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Firefox Nears 10 Percent Market Share

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

July 15, 2005, 12:20 PM

Firefox continues to make gains on Internet Explorer, even though the Microsoft browser still holds a commanding lead, a Web-monitoring firm reported Friday. NetApplications said Firefox had reached an 8.71 percent usage share in June, up slightly less than three-quarters of a percent from the previous month. Internet Explorer use fell by a similar amount to 86.56 percent, suggesting most users were switching from IE to Firefox over other options.

NetApplications said it expected Firefox to reach a ten percent share shortly, and that it would continue "to gain significant traction once it gains acceptance by large corporations." The data, which is derived from traffic to more than 40,000 Web sites, also showed Apple's Safari with a 1.93 percent market share, AOL's Netscape with 1.55 percent, and Opera with 0.59 percent.

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By mightyjoe

posted Nov 1, 2005 - 8:27 PM

Firefox kicks butt. I can be much more productive using Firefox than any other browser I have tried. But it took me a while to determine which extensions were valuable and which were not. I put together a BLOG of my configuration so other users wouldn't have to go through the same trial and error that I did.

I've done the same for my freeware configuration. Check out my pages and let me know what you think!

Mighty Joe

http://mightyjoefirefox.blogspot.com/
http://mightyjoesfree.blogspot.com/

Score: 0

By Mastertech

posted Jul 18, 2005 - 7:26 AM

Fad no a Religion:
http://poptech.blogspot....refox-new-religion.html

As for it's popularity you might want to check out this:
http://poptech.blogspot....-update-conspiracy.html

Score: 0

By twosheds

posted Jul 17, 2005 - 12:39 PM

Fad? It's just that Firefox is the first browser to let you do what you want on the web, to really 'have it your way'. I admit Opera can do that but out-of-the-box Opera is immensely confusing and badly laid out, plus it's not free, plus the SHEER FREQUENCY of Firefox software and add-ons updating is dizzying, not a three-six month wait. Reason is no-one can effectively be sued for non-commercial software ****ing up, which can't be said for Opera no matter how many disclaimers they invent.

Score: 0

By VikingBlade

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 3:10 PM

Which one of these "tracking" firms is suppose to be more accurate? The other company I can think of is WebSideStory (or something like that).

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 3:52 PM

Alot of them rely on cookies, meaning that I AM NOT COUNTED as an IE user since I disable all cookies other than the ones that I know exactly what they do. Also Spybot adds sites to a ban list and so some studies could be affected there. Don't know that though.

Score: 0

By eunichman

posted Jul 16, 2005 - 2:34 AM

doesn't that make you speshul :) goofball, you can disable cookies in most all browsers these days so who cares what you use :)

Score: 0

By yohimbe9

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 3:59 PM

It's not about cookies, though. Every time your browser visits a page it tells the server what OS and Browser your using. You need to change the UserAgent string.

Score: 0

By p0rt1s

edited Jul 16, 2005 - 1:42 AM

That is correct. Also, these stats are accurate enough to judge how popular Firefox is getting.

In fact, i'm surprised to learn more mom and pops are using Firefox now instead of IE.

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Jul 16, 2005 - 3:59 AM

Yeah, actually, you're right. Both my Uncle and Mother use FF, but I'm still using Netscape, and my brother IE.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 2:00 PM

Perhaps they should stir up all the MS haters more by saying "Over 90% of the world DOES NOT use FireFox". It's the truth! FireFox is only great because of the advertising--trust me if Opera were advertised half as much as FF it'd be in better shape too. If home users think something is the latest fad they'll download it. THAT IS PROBABLY THE MAIN REASON FIREFOX HAS ANY MARKET SHARE AT ALL. Netscape was advertised but there are no "Netscape Fanatics" as there are FF fanatics, Netscape will never make it. US media: Lie to the public about something long enough and it will come true. That is exactly why this deceptive advertising is working--and THAT is why I will never support Firefox. As far as MS, I could argue forever about whether they are 'deceptive' in their advertising or not it won't change either of our minds.

Score: 0

By wincement

edited Jul 17, 2005 - 12:09 AM

agreed. While I'm not sure the media is purposefully misleading, I do believe that Firefox's success is due almost completely to the fact that everyone rallies behind it.

Support for Firefox may or may not be completely justified. I'm not going to say it's one way or the other. But the millions of computer nerds screaming "F|r3f0x ru|3z!!" are the reason for it's 10% market share.

Score: 0

By p0rt1s

posted Jul 16, 2005 - 1:44 AM

If Opera were advertised even 10 times more than Firefox, it will NEVER get to 5% of the market share. WHY? you ask.....well, Opera costs money when Firefox is FREE!

Score: 0

By spiffyjeff

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 3:32 PM

Do you seriously think people use Fx simply because it is a fad? I'll say this, when problems with explorer decrease, and people are no longer asking "how do i (block pop-ups, why won't this page work...)" then Fx talk/use will probably, greatly decrease. Even MS makes their browser comparable to the fox, are they going to make it avail for mac and linux?

