RSSFirefox Usage Up, But Slowing
By Nate Mook | Published February 28, 2005, 3:44 PM
According to recent data from two Web statistics firms, Mozilla's Firefox continues to eat away at Microsoft's Internet Explorer market share, but its gains have begun to slow. WebSideStory reports that Firefox is used by 5.69 percent of Web surfers while IE usage has dropped below 90 percent for the first time in years to 89.95 percent.
Although it continues to make progress in a market once dominated solely by IE, Firefox's rate of growth has diminished since its 1.0 launch in November. The open source browser's market share initially grew 34 percent, but has since dropped to a rate of 15 percent.
OneStat, meanwhile, placed total usage of Mozilla-based browsers at 8.45 percent with IE holding 87.28 percent of the market. OneStat did not provide specific Firefox usage numbers, but echoed WebSideStory's growth trend.
"Firefox's usage has slowed since its big surge in November. This is probably to be expected as we move beyond the early adopter segment," said WebSideStory CEO Jeff Lunsford.
Nonetheless, Firefox has been a resounding success for the Mozilla Foundation. The browser recently passed the 25 million download mark, and even garnered congratulations from Microsoft evangelist turned blogger Robert Scoble. "In just a few months your app has become one of the most used Windows applications in the world," Scoble wrote.
Seemingly in response to the growing threat from Firefox, as well as concern from partners and customers, Microsoft has backed away from its long-standing decision to hold off on any major IE upgrade until the next release of Windows in 2006. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announced earlier this month that IE7 will be released before Longhorn, with a beta scheduled for this summer.
Firefox is successful because it has a seriously clean interface and no bloat.
It's a browser and it doesn't try to be anything else.
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|It would be nice to see how many pages are viewed with FF or IE. Just because you download somthing does not mean you are going to use it.
I DL lots of times just to have it before it disapears, or has to be paid for.
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|You can't base usage on downloads. I'm sure a great number of people have downloaded it to try it but tossed it after they did.
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|To extend your example the other way I have downloaded Firefox for my company twice (1.0/1.0.1) and it's in use on 65 machines currently. My stats show ~30% in house are using it as their primary browser.
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|it's time to publish another ad in the NYTimes
amit
http://labnol.blogspot.com
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|I think the data is true.
Mozilla got huge new user because the news and the review at the begining is very big.
but after many user try it many people feel not as good as what they want it.
so, mozilla need to improve the Firefox in many area. example:
- More better Interface, for easier use, example there is No New Tab/ Window Icona as default, there is No On, Off Image/ animations Icon as defaul, ETC. so basically more icons as default is better for easier use.
- Better Download manager, and options.
- Better Managing bookmark
and look at Maxthon http://www.maxthon.com/ , and learn why many people love it
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|ummmmm...
Maxthon has a smaller user base than Firefox... it has a cluttered and confusing interface.
Compared to Maxthon, Firefox is already the big time player...
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|I agree with you on the download manager, everthing else, I love.
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|Definatly agree in some areas here. But then the problem is trying to keep the firefox 'mentality' of an un-bloated piece of software. So as long as it does what it does well, there isn't so much of a worry. Things like animated icons, whilst pretty would add bloat.
I would love an improved download manager though. The built in one doesn't do its job well. For example I can't resume files a few days later. They're just canceled. And it doesn't check the size is what it should be (i've ended up with many a copy of nero only partly downloading in firefox).
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|WebSideStory is trying to cause a stir by claiming that adoption of Firefox is slowing down. However, this is not true - not even when looking at their own numbers. WebSideStory have now removed the most misleading numbers in their report, and replaced them with more relevant figures.
Using these (new) figures for a few calculations, it's clear that Firefox has seen the same average adoption rate of 0.021 percentage points per day since the beginning of December. Also, the decrease in adoption rate since November (when adoption averaged 0.037 percentage points per day) is only 42.5% [1-(0.021143/0.036786)=0.425] - not 56% [1-(15/34)=0.56] as the initial figures indicated.
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|It's noteworthy to mention that the % number increase in firefox usage may be declining, but the adoption rate has been relatively stable - so while it's not exploding, the average usage is increasing by the same amounts (25,000 per day or so) as it has been for a long time.
So the number of users increases by approx. the same number of users per day, but the pool of users is much larger so the % declines.
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|That would be 250,000 per day I believe.
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|Oops... I stand corrected :)
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|Although not without a few minor issues, Firefox is a terrific browser and a great alternative to IE 6. If word continues to get out about how good it is, Firefox should have far more than its current 5.69% market share within the next couple of years. I would just like to see Linux give M$ a run for their money in the not too distant future. If I can get more info on it, I won't hesitate to at least give linux a try.
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|Firefox is indeed a great alternative to Internet Explorer. I'm sure others will point out small flaws, but, to me, it seems highly polished, especially considering it is only on release 1.0.
My initial reason for downloading Firefox was because of all the adware/viruses that are targeted specifically at IE's vulnerabilities and which Firefox overcomes either through explicit security features or simply by not being IE.
My favorite Firefox improvement over IE is its replacement of annoying "Find in this page" pop-up windows (that lock you out of the window you were viewing) with a simple text box that is integral to the page you are viewing.
I see Firefox as the current best example of just how polished and competitive freely available open-source software can be. It has absolutely none of the "hacked" roughness that has been common in even highly functional open-source software of the past.
You mentioned Linux as another example of open-source you would like to see do well in diminishing the hegemony of behemoth Microsoft. (I'm adding my words to your sentiment.) I agree wholeheartedly. Although Linux still has some of the aforementioned "hacked" roughness, an OS is a much bigger entity to refine than a web-browser, and much is being done, world-wide, to bring the uniform beauty that is represented in Firefox to Linux.
If you are cheering Firefox and Linux, you should also be aware of another rising star in open-source software, namely the Solaris operating system, which, on version 10, recently became freely downloadable, and will soon have its entire source-code released as well. Not only is version 10 free, in contrast to the big bucks needed to acquire prior versions, but it introduces new and advanced features found in no other operating system, including prior releases. You can easily do your own research to find out more. I'll just say that this is the only instance I know of in which a company (Sun), put hundreds of millions into developing software only to make it free, binaries and source, from the get go. The usual pattern, if software is ever made free, is for the developing company to soak up as much as they can in sales first. I believe Solaris will draw significant open-source mindshare away from Linux development, but that both will continue to improve and draw market share away from Microsoft -- I hope big time.
With its flash, polish, and substance, Firefox is showing what is possible and I'm sure more, much more, is to yet to come in free open-source software.
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|Another good alternative to internet explore is Avant browser. It’s quiet a bit more secure then ie, and protects u from most spy ware, it's got a integrated popup blocker tabbed browsing lots of extra features as well... it's got nice skins included as well.. It’s worth giving it a try if you don't like it you can switch back to firefox... but I suggest you try it out first.
http://www.avantbrowser.com/
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|Not only do you state some informative and valid points davidhbraun, but your grammar is outstanding, especially on such an in-depth post! I'm impressed.
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|I'd agree - highly recommend Avant for any site that requires IE :)
As I quite dislike IEs rendering engine, I'd never use it for anything else, but as an interface, it's really nice
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