The Fox Is in Microsoft's Henhouse (and Salivating)

NYT ^ | December 19, 2004 | RANDALL STROSS

[mathprof]

FIREFOX is a classic overnight success, many years in the making.

Published by the Mozilla Foundation, a nonprofit group supporting open-source software that draws upon the skills of hundreds of volunteer programmers, Firefox is a Web browser that is fast and filled with features that Microsoft's stodgy Internet Explorer lacks. Firefox installs in a snap, and it's free.

Firefox 1.0 was released on Nov. 9. Just over a month later, the foundation celebrated a remarkable milestone: 10 million downloads. Donations from Firefox's appreciative fans paid for a two-page advertisement in The New York Times on Thursday.

Until now, the Linux operating system was the best-known success among the hundreds of open-source projects that challenge Microsoft with technically strong, free software that improves as the population of bug-reporting and bug-fixing users grows. But unless you oversee purchases for a corporate data center, it's unlikely that you've felt the need to try Linux yourself.

With Firefox, open-source software moves from back-office obscurity to your home, and to your parents', too. (Your children in college are already using it.) It is polished, as easy to use as Internet Explorer and, most compelling, much better defended against viruses, worms and snoops.

[this_ol_patriot]

I don't know when I just hit refresh on this page FF stayed right where I was, maybe because there weren't any new posts. I went to weather channel and refresh there pops to the top of the page and then right back to where I hit it when the page loads fully.

[this_ol_patriot]

Just tried it halfway up this page and I stayed there.

[this_ol_patriot]

You need to get the favicon into your cache.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Ha ha!

[edchambers]

I have a question for all you firefox users who have made it your default browser what are the advantages/disadvantages of doing this.I have used Firefox for awhile but never made it my default browser I'm concerned that applications that use IE would possibly not function if I did this.

[SW6906]

OK, I posted #218 so my post was at the bottom of the page. Then I went elsewhere (in another window) for a while and came back. When I hit refresh (F5), FireFox put me at post #224, the bottom of the page, rather than at #218. There must be an option or setting for this somewhere.......

[Eagle9]

Yes I have used BugMenot and have it in my favorites, I don't see however that I should be forced to use it when someone is to lazy to post the whole article. I don't mind excerpted articles even though they are not on the exerption list, when I can click on the link and the article is available w/o having to register

Oh, I agree. I wish that all articles could be legally posted in their entirety, archived on FR, like they once were. But since that is no longer possible, yes, by all means, every article that can be posted without excerpting, should be posted.

[Malsua]

Here's another question: when I hit F5 to refresh a FreeRepublic thread page, it goes to the bottom, rather than returning to where I was when I hit refresh like IE does. Is there a way to have FF reload the page, but then not go to the bottom?

Strange. Mine stays exactly where I left it. It must be a setting.

[KwasiOwusu]

This from the Old York Slimes?
LMAO!
They also confidently predicted Hanoi John Kerry would win the presidential elections.
Plus they tried to spring an "October Surprise" on esident Bush with their false story about 400 tons of ammunition missing.
Then there was the totally false story from the Old York Slimes on the Joe Wildosn spy situation, which turned out to be yet another anti-Bush lie.
When is the last time the Old York Slimes got anything right?
You guys must be really desperate.
Posters on a conservative site forced to rely on the fast fading Old York Slimes to prop up their pathetic piece of software.

Microsoft IE has over 90% of the market.
Microsoft RULES!
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Hank Rearden]

Microsoft IE has over 90% of the market.

Not anymore! Hah! And it's only been a little over a month. From the article:

For the first time, Internet Explorer has been losing market share. According to a worldwide survey conducted in late November by OneStat.com, a company in Amsterdam that analyzes the Web, Internet Explorer's share dropped to less than 89 percent, 5 percentage points less than in May. Firefox now has almost 5 percent of the market, and it is growing.

Torpedoes in the water! BOOM!!

[SW6906]

I just switched my home computer this morning. I will never go back. I am going to install this at work on Monday and encourage all of my friends to do the same.

The biggest selling point: IT IS FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KwasiOwusu]

"Not anymore! Hah! And it's only been a little over a month. From the article"

According to to WebSidestory, Microsoft has over 92.8%.
They have the best track record in the business.
The Old York Slimes on the other hand have been wrong on everything so far this year, including confidently predicting a John Kerry win, the Joe Wilson spy story, the "400" tons ammunition in Iraq story, etc etc etc.
I think you are getting desperate, if you are forced to rely on such a totally discredited source. :)

Microsoft rules.
IE rules!
Expect a record revenue and earnings for this quarter when Microsoft releases their results come January. :) Plus Microsoft has UPED their dividends yet again, after paying out a whopping $3 per share special dividend n Dec 2, making our household have a very Merry Christmas indeed! :)

[Clara Lou]

Plus Microsoft has UPED their dividends yet again
This is HUGH!!! Seriesly, fella--IE is one lousey browser. Even an MS-lover has to admit that. [I've been an MS customer for over ten years.]

[gobucks]

I don't do windows update anymore. honestly, i perhaps shouldn't have deleted ie, as it did indeed break a few things... but given I don't use my computer for much it wasn't a big issue...

[KwasiOwusu]

"This is HUGH!!! Seriesly, fella--IE is one lousey browser. Even an MS-lover has to admit that. [I've been an MS customer for over ten years.]"

"Seriesly"? LOL!
But seriously, Firefox is a piece of garbage.
Most viruses and spyware etc etc are written for IE, because IE is King.
Firefox has not even began to come under any serious assault from the virus writers..yet.
Firefox is unproven
Plus IE has by far the biggest market share of the browser market.
You really should learn not to drink in the Old York Slimes cool aide, dude.

BTW, Microsoft paying out out this MASSIVE special dividend , totaling $35 Billion is a VERY BIG deal.
That happens to be the biggest payout by any US corporation in the history of the entire United States.
That has far more effect on the American economy then some garbage browser from open source commies and anarchists. Every single shareholder got $3 on Dec 2, including me and President Bush. :) Isn't life just great?

[Clara Lou]

But seriously, Firefox is a piece of garbage.
A comment like the above reduces your credibility to zero. Wanna back it up with any relevant comments?

[KwasiOwusu]

"A comment like the above reduces your credibility to zero"

Your credibility went BELOW zero , the moment you came up with your "Seriesly" remark, when talking about the Microsoft's massive dividend payments. :)

[Clara Lou]

Your credibility went BELOW zero , the moment you came up with your "Seriesly" remark,
You don't come around FR much, do you? "Hugh" [huge] and "seriesly" [seriously] are used frequently at this site-- a gift from an under-educated troll. It was intended as a joke when you misspelled "UPED." The difference between the two of us is that I was making a joke, and you were being a jerk. IE is outdated trash. You're welcome to it.

[jammer]

Yes, I'm wrong. I thought so at the time I wrote it, but (1) couldn't come up with it and (2) was too hurried to check. However, it is "Kildow", I believe.