Money Matters, Simplified.
War of Web Browsers
Fri, 10/20/2006 - 13:33 by Gunika Khurana
By now, we know that many of you are au courant with the uber-browsers available. Which is the best beta browser to choose is still a question mark.
Version 7.0 of internet explorer has just been unveiled by Microsoft Corp. for Windows XP and boasts of enhanced security features, making everyday tasks easier.
Talking about IE 7, Dean Hachamovitch, general manager, Internet Explorer team, Microsoft, said, "We listened carefully to our customers, and are delivering a safer browser that makes the tasks they do every day much easier."
The security framework of the new explorer has been overhauled, and as a result of these enhancements, the browser will be a stand-alone application, rather than integrated with the Windows shell, and it will no longer be capable of acting as a file browser.
IE7 in Windows Vista contains additional security measures, most significantly ‘Protected Mode’, whereby the browser runs in a sandbox. As such, it can write to only the Temporary Internet Files folder and cannot install start-up programs or change any configuration of the operating system without communicating through a broker process. This increases the security of the system considerably.
The ‘Protected Mode’ operation will not be included in the Windows XP version of Internet Explorer 7, as it relies on technologies not found on systems before Vista. It also supports the Parental Controls and Network Diagnostics features which are unique to Vista.
The security level of IE7 is vaunted to be high, but other browsers like Firefox, Safari, Netscape and Opera too vaunt of additional features and better security.
Mozilla Firefox, a free open source, cross-platform, graphical web browser developed by the Mozilla Corporation and hundreds of volunteers, has a spontaneous interface and blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads.
The main features included with Firefox are tabbed browsing, incremental find, live bookmarking, a customizable download manager and a built-in search toolbar.
The new version of Firefox boasts of automatically upgrading the latest security and feature updates.
Safari, on the other hand, is a web browser developed by Apple Computer, Inc. and is available as part of Mac OS X. It was included as the default browser in Mac OS X v10.3 (Panther) and is the only browser bundled with Mac OS X v10.4 (Tiger).
Safari 2.0.4, the latest version, was released on June 27, 2006, and is packed with Apple's brushed metal user interface and has a bookmark management scheme that functions like the iTunes jukebox software. It also integrates Apple's QuickTime multimedia technology and features a tabbed-browsing interface similar to that of Firefox and Opera. The browser also includes an integrated pop-up ad blocker and a configurable image blocker.
Opera 9, developed by Opera Software, is the latest version unmasked on September 21, 2006. There are several new features in Opera 9. The most important ones are: Simple BitTorrent client, targeted towards novice users, content blocker (also known as AdBlock), thumbnail preview of tabs, site specific preferences (pop-up blocking, cookies, scripts, user style sheets, user-agent masking), the ability to create search engines from a textfield, improved rich text editing and redefined default hot keys to be more like Internet Explorer.
Netscape Communications Corporation(commonly known as Netscape), an American computer services company, best known for its web browser, was once dominant in terms of usage share, but lost most of its share to Internet Explorer during the first browser war. As of 2006, the usage share of Netscape browsers is under 1% and falling.
The company existed only from 1994 to 2003, latterly as a subsidiary of AOL, but the Netscape brand is still in use. In June 2006, Netscape redesigned their website to a totally different format which was similar to Digg. Users can vote for which stories are to be included on the front page, and may comment on them as well. Netscape's market share had been declining for over a year at the time of the change-over.
The current version of Netscape was released to mixed reactions. Some users really like that users had more participation ability, while others found the pages to be harder to navigate and not as structured. In fact, soon after the release of the new site, a story entitled ‘Netscape's Blunder’ was the top rated story.
As of July 2006, estimates suggest that Firefox's usage share is around 12% of overall browser usage, with its highest usage in Germany (about 39%). The usage data gives Opera's overall global share of the browser market as being between 0.5% and 1.0%, although Opera's usage share is over 11% in Ukraine, over 8% in Russia, over 7% in Poland and over 6% in Lithuania.
Safari’s global share has been climbing ever since its release, but is still below 5%.
