Posted on 02/16/2005 10:38:24 AM PST by decimon
The party's over.
In the past year, the little browser that could, Firefox, became the people's hero, an underdog warrior that took a huge swipe at its enemy, Internet Explorer. IE dipped below 90 percent market share for the first time in years, while Firefox lured users like the Pied Piper, blowing past its own fundraising goals and reigniting the browser wars.
Meanwhile, the bad news continued to mount for Microsoft. An IE exploit put even Windows XP SP2 users at risk from phishing schemes, even as Microsoft touted SP2 as the most secure version of Windows yet. Worse, major security companies and the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team began to recommend that computer users dump IE for something more secure (read: Firefox).
By early this year, Netscape was emboldened to reenter the fray, announcing in January that it would release a new version of the Netscape browser, designed specifically to resist phishing schemes--something even Firefox lacks. Then, Opera said it would offer free licenses to universities, in order to make sure it would still be relevant in the new world browser order. And through it all, what was the response from Microsoft? Silence.
TalkBack Are you afraid of a standalone Internet Explorer, or will you keep betting on the Firefox pony?
For a moment there, it looked like the tyrant IE could actually be overthrown. Those were heady days, weren't they? Well, they're over now. Papa Bill just dropped the hammer. Bill Gates announced this week, at the RSA Security Conference in San Francisco (of all places), that Microsoft will ship Internet Explorer 7, without waiting for the next version of Windows. Gates says the standalone browser is designed to address the perception that IE itself is a massive security risk. What he didn't say, but you know he was thinking it, is that IE 7 will easily put a stop to this upstart browser rebellion.
Don't believe me? You should. Firefox is great, I use it. But it's a chore sometimes, what with most sites using that pesky nonstandard IE code. Not everything renders properly, and some sites just plain don't work--I have to load up IE to use them. Plus, let's be honest--Firefox has its flaws. Why is there no way to check for updates from within the browser, for one thing? Why does it take so doggone long to launch? Why, why must it crash every single time I open a PDF? I mean, every single time. Opera, fine, whatever, I'm not paying for a browser, and for some reason, although I've tried it several times, it's just never captured me. It's too clunky, and I was raised on IE. I don't want to learn something completely new. IE, on the other hand, is like the sweeping tide--it's just easier not to fight it.
If a standalone IE 7 is even 50 percent more secure than current versions, the Firefox rebellion is finished. If IE 7 has tabs, Firefox will be destroyed as surely as the Hungarian uprising of 1956 was crushed by Russia. I use the analogy deliberately, too--no one expected Microsoft to issue a standalone version of IE, but those months of silence (and, no doubt, frantic development) look awfully ominous now. This is a company that's absorbed Justice Department lawsuits, threats of daily fines from the European Union, and lawsuits from nearly every state in the union, and that has steadfastly refused to break up its republic of Windows-IE-Windows Media. But this Firefox thing must have it fearing the domino effect, big time.
It was bad when Microsoft seemed to ignore Firefox, treating it like a harmless upstart not worthy of comment or attack. But now that the sleeping giant has awakened, I think the buzzing gnat of the browser wars is about to be squashed flat. What do you think?
I'm glad Microsoft is finally being forced to compete again.
However, I get the feeling IE7 will be little more than a superficial update. It won't implement standards control (because 90% of the Internet and most corporate networks would break), it won't even add new stuff that wouldn't break the old stuff (you know, like CSS2), and it won't really improve security.
But you can be sure it'll feature tabs and themes!
And how do the prices compare?
if it has 90% of the users - it's not nonstandard, it IS the standard.
What's IE?
Soon you will be able to login to your personal virtual PC from any Internet access point.
The paradigm is shifting under Bill's feet at this very moment.
Laziness--the single biggest contributor to Internet Explorer's marketshare.
I'm using 1.0 and like it but it does lock me up now and then. And possibly causes me to run low on "resources" after prolonged use. I'm sure that Windows ME has nothing to do with the problems. ;-)
I think, based upon their history, that they won't release it for Win9x users, so it won't matter to me one way or the other.
The reason that many websites don't "support" Firefox, is that IE is much more forgiving of mistakes in HTML and CSS, than Firefox is. Web developers need to validate their CSS files, just because it runs on IE, doesn't mean it's well-formed.
Ditto -- and Opera had those ads. Avant simply rocks.
Dan
Microsoftese for "Income Engine."
<< Laziness--the single biggest contributor to Internet Explorer's marketshare. >>
You know... you're right! These applications which actually do a good job for us, without making us spend extra hours of work learning how to use them, are BAD! It's EVIL to be able to use something easily, comfortably, successfully! Internet browsing should HURT! If possible, it should cause us to SHED BLOOD!
I'm ditching my Avant right now, for the most obscure little 3-bit Malaysian browser program I can find! But only if it's all in Malaysian!
< / friendly s >
Dan
ping for later
Isn't that the same dream Sun was peddling a decade ago? The network IS the computer and diskless workstations? It went over like the Kerry Campaign. People like to use their 3GZ machines for their apps and I/O.
IE having tabbed browsing and other Firefox features?
I seem to remember the MS cheerleaders here saying that OSS doesn't innovate, only copy proprietary software. Well lookee here....
Yep, I've been using Netscape/Mozilla since Netscape 1...no matter what system I've had.
"I prefer Firefox, and I've not experienced any of the problems mentioned. It starts up fine, and it stops almost all spyware, and I just find it a pleasure to use."
Ditto to all that! Plus, IE7 will still be Microsoft and most hackers will still direct their attention to bringing down the evil Bill Gates. There is nothing in this article which suggesst that it will be more secure than current versions.
I've been using Firefox for months now and I've not run into these problems that this woman obviously has. You can check for updates within the browser. She makes it sound like it takes forever for it to launch when it takes about as long to load as IE or Netscape. And I've never had a problem with it crashing "every single time" when opening a PDF file. Firefox is great because it isn't nearly as vunerable to spyware, adware or overall CRAPware as IE. It isn't perfect but I expect it to get better and better. I may get IE7, just to check it out but it will probably be dogged with the same problems that cause me to use Firefox in the first place.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.