it feels damn good when your one of the few Linux installations in a predominately Windows environment, especially when some Marketing JERK brings his infected Windows laptop into the building plugs it directly into the network and kills everybody else for about two days.
Re:Surfing from work (Score:4, Informative)
Tell your windows people to get up to speed!
83% use firefox at Networkmirror (Score:2)
Re:83% use firefox at Networkmirror (Score:3, Informative)
The breakdown of the top 15 is:
1 82.63% Mozilla
2 14.70% Microsoft Internet Explorer
3 0.46% Opera/8.0 (Windows NT 5.1; U; en)
4 0.25% msnbot/1.0 (+http://search.msn.com/msnbot.htm [msn.com])
5 0.25% Googlebot/2.1 (+http://www.google.com/bot.html [google.com])
6 0.21% Mediapartners-Google/2.1
7 0.18% Microsoft URL Control - 6.01.9782
8 0.16% Opera/8.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en)
9 0.10% Opera/8.0 (Windows NT 5.0; U; en)
10 0.07% Opera/7.54 (Windows NT 5.1; U
Re:83% use firefox at Networkmirror (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:83% use firefox at Networkmirror (Score:2)
Manipulated (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:83% use firefox at Networkmirror (Score:2)
The breakdown of the top 15 is:
1 82.63% Mozilla
Which means that your original claim that 83% use Firefox is inaccurate. Mozilla can mean anything from Firefox to the Mozilla 'Seamonkey' Suite to Netscape or anything else based on Gecko, depending on how your logging software interprets User-Agent headers.
It's great to see a site where IE isn't dominant, but Firefox can't take all the credit.
Re:83% use firefox at Networkmirror (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Statistics (Score:2)
Re:Statistics (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:5, Interesting)
Except... (Score:5, Funny)
...for, I dunno, *this* page, which still doesn't render right in Firefox.
Re:Except... (Score:2)
Re:Except... (Score:3, Informative)
No it's not, you fucking moron.
Every time - EVERY TIME - this topic comes up, somebody smug tells us all that it's Slashdot's broken HTML. It's not. It's a bug in Firefox.
I've tried posting links to the bug report on Bugzilla. I've tried showing developer comments. I've tried reasoning. I've tried telling them Firefox 1.1 will fix it.
Every time, somebody replies "yeah, well that may be all true... but it's still Slashdot's fault." What is it with you fucking morons? What will it take for it
Re:Except... (Score:3, Funny)
*ducks*
Re:BULLSHIT!!! (Score:4, Insightful)
Firefox renders to something called a standard.
Slashdot is absolutely nowhere near any known web standard.
Thus, Slashdot's HTML is ballsed up. Firefox may stand a better chance with valid HTML, the other browsers are using 'quirks' mode and rendering what they think the page should say, not what it does.
Re:BULLSHIT!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
http://www.webstandards.org/act/acid2/ [webstandards.org]
no browser renders the web according to the standards. have you ever tried writing a website to work across all browsers?
even safari (the only browser so far to pass acid2) doesn't render according to standards - they had to hack the code to make it render the parts of the standards that acid2 touched on (not the entire standard).
Firefox has a bug, deal with it.
Re:BULLSHIT!!! (Score:3, Informative)
Yes, there's a bug...and yes, it's fixed in any of the nightly builds of FF, and will be fixed in FF 1.1
However, if slashdot was valid XHTML and CSS instead of nested table after nested table with invalid ele
Re:Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:2)
Re:Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:2)
I guess the only problem I have left is the slashdot pages that occassionaly render wrong. Ah the irony...
Re:Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:2)
Re:Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:2)
Re:Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:3, Interesting)
While casually browsing the web I have noticed the same thing. But a dependence on IE is still very much alive in a corporate setting. Take the company I work for, I've wanted to deploy firefox ever since I've been around, but I can't because a lot of the websites the brokers and agents use are IE only. Like the MLS... and several other sites. One of the sites they use (I believe it's SABOR) actually requires a 'patch' to be installed that runs at
Re:Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:2)
Re:Maybe it's just my surfing habits (Score:2)
Weight Watchers blocks Firefox users (Score:5, Interesting)
I went there with Firefox 1.0.4. If you examine the URL they forward you to and the site itself you learn that their web masters assume Firefox doesn't support JavaScript or Cookies, and there's no "Click here to use the site anyway" like button.
I had an exchange with their customer service a month or two ago about this, and their reply amounted to saying they wouldn't support an "unpopular" browser.
I sent back an article about Firefox having more users than all non IE browsers combines, and they sent back the same form letter about not supporting every browser.
Funny thing is, if I spoof my browser string as Internet Explorer 34691.0.45.72.22222 running on Windows THFFFT, the site works fine. I haven't signed up yet though, since I won't spend my money on a site that require me to futz around with obscure browser settings to work.
I also found it odd that their email replies seemed to consider Firefox to be an Opera variant.