The adoption rate of Internet Explorer seems to be closely related to that of Microsoft Windows, as it is the default web browser that comes with Windows. Since the integration of Internet Explorer 2.0 with Windows 95 OSR 1 in 1996, and especially after version 4.0's release, the adoption was greatly accelerated: from below 20% in 1996 to about 40% in 1998 and over 80% in 2000.
Internet Explorer had almost completely superseded its main rival Netscape and dominated the market.
After having fought and won the browser wars of the late 1990s, Internet Explorer began to see its usage share shrink. Having attained a peak of about 96% in 2002, it has since been in a steady decline, likely due to the rapid adoption of Mozilla Firefox, which statistics indicate is the current most significant competitor.
Nevertheless, Internet Explorer remains the dominant web browser, with a global usage share of around 85%. Usage is higher in Asia and lower in Europe.
Comments
i have ie6 firefox and opera on my pc they are all allright BUT i think that opera is probobly the best for speed of startup and surfing and the panels and customising however ie and ff are good in other ways like the website compatibility and if website people made their websites to support opera then it will by far thrash the lot of them but its compatibility problem is its downfall.
Ok, I will admit it I use IE. It works fine. Next!
'Your article states:
Since the integration of Internet Explorer 2.0 with Windows 95 OSR 1 in 1996, and especially after version 4.0's release, the adoption was greatly accelerated: from below 20% in 1996 to about 40% in 1998 and over 80% in 2000."
You should have added that Microsoft's behaviour to ensure this outcome was found to be anti-competitive under US anti-trust law. Microsoft and Bill Gates are now convicted monopolists.
You might add that the European Union (EU) is doing even more to force Microsoft to change it's monopolist behavior for the benefit of all users.
I for one use windows of necessity but avoid all other Microsoft software. And my next computer will be a MAC.
R C Gray
Anyone getting a woody over which internet browser they use does not have a strong enough grasp on reality to be giving advice - about anything. If you posted in order to persuade someone that your browser is they one they should be using I strongly recommend you re-examine your life. Geez guys, it's just a browser.
It is either disingenuous or incompetent for this journalist to talk about Microsoft Internet Explorer winning the browser war (as though it actually competed on merit), and to fail to mention the Microsoft anti-trust case. For those unfamiliar with history, Microsoft lost that case as it was proved conclusively that they were using their Windows programming interfaces to sabotage the performance of other browsers running on the Windows platform. The evidence was so compelling and the actions to egregious that the judge ordered Microsoft broken up into two companies (one for applications software, such as Internet Explorer; one to make operating system software, such as Windows XP). That would have happened except for the election of the corporate-protectionist Bush regime, who had the ruling overturned and allowed Microsoft to continue on it merry anti-competitive way.
Before you go babbling on how much greater firefox is, why don't you try Opera? I have ALL 3 browsers on my pc and i use my IE for my MSN messenger, Opera for everything else and Firefox in case some sites have a personal vendetta towards Opera.
That is a problem, people are embracing Firefox like god when its always 2nd fiddle to Opera. I said i have all 3, i've done comparisons and speed is important so;
Speed: Opera>Firefox=Internet explorer
As for security, i had no problems yet and if you have an updated antivirus and firewall, there shouldn't be a problem.
Opera has mouse gestures, first to come out with tabbed browsing, widgets and a bittorrent(very basic) client.
What is there not to like?
Before telling me that "firefox is the best" and "firefox roxx all", shut the hell up and try Opera....
guys : try Avant Browser
It is much better than Fire Fox or IE!!!
Regards,
I use the Maxthon Browser and will continue do so. I just checked and note 69,332,327 others also use it.....
Features, updates, crashing, standards ... Microsoft is failing misserably. Either Safari or Firefox seem to do it for me, don't know which of these is better (because i'm not a browser programmer and don't want to sound like an 18 year old idiot fooled by the ui) but for sure they're far better than IE.
Safari is the best browser available today....offcourse you can not not directly test it against IE as it is only for mac.... but atleat on Mac it works wonderfully ...far far better than IE & Firefox on windows...
