EXPLORER STUMBLES AS GOOGLE EYES BROWSER MARKET

https://www.freemarketnews.com/nview.php?nseq=42 ^ | Jan 25, 2005 | by Chris Mack

[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

[ShadowAce]

Big target always draws the most fire.

That's the problem. Not only is IE a big target in terms of numbers, but it's HUGE in terms of vulnerabilities. Firefox is tight, secure, and presents a much smaller target in terms of ease of breaching.

[ShadowAce]

How can MS deny this obvious drop off?

They hired Baghdad Bob

[BibChr]

Serious question: so, if Ff ever comes to raise a significant profile, and especially given that it's open code, you really don't think that hackers will target it and find just as many vulnerabilities?

Dan

[ShadowAce]

if Ff ever comes to raise a significant profile, and especially given that it's open code, you really don't think that hackers will target it...

Oh, I don't doubt they'll target it.

and find just as many vulnerabilities?

No, I can honestly say that I don't think they'll ever find anywhere near the number or severity of vulnerabilities as has been found and exploited in IE.

[RockinRight]

Actually, this even happened when my browser was closed.

[ShadowAce]

BTW, while I don't have an answer for your mouseover issue, it is possible to move the tabs on Firefox to the bottom of the screen.

I hope that helps.

[DaGman]

Microsoft can rightly claim they are not losing market share to Firefox because every Windows computer also has IE installed. It is not possible to uninstall IE. Therefore, there are no less a number of computers running IE and no loss of market share.

What MS ignores (fingers in ears singing, "la, la, la, la...") is the fact that more and more people are using FF. In fact, I'm typing this in FF and will never use IE again unless I absolutely have to for online banking for other IE specific website that I have to go to.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[finnigan2]

Yes, I recently bought McAfee AntiSpyware on my computer at a cost of $40.00 per annum. In attempting to install in on my computer I first learned that it was a Microsoft owned product. It kept trying to direct me to Internet Explorer (IE) and would not register properly unless I changed settings on the IE home page - even though I use Firefox.
My son, who works in the computer field, managed after one hour, to adjust the settings and get the software working without forcing me to use IE as my browser.
After this experience, I can see why Microsoft competitors have a point when they claim that their products are being squeezed out by Microsoft's dominance in the operating system software field.

[cooldog]

In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled EXPLORER STUMBLES AS GOOGLE EYES BROWSER MARKET, BibChr wrote:

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

There are many technical and architectural reasons why IE has vulnerabilities that FireFox will never have. Unless you count the security holes as "working", it's pretty silly to claim that IE "works".

[Lurking in Kansas]

Firefox bump!

[rw4site]

I love the Avant browser too. With XP Pro you can right click in the scroll bar and have a choice of where move the page.

Another great feature is the "Clear" Icon that allows you to dump the cache, cookies, and other junk without having to use "Internet Options". It will also use the good features of IE 6 such as IE Spell which lets you check the spelling on the page and in "Reply" boxes. .

The tab bar can also be moved to the top. Just un-check the "Lock the Toolbars" and customize it to your hearts content.

It also has great skins. My favorite is noiawarm.

[rwfromkansas]

I will have to give it a try.

[chilepepper]

yeah, but the Microsoft IE single-screen paradigm is so Windows 95.

i generally have 5 tabs open in Firefox at the same time, and run 12 virtual screens at the same time on my Fedora Core 2 computers... which i access via the 12 function keys...

[SeeRushToldU_So]

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..

You were eaten up with spyware. If you haven't gotten rid of it you would still be in trouble.

[adaven]

Does avant use the IE engine? If so, wouldn't you be susceptible to the same spyware problems IE has?

I would like to try it, but not if it's just IE with a fancy face lift & added toolbars/tabs.

[BibChr]

Hm; evidently I'm not cool enough to know what you mean. You can have as many tabs open in Avant as you like, and you can frame them as you want. What are you meaning beyond that?

Dan

[rwfromkansas]

It sounds like Avant is a sweet browser, but I do want to ask if you have run spyware/virus scans since installing it, and if it seems to perform as well at keeping the nasties out as Firefox.

I will be downloading it later today, but I am a bit leery since it is still built on IE, meaning it may have the same security holes despite the popup blocking.

[rwfromkansas]

look at the download.com reviews.

Mostly positive, but some making that comment. It is built on IE, so that concerns me, but it has popup blocking and cool features. At the very least, it deserves to be my backup browser, not regular IE.

[chilepepper]

i run twelve virual windows screens, one (or two)of which is dedicated to Firefox, one has Thunderbird, six have one or more terminals open to other machines, one has my media player, one has systems tools running, one or more have ongoing games, and the others are for spur of the moment stuff (calculator, etc).

i always dedicate a relative window to a particular task so it is always in the same spot relative to the others in order to keep them straight -- linux draws a little thumbnail of your overall system w/ all the screens and small representations of what windows you have running in them.

very useful to say the least and windows is stone age for me in duplicating this...