Re:Weight Watchers blocks Firefox users (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Weight Watchers blocks Firefox users (Score:5, Funny)
Monopoly no more! - Well, not really.. (Score:5, Insightful)
The monopoly aint over till the fat geek sings! (Score:3, Insightful)
That IE has 90% is a clear demonstration that the DOJ anti-trust stuff is having no real impact on slowing the Microsoft monopoly.
Re:Monopoly no more! - Well, not really.. (Score:2)
Re:Monopoly no more! - Well, not really.. (Score:2)
Re:Monopoly no more! - Well, not really.. (Score:4, Interesting)
Well, Opera's tabbed interface was copied from Windows 95 itself ... which ganked it from OS/2 v3 -- the original tabbed interface.
Let me know when Opera has something in the same league as XUL and we'll talk about innovation.
Opera is always going to be a fringe browser.
Who measures and how measures? (Score:5, Insightful)
I love vague facts and figures
Re:Who measures and how measures? (Score:2)
Me too. But that's because I use IE to download Firefox.
*grins*
Re:Who measures and how measures? (Score:5, Informative)
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:No, wait! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:No, wait! (Score:3, Insightful)
Ummm.... How would they connect to recieve the information in the first place? IRC? FTP? TelNet? HTTP sure seems to be out since they won't have a browser...
Re:No, wait! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:No, wait! (Score:2)
Re:No, wait! (Score:3, Insightful)
ISP's still give out CDs with a browser and an account setup script. That browser could just as easily be firefox as internet explorer. Flash drives, network installs, isp ftp setup script, hell even a custom front end that not only lets you choose your ISP but your browser too.
But nobody does any of it, because there's already a browser built into the computer. Why bother supplying a second o
Re:No, wait! (Score:3, Insightful)
For example, Opera / Firefox
Re:No, wait! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:No, wait! (Score:2)
Re:No, wait! (Score:2)
Most users don't care about consumer reports or any other informed media when it comes to browsers. When they turn on their computer they want it to go to the "internet". That's why the major desktop OS's (Windows and OSX) have a browser experience out of the box. It's just as common as a file explorer.
Speaking about file explorers, there are 3rd party f
"exception that proves the rule" (Score:2)
Re:No, wait! (Score:2, Interesting)
I'd say that 93% is greater than 64%, which was enough to force the federal government to breakup of Standard Oil via the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. I could be wrong though.
Shoestring? Not quite (Score:5, Informative)
"Ultra shoestring budget"? Relative to Microsoft sure, but the vast majority of Mozilla development occured with the direct financial support of AOL, Sun and what was left of Netscape after the buyout with numerous other companies contributing. The Mozilla foundation was given millions of dollars to get started. While none of that in any way detracts from how impressive their accomplishment is, I would hardly describe them as working on "an ultra, ultra, ultra shoestring budget."
Re:Shoestring? Not quite (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:No, wait! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:No, wait! (Score:5, Insightful)
That's right. And you yourself admit that 90% is dominance. Why don't we wait till MS share drops below 50% before deciding who was right and wrong. As of today it looks like the DOJ was 100% correct. Due to bundling of IE a superior, more secure and free product is not able to get even a 10% share.
Re:No, wait! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:No, wait! (Score:3, Insightful)
This kinda proves what MS was saying, and disproves what the DOJ was saying.
Lets see an obviously inferior product maintains 90% market share through leveraging another existing monopoly even thought they add basically no new features for years and despite a competitor who gives away a superior product that is written by people who are so fed up with how broken the aforementioned product is, they make it for free. Yeah, I'm sure that monopoly isn't being used unfairly and bundling has nothing to do with
Re:No, wait! (Score:4, Insightful)
If IE were unbundled and it had to stand on its own, Netscape would still be in business, and Opera would have much more of a chance.
Microsoft has effectively cut off the air supply of the competition, which is illegal. Think what a dump the Internet would be by now if business and individuals hadn't donated a top-quality browser. That shouldn't be necessary.
Re:No, wait! (Score:2)
Re:No, wait! (Score:2)
DBesides, open source IN SOME WAYS is a response to monopolistic practices.
Re:No, wait! (Score:2)
Re:No, wait! (Score:2)
Apples and oranges.
Firefox is FREE. Netscape was payment-optional. There are non-free browsers that still cannot compete in any meaningful sense, despite feature superiority. (no, I'm not one of those goofy Opera nuts).
No software company will EVER sell a browser that competes with a free-bundled IE, on the most popular desktop OS.
Hmmm.... (Score:2, Informative)
I show 15.52% (Score:5, Insightful)
FireFox has tallied up 15.52 percent of the hits to my site since May 1.
first time? (Score:5, Insightful)
Internet Explorer has slipped below 90% usage share for the first time.
First time? Was the author born after 1998?
Re:first time? (Score:2)
Re:first time? (Score:2)
Inline images weren't common at all. "10K for an image? Are you crazy? That's bigger then the whole page!" It took two minutes to download my professors homepage, and half the time was spent downloading an image of his grinning face
Gopher was better organized then the web, as you always had an nice neat list of hyperlinks, instead of hyperlinks scattered th
Gates should be wetting his pants (Score:5, Interesting)
No more. Firefox doesn't need to make $ to survive, so M$ can't beat by price. Bundling won't work either because broadband is everywhere.