Veepee
Firefox rawks. Let's get yer rocks and metals straightened out here and admit it like your skin is worth something. Most of our lives are about proving something, either to ourselves or to someone else so yes naturally; it befalls us to superimpose those views over our browsers. Open your mind to extreme possibility. You have the ability within you to superceede Internet Explorer and catapault yourself to the ultimate Firefox experience. The historian is a prophet looking backwards this is clearly not a way to move forwards. Aspire instead to look back and realize how you shoul've been using Firefox all along. Free your mind.
LOL..Rich and secure MS says on the release of IE7..but not even 24hrs, low and behold! Security vunerability!
http://secunia.com/Internet_Explorer_Arbitrary_Content_Disclosure_Vulner...
To you "web developers", notice the quotes? you need them! If you actualy followed the W3C standards you'd have a web page that works on all browsers.. Stop using some made up tags just for IE..in fact, un-install your frontpage2003 and learn how to code..
I seen a post early in the thread that firefox takes longer to patch..what were you on man! patchs come as soon as they fix 'em..
Microsoft? Well, we'll dump the patches once a month and hope it works. Even really critical patches unless they get loads of press that a group of programmers release a patch for IE on their own, then they'll move on it. lets see, my last IE6 patch for XP64 was 24mb..24 megs!!
The best patch you can do for IE6 (or IE7) is www.getfirefox.com. and it'll be a smaller patch at that..
I am an open-minded outsider, who has read this whole thread and come away no wiser. This is a weakness of the internet and calls to mind the saying "No-one wins an argument".( prejudices are not altered by discussion, however much fun the argument is). I recently read an article by some web theorist who wanted to include official credentials of some kind with every post. I've no idea how it would work but it would be better than this.
Other than the fact that there are more FireFox and IE users than there are Opera users, there have been no arguments to explain why either is better than Opera. Opera is more feature-rich, faster, and more versatile than any of the browsers listed in this article.
So far it just sounds like sheep arguing with sheep.
If you really want to know which browser is better then use them all and come up with some sort of a reasoned opinion.
First of all im 18, secondly i a professional web designer and programmer.I tried firefox in the past, but nothing beats IE. Just because firefox owns a small share of the market, and doesnt get attacked like IE, doesnt make it secure. In fact it is less secure than ie, and its updates are generally slower.
I hate the fact that none of these except Opera is fully standard compliant. I am currently developing a site and I hate watching it render diff in ff or ie6...
PS: Flock is too a very VERY good browser. Mozilla based, it has the perfect amount of features on it, at least for me. www.flock.com
if anyone is a flock user send me some comments on it... [email protected]
I have used IE for probably 8 years now. I work doing ISP technical support and have used IE ever since I have worked here. Last week, one of my co workers took it upon himself to install Firefox for me on my system. He also downloaded the IE tab extension which allows me to open those certain few pages in firefox that would only open in internet explorer. Since Firefox has been on my system at work, I have no need to use IE for anything. In fact, when I use someone elses computer, I end up getting discouraged and closing the IE browser. It's almost like I can't enjoy my time online unless it's through the Firefox browser. IE7 "may" be somewhere near as good eventually, but for right now... nothing could take me away from my Firefox, it's the best thing to happen to my PC in a very long time.
Unforntunately Firefox got it right, and gives their users what they want, fast and safe web browsing with the ability to do anything else with the near millions of extensions and add-ons. IE7 did all they could do, and that was to copy everything from firefox, and give it the oh so boring curved edge they put on everything (windows, live, etc). I will continue to use Firefox, as everytime i need to open IE i have to run my spyware and adware programs to get rid of all the junk that was installed in a couple minutes of browsing.
i think Microsoft will stop the enslaught their browser is getting in the usage arena, but it wont pull back, no firefox users will drop firefox for the fatter sister, how ever fewer people will ditch IE7 in the first place and move on up to firefox. So lets (as firefox users) just hope tha the baddies keep going after IE7 and for us to be protected by our best defence, the invisibility cloak
Mozilla firefox sucks.
It has the fatal Windows flaw: Like Microsoft Windows, Firefox has to be shut down at least once a day.
