After 100M IE7 Downloads, Firefox Still Gaining

Kelson writes "Internet Explorer 7 hit the 100 million download mark last week. Yet in the three months it's been available, Firefox's market share has continued to grow. InformationWeek reports that nearly all of IE7's growth has been upgrades from IE6. People don't seem to be switching back to IE in significant numbers, prompting analysts to wonder: has Microsoft finally met its match?"

Mozilla is NOT Microsoft's match...

[crhylove]

That's poorly worded at best. Firefox has pushed all the innovation in web browsers (unless you count Opera, other FOSS browsers). IE hasn't done anything new in nearly a decade. Open Source is always superior to proprietary (long term), for the simple fact that Open Source gets fixed faster, and by a bigger pool of coding talent.

Plus, last I checked, Mozilla doesn't have a vendor locked in OS X clone that is the hegemonic dominant force in the industry with which to leverage their sub-par browser.

The fact that Firefox even has 2% of the market (and obviously it's much higher) given this environment that so strongly favors IE, speaks volumes to the superiority of the browser, the superiority of the code, and the superiority of the Open Source model of software development.

My prediction is that IE will not have a version 9. If it does, nobody will pay any attention. Version 8 will be nearly as laughable a joke, but still have some market dominance just based on sheer MS monopolism, and the lethargic ignorance of the average Joe computer user.

Version 10 of IE will be Firefox automatically installed in Windows 2012, because otherwise Windows will fall even farther behind Linux and OS X in user adoption and market dominance.

rhY

100 million IE downloads = 50 million IE users

[MartyJG]

That's one download because it's a 'critical update', and another download to get a second copy of the installer to actually complete the installation when you realise the first one is broken.

Seriously, the number of borked IE installations I've seen recently is stupid. Perhaps they should measure satisfied customers instead?

I've actually increased the number of Firefox users thanks to IE7 - it was the quickest way to get the laptop back on the net to get the newer build of IE7.

tagged 'cheerleading'

[Anonymous Coward]

Article summary: Here's a vague statistic! Does this mean that we've finally slayed the ancient beast, bringing forth an unprecedented era of free software, good will, unshowered nerds, and 'view source' buttons?

Go team!! Gimme a 0x46! Gimme a 0x49! Gimme a 0x52! Gimme a 0x45! Gimme a cheer[0]! Gimme a 0x4F! Gimme a 0x58! What's that spell? VICTORY! Gooo team! Push the stack, pop the stack, saaaaaame stack!

ie tabbed browsing

[cmoguy]

i used firefox for years but found the new ie7 tabbed browsing (mainly the tab that launches a new tab) more intuitive and have since fallen in love with it. i tried to replicate it on firefox but after an hour or so of trying to i was unable to.

because i use both an antivirus (trend-micro) and spyware program (spyware doctor) i feel i have canceled out the security threats of using ie.

Re:Met its match?

[VorpalRodent]

It hasn't happened yet, but someday scientists will rename that planet to end stupid Uranus jokes once and for all. I predict: Urrectum.

Re:A fair test?

[commodoresloat]

both my mum and sister asked me to "fix the internet"

Well, did you? A lot of other people would appreciate it too you know!

Re:If you're like me

[shotgunsaint]

Oh, you'll pay for it... just not with cash, and not up front. :)

Re:Bad Metrics

[Big Nothing]

And since 92% of the population in the western hemsiphere are now "web designers", that would actually account for all downloads made so far.

Re:In all honesty, some of these things work both

[fader]

And, by the way, while I'm at it, how about the fact it automatically downloads updates and then forces them to install the next time I open Firefox, without asking me.

Edit - Preferences - Advanced - Update - Uncheck "Installed Add-ons"

Why can't I browse and tell Firefox where to put it instead of being arbitrarily forced to put it in the same inappropriate location?

Edit - Preferences - Main - Select "Always ask me where to save files" under Downloads.

The reason these things are like that by default is because, for most people, they're the Right Choice. If you don't like them, they're extremely simple to change. Being asked where to put a file every bloody time annoys me (and everyone I know) to no end. Similarly, many (if not most) people using Firefox have permissions to update their own extensions, but many don't know how or don't think to check for updates. Should they be kept at old versions because you are too lazy to uncheck a single box in a preference window?

Re:Not Funny.

[jZnat]

Judging by the average MySpace page, I wouldn't be surprised if the "designer" didn't bother to check what it looks like in any browser...