Now, the killer app (analogy) is reputation. IE has been branded as spyware/exploit-ridden. People want an alternative. IE has lost its credibility.
For the first time? (Score:5, Funny)
how much is FF saying it's IE? (Score:5, Interesting)
Okay, just curious, but wondered how much of the traffic measured accounts for, knows about, figures in, etc., for Firefox "reporting in" as Internet Explorer so as not to get rejected from using that site. I have mine set to be "Internet Explorer" for my on-line banking (go figure). Think it would add any significant usage for Firefox?
Fewer MS-only websites, I hope (Score:5, Insightful)
What methodology is used? (Score:2)
Re:What methodology is used? (Score:2)
For the first time? (Score:3, Informative)
It had less than 90% long ago, in the before time...
Asian markets have the highest percentage... (Score:2)
...of Internet Explorer users, but one has to wonder what percentage of those users also have pirated copies of Windows?
Not enougth (Score:2)
Re:Not enougth (Score:5, Interesting)
May be we could use a catch phrase, say "the one secure option for windows 98/me/NT 4.0" "Microsoft forgot of your Windows 98 box? Try firefox". Or something like that.
Re:Not enougth (Score:2)
Re:Not enougth (Score:2)
IBM jumping on Firefox (Score:3, Informative)
I'd bet... (Score:3, Insightful)
People use what's put in front of them. IE's 90% share doesn't mean it's that much better than the alternatives.
Poor Microsoft (Score:2)
Early on, MS preferred WebSideStory's numbers to OneStat [onestat.com] because OneStat showed more of a decline for IE. Personally, I think OneStat has more accurate global numbers. This is a trend that MS can't ignore, and can't really do much about.
Relevant yesterday's Slashdot post (Score:2)
http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=149315&cid
Good news for a number of browsers (Score:2)
who are... (Score:2)
I haven't used IE in months [other than on my pocketpc where I don't really give a shit].
In windows firefox is just a nicer browser. MS IE has so little to offer that is productive...
Tom
"Averse to Microsoft products"? (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't use Cubase because I hate Emagic, or PSP because I don't like Adobe.
I do use Firefox because it works fine, and I have not had any spyware since I started using it. It's quite simple really, and if Microsoft comes out with a better browser, I'll use that. They are both 'free' as I got explorer free with Windows.
Useless Metric (Score:3, Interesting)
*Cough* [msnbc.com]
I don't have anywhere to host pictures, but using Safari just changing the User Agent gets you different style sheets. Net effect is some stories render horribly when it serves a Safari page, but fine when it serves an I.E., both in Safari. I'm not going to accuse them that that is their goal, but it has definitely happened and changing the User Agent reveals no problems that required a separate style sheet.
90% share? (Score:5, Interesting)
Bill Gates: "Internet Explorer has fallen below 90% of the browser market! We still have total dominance! OSS is a dismal failure! Buy Windows XP!"
For those who HAVE to use IE... (Score:4, Interesting)
http://www.maxthon.com/ [maxthon.com]
Really makes the switch from browsing at home to work alot smoother, even if it isn't a perfect solution. What it really makes me think though - if these guys can get tabbed browsing and whatnot into the current IE, why is MS not doing the same thing to slow lost market share to more usable/secure browsers???
Re:The king is dead... (Score:2, Insightful)
Maybe when IE has less than 10%, you can start calling it "almost dead".
Re:The king is dead... (Score:2)
Re:Well it seems like a Troll.. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Well it seems like a Troll.. (Score:2)
Re:Well it was great while it lasted! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Where's safari? (Score:2, Informative)
Not sure about that (Score:3, Insightful)
f'(x) = growth = growth rate
f''(x) = grown increase rate
So
Decrease in growth rate == decrease in growth
Re:Tell me when (Score:5, Informative)
Yes, a decrease in growth does exactly equal the decrease in the rate of growth. That's what growth means. The rate of increase. The rate of growing.
Did you mean to say that a decrease in growth isn't the same thing as a decrease in the number of users? That's true, and maybe not as obvious to a lot of people as it should be.
Re:Politics (Score:2)
Anyone else have trouble implementing new/better/more cost effective solutions because of Politics?
Nope. Usually it is more like, "why doesn't this work right?" Then I walk them through downloading Firefox and show them how to open multiple tabs. The next day they tell me how they can't ever go back and how much IE sucks. Then again, I mostly work with fairly intelligent people.
Re:Politics (Score:2)
"We've used 'X' software for 10 years and we know it works so we are never changing" (not everything needs changing...)
"We've used 'X' software for 10 years and major software migration projects are pretty prone to failure so we are never changing"
"We've used 'X' software for 10 years largely because the CEO is a good friend of mine and we regularly play golf so we are never changing"