I was using Firefox, I surf the net by opening lots of tabs in Firefox and then closing them one by one as I finish reading a tab, you know, the fun times on the net. This almost always results in Firefox eating up most of my computer’s RAM. As Windows starts paging everything to disk, the computer starts getting slower and slower. The only solution then is to close Firefox and start it again. The reason for this problem seems to be memory leaks. What sort of software has memory leaks? Unfortunately, it seems the answer is most software, though Firefox is the biggest memory hog I have seen.
Firefox has “excellent” features, popup blocking to avoid annoying advertising, tabbed browsing to manage browsing sessions, an integrated, customizable search field, all features that empower the end user. However, in those areas where Firefox excels as an application, it fails in another basic UNIX principle (http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/ch01s06.html ) of applications ease of interoperability. Using a MUA, at all, under Firefox, is an exercise in frustration. Simply specifying a preference for a MUA results in locating and installing the correct extension or locating and editing a hidden preference file…cool.
Did I mention they have a propaganda site: www.spreadfirefox.com…t-shirts and all. I’d rather give in to Mr. Gates and not be a pimp to a lousy fan boy congested browser, but that’s me.
FACTS:
15% of web pages aren't completely compatible with Firefox
Firefox is not 100% Internet Explorer and ActiveX compatible. Web pages that depend on ActiveX or were only tested in Internet Explorer will only render and work properly in Internet Explorer based browsers. Web page features such as Menus, Web forms or other content may not function or behave differently then intended. This means that someone using Firefox may come across a website that does not look or work right. This is pretty significant information that is conveniently left out by the legions of Firefox followers.
Firefox is Slow
Yes, I realize that Internet Explorer is part of windows and therefore can load a lot faster. 30 seconds for a browser that I'll open to do a quick Google search on a topic that I need some quick info on is just obscene. Bear in mind this is with none of these so called "Extensions" installed.
Firefox eats memory
I have caught Firefox, after several hours of use using over 150mb of ram, with one tab open. This is once again using no Extensions. Don't just come back with your lame riposte of "Have you tried using the latest version?” That is not the problem. Bad memory management is something that has been an integral part of Firefox since before 1.0, and all the versions up to today suffer from this downfall. What is wrong with you developers? Can you not code? I realize that Internet Explorer is bundled with Windows and can therefore hide its memory usage behind the bulk that is my operating system. But 150mb - For fucks sake; You have some incompetent developers in your team.
Firefox is NOT more secure
More secure than what exactly? Looking back only 2 versions, Firefox had possibly the best exploit in a piece of software I've ever seen. By composing a malformed url, a malicious person could actually execute shell commands on a users machine. For those not in the know, this basically meant the entire contents of a user's hard disk could effectively be erased with just one click on a link. Pure genius.
Firefox is NOT faster
Wtf? OLOL. Even once Firefox is loaded up, its browsing speed just doesn't compare to Internet Explorer's. Admittedly, IE5 cheated, but IE6 is kosher and is still kicking ass. I like clicking on a url and having the page load instantly. Microsoft have it right - the internet should feel just like another application on your machine, whereas Firefox just keep adding features, making it slower, clunkier and prettier and lying about its speed.
Firefox DOES NOT protect you against spyware and adware
Granted that this should really come under the heading of security, but its such a preposterous lie that it deserved its own heading. Any browser with the ability to execute javascript, store cookies and other data is vulnerable to adware and spyware with one way or another. Just because you lack the (rather brilliant) functionality of ActiveX doesn't mean you are safe. Stop lulling uneducated people into a false sense of security by spreading these lies. Firefox is just as vulnerable as other browsers in these regards. Hell, you can actually GET ActiveX for Firefox as one of these "Extensions". It then becomes just as 'bad' as IE.
CLOSING:
Firefox is being touted as having innovated features as if it invented them, such as tabbed browsing and Pop-up blocking. I'm sorry to be the historian and ruin everyone's party but Opera has had these "Innovations" for years. So have other web browser like Avant Browser, Maxthon (MyIE2) and these programs all implement the system better. **update** the New IE http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx?mg_ID=10010
From a Web IT/Designer of over 8 years:
“It forces a designer to change code so that it will work, It comes along after IE and decides to change the rules, it reads things differently, it doesn’t support certain tags and such, It’s a pile of poo, it’s for the new crowd of lame brain designers with no clue to use and proclaim holy.”