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

edited Jul 15, 2005 - 3:49 PM

Not all use it as a fad. BUSINESSES do not use it as a fad, and they have good reasons. I'm talking home users, Joe Bloe that spyware infected his machine, FireFox looked good so he's using it instead of alternatives. I was a little too upset earlier to make an intelligent post but I decided to post here anyway, not thinking through. My main point remains, though, that it's misleading advertising. To say "FF close to 10% market share" implies everyone is rooting for it, while saying "90% of web users prefer alternatives rather than FireFox" implies everyone hates it. BOTH headlines are deceptive or at least misleading, even though both are technically correct.

Score: 0

By GeorgeSantayana

posted Jul 16, 2005 - 10:18 AM

The news reports anomolies. The fact that the news reports on suicide bombers rather than the 99.9% who *weren't* suicide bombers doesn't mean that most are *rooting for* suicide bombers, i.e., it's a non sequitur.

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 11:46 PM

Actually, the headline "Over 90% of the world DOES NOT use FireFox" does quite opposite of what you're saying.

WARNING! WARNING! 90% of the world's machines are INSECURE!! WARNING! WARNING!!

Atleast, that's how I'd read it if I saw it for the first time.

Score: 0

By wincement

edited Jul 17, 2005 - 12:05 AM

lol.... so you're one of THOSE.

Firefox = secure PC all by itself.

dream on... I don't care how good anyone's stupid browser is. It has very little to do with the overall security of a system.

Score: 0

By crashoverride

edited Jul 18, 2005 - 1:48 AM

one of THOSE.....
You make it sound like it's a bad thing

"Firefox = secure PC all by itself."

While I don't believe this I believe it takes a small part of the headache of security away. Firefox is a heck of a lot more customizable than IE.

You must be one of THOSE.
IE/MS = I'll follow Microsoft to hades

Score: 0

By Pipewrench

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 2:26 PM

Naw.....you're full of crap.

Opera would never be ahead because people will not pay for a browser and they use Firefox because they are tired of ads. Why would they want a free browser that has ads at the top when they can get a better one with no ads for free?

Paying for a browser is a joke and using one with ads is retarded.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 3:39 PM

I used Opera as an example--guess I should have used Netscape or Safari or something...not that they would be ahead either. My point was that I hate the way Firefox is advertised, and that's it.

Score: 0

By p0rt1s

posted Jul 16, 2005 - 1:45 AM

I smell jealousy. You are not from the Opera company are you?

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jul 18, 2005 - 10:35 AM

No...I haven't used Opera in years actually. BTW I am not with Microsoft either.

Score: 0

By reets

edited Jul 15, 2005 - 1:52 PM

Good stuff to hear :D Although Opera does by default say it's IE :P Opera is probably higher than that. My browsers to use are Firefox, Maxthon, and Opera (in that order).

Score: 0

By rseiler

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 8:10 PM

Not really: Any Web site knows that Opera's IE is actually Opera and not IE, since the ID string still has Opera in it!

(Yes, there is an obscure way to hide Opera almost completely by editing an .INI file, but it's only on a per-site basis.)

Score: 0

By cupsdell

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 3:13 PM

I did a couple of studies that showed that 70-75% of Opera users have their browsers configured with pseudo-IE userAgents. Even so, it is possible to determine whether the browser is really Opera, as the substring 'Opera' always appears in the userAgent string, even when configured to spoof IE.

For some browser stats see http://www.upsdell.com/BrowserNews/stat.htm

Score: 0

By Dolfhin

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 1:48 PM

Just wait until the FFB's see this and start whining about Opera's market share and talking about how great firefox is!

It's all about quality and innovation people not about quantity and copying!

Score: 0

By THZGryphon

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 12:38 PM

Jeez, by all the propaganda I would have thought it was higher than that already.

Score: 0

By Lotius

posted Jul 15, 2005 - 5:30 PM

I think the point of the article is that Firefox usage is growing. I didn't read anything that suggested that it was "better" or "more secure" in this particular article. Whether or not it is actually more secure or just a better overall browser can be argued until we're all old and grey and the internet is plugged directly into people's brains. One of the main draws to firefox for me personally is the fact that it at least appears that people are working on it. What is the great plan for IE6? Seems like they might have an IE7 in 2006, but for the most part you have to buy a brand spanking new operating system for it. Not many people are going to want to blow 300 dollars on an operating system on the risk of their other programs becoming incompatible just for proper png support and a fix for the activeX holes in IE. In order for Opera to really gain popularity, this misconception that all ad supported software is full of spyware and malware. Advertisement is part of capitalism and like any industry there are some people that don't play by the rules and some who do.

Score: 0

By complexity

posted Jul 17, 2005 - 3:05 AM

seriously could he speak the truth anymore?. I won't get into a browser war. This article proves. People want an alternative to Internet Explorer. And just like Lotius claimed. Its just telling you a lot of people like it. Ten Percent. Which is very impressive seeing that, you hafta actually go to a site and download it. Which many people don't like to do. Period. So, I'm not joining the browser war. Just stating some obvious facts.

Score: 0

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