You REALLY don't get it. The browser is NOT the environment their products run in. MS tools create content that conforms to the W3C standards (that is the body that defines the standards for the Internet). The STANDARDS are the environment the products function in and the browsers FOLLOW the standards. MS's experience with IE helped them assist in defining the standards. That phase is over.
Clearly you do not work in the Computer Industry.
Movie producers do not make money off of the plastic blanks that their movies are distributed on. But they would love for those plastic blanks to be a one-use format and would love to be in position where that content delivery format made up 72% of the market and where they could influence any future standards. Its about control of the environment your product lives in, not direct cash sales.
Once again you don't get it. Movie producers must conform to the standards - just like Microsoft and just like Microsoft movie producers TRY to influence the standards. Using your logic - movie producers would strive to be the dominant maker of DVD players because using your logic the one who controlled the device that plays the content controls everything (for the Internet that is the browser and for movies that would be a DVD player). Movie production companies have an interest in the DVD format but they make their money off the CONTENT not off of DVD players. MS has an interest in the standards but they make money off the CONTENT.
As for your comments on the usage statistics table....any of your products that you see a steady decline in market share over a year should be a concern if you are in business.
Not sure what business school you went to but a product that makes no money is not usually considered a business. Let's review: MS makes $0.00 a year off the browser and FireFox makes $0.00 a year off their browser. Firefox is currently not taking any business away from MS unless you wish to argue FireFox is taking away part of the $0.00 MS made last year. MS does not sell browsers so another free browser is not going to affect MS's business. I hope you don't invest real money based on your business logic. MS sells operating systems, development tools, and business software. FireFox does not sell operating systems, development tools, or business software. Claming a FREE browser is going to effect MS's business is ludicrous.
You can pooh-pooh the usage statistics, but it does signify a sustained decline in market share over time.
I am not sure where you studied statistics but a 7 point drop in 6 months is not sustained decline – market share usually means a money-making proposition. Let's review: MS controls 69.7% of the browser market. Are you willing to bet FireFox will have a controlling share of the browser market by the end of 2005? Like I said, I hope you don't invest real money on your business theories.
Let's do some more math:
MS controls 69.7% of the browser market and they make $0.00. So if their market share goes to 100% they will make $0.00 off the browser and if the share goes to 0% they will fall back to making $0.00. FireFox is making $0.00 on their browser yet somehow they are going to knock Microsoft off their pedestal. Yeah. Right.
MS makes billions of dollars
FireFox makes $0.00 yet they are going to knock Microsoft off their pedestal. I hope nobody invests their retirement money on this logic.
I like FireFox. I use FireFox. It’s great.
I want more competition. I want more options. NEVERTHELESS it is absolute nonsense to claim another FREE browser is making Microsoft lose sleep.