There you have it, poo.
Here are a few things from a software engineer's standpoint:
1. IE has has "plugin" support from v6 - they are called add-ins.
2. Firefox is not friendly to developers.
3. Firefox leaves a larger memory footprint in your OS.
4. Firefox came after IE so I don't see how you can say IE is "stealing" its feature set..
5. Mathon, an unofficial release of IE7, already had the features of Firefox.
firefox is by far much more user friendly. This is can only be realized
once you get used/addicted to the tab browsing. If IE had tabbed browsing it would be usable, but I think it would be lame if they copied firefox.
Another huge advantage is all of the add-ons that are availlable on firefox. It literally blows IE out of the water.
Speed means nothing at all to me since firefox is already going faster than I can be aware of.
My work uses firefox and my local university. The damage is pretty severe to IE when educational institutions are pointing out Firefox's superiority over IE to generations of students.
I'm amazed that there are still people who feel safe using Internet Explorer. It's just not secure. When a security hold arises it takes Microsoft sometimes months to fix it. In contrast, Mozilla fixes Firefox issues very quickly within a few days usually. I would venture to say that many users of Internet Explorer don't know how to switch and because they don't the just continue to use it. And it's due to this naive mindset and/or reluctance to learn something new that a user justifies their insecure status. For goodness sakes, it was so bad there that sometimes the only thing you had to do was open the browser, not to mention that the same underlying code is used in Outlook Express and sometimes in Outlook.
Also, in my opinion many corporate environments are still using IE because they can maintain 'control' over the users in the company. IE is better suited for mass installations and mass disabling of features in the browser than Firefox is. As a result of this the usage of IE in the coporate environment will still stay high - and I would venture to say you will see in this respect you will see some clear reasons why IE is used over Firefox and vice versa.
Bottom line in my opinion is that Firefox much more secure from the standpoint of keeping things 'out' by default. If a system adminstrator wants to keep his hand over what apps are on a computer, he'll opt for IE and then tune the hell out of it so it resembles as secure browser. In my opinion they get the misery they deserve for not making a change. 'Change' is progress. 'Standing Still' is, well, standing still.
IE 7...I downloaded it yesterday, this morning I uninstalled it. IE 7 took over my PC and was very cumbersome to use. All I got was error message after error message. IE 7 was very slow in loading web pages. I love the ability to unistall IE 7 and being able to go back to IE 6, this is the best feature of IE 7.
...is that it uninstalls relatively easily and cleanly, unlike MS's WGA spyware.
I find Firefox and Opera to be far more useful, friendly, secure, and bug-free. I use IE and Netscape on occasion but never by default.
I am a staunch supporter of IE7 and results have shown conclusively that Firefox is a much slower browser than IE7. Speed is what counts. =)
Firefox has set the trend for how an internet browser 'SHOULD' be done, and IE are frantically scrambling to copy as many features as possible to try and not lose anymore users. (Same strategy as usual?)
Opera is very close behind, but for me personally, it has tried to include too many other programs into itself (eg, BitTorrent, IRC, etc...) and should have stuck to an internet browser like FireFox has.
Anyone who think Internet Explorer is better, is clearly:
1) A basic internet user with limited internet browsing experience.
2) An employee of Microsoft.
3) Unable to install FireFox onto their PC due to Restricted Admin. Permissions at work ;)
In response to the first comment, what are these "so many features?" of IE - The ability to crash, have security holes and not meet common internet standards until two years too late?
[siacasm]Oh... They have a favourites menu and you can view the history! How handy! [/siacasm]
[quote=Steve_God]Firefox has set the trend for how an internet browser 'SHOULD' be done, and IE are frantically scrambling to copy as many features as possible to try and not lose anymore users. (Same strategy as usual?)
Opera is very close behind, but for me personally, it has tried to include too many other programs into itself (eg, BitTorrent, IRC, etc...) and should have stuck to an internet browser like FireFox has.
Anyone who think Internet Explorer is better, is clearly:
1) A basic internet user with limited internet browsing experience.
2) An employee of Microsoft.
3) Unable to install FireFox onto their PC due to Restricted Admin. Permissions at work ;)
In response to the first comment, what are these "so many features?" of IE - The ability to crash, have security holes and not meet common internet standards until two years too late?
[siacasm]Oh... They have a favourites menu and you can view the history! How handy! [/siacasm][/quote]
Typical Firefox user-can't even spell sarcasm.
Come back when you do two or more of the following:
1. Learn to spell.
2. Learn grammar.
3. Reach your 16th birthday.
So you're an IE user, right?
Care to explain why? Even if this man is under 16, that means he knows a hell of a lot more about the web than you do. When I used a PC (I have a Mac now, thank God), I used to use IE, then I tried Firefox and realised how good it actually is. It can do everything IE can, but better. That's just the truth.
And about Microsoft not making software for Macs, I don't see why they should. Most Mac users are using Macs for a reason - They are against Microsoft. Why else would they buy one? Macs are viewed by the general public as garbage, even if they are better than PCs. You get what you pay for. The sheer majority of them would know that Microsoft does not make good products, and I doubt most of them would even USE IE. Not with better browsers out there. Safari is a far better default browser for a system. I'm not a fan of it, but it's still light years ahead of where IE will ever be.
Now take your useless shit and get the **** out until you have something useful to contribute. Saying all users are like him is ignorant.
Hello
. I can spell, I am over 16, and I say Firefox, Firefox, Firefox All the way That's all I have to say O K
Now Get firefox. You would wonder Why you didn't get Firefox before. come On.
ea.
This is the typical Microsoft IE user response, just attack the person and avoid any discussion in support of IE.
I use both, and find Firefox to be more stable, feature rich, and much faster. Sorry Microsoft, your product is just too bloated needs to go on a code diet.
As a One Time User of I.E., since reformed and now using both Firefox and Opera; I am quite reluctant to believe any rhetoric coming from Redmond concerning ANY new software release from that part of the world.
Do I use I.E.? Unfortunately, as a web designer, I MUST. However, only to the extent of verifying page markup.
As far as IE7 is concerned, it's going to have to be something very close to, if not totally, absolute perfection before I give up Firefox.
Now I know Firefox is not perfect but, it's leaps and bounds better than IE6. Besides, it's found a permanent spot on my "Quick Launch" bar. And, if I had my guess, IE7 from the very onset, probably needs to go on a diet as I'd almost bet money I don't have it is as bloated as any of it's predecessors.
Personally, I'll wait for a month or two before installing IE7... Hopefully they'll have the major security flaws, non-working elements and other "buggaboos" that seem to be attached to Anything and Everything "New" from Microsoft.
Why is it that microsoft has abandond macking any SW
For the mac platform?
i thought they were a software company
you can't get internet explorer (Office)ETC
not that i would use any of the above but some people Might ??
i use firefox & Like It Lots
There are plenty of people out there who uses Internet Explorer because it's there and the first thing they see about Firefox is that it is exactly the same, because they don't see the extra add on(extensions)and the mass configuration options that will suit any individual. You can even make it look like IE6. So overall I prefer Firefox and right now Firefox is still better.
I dont agtee with you...I believe that Internet explorer is the best bet and will continue to be. It is packed with so many features and is secure. I have been using it since long and I am in full support of it.
You need to take a spelling class, you ******* moron.
The typos are a nice touch, gives the impression that you aren't really an astroturfer.
I am and will continue to be a Firefox user and i am 100 percent sure that i am the better for it. It boasts much easier usage and interface than Explorer, (which to be honest has seen its day even with this new incarnation.) I have tried the most recent beta of explorer 7 and found it to be cumbersom, structurly lacking and most of all a poor attempt of a firefox copy.
It is lacking in every way that it needs to be perfect. Whereas firefox structure is superb and i wait with eager anticipation to see what the next release (which is due soon,) brings to the table.
In all honesty the only reason why explorer has such a high percentage within global share is due to the fact that their software is bundled with the o/s and people get used to what they have instead of looking for more and better reliability.
Firefox is the future of browsing and the stats with the rate of increase shows us that.
!!!!!!!!!!!!Firefox forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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