AfterDawn: Tech news

Firefox, Safari steal more browser market share

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 04 Mar 2009 10:43 User comments (23)

Firefox, Safari steal more browser market share According to new data from Net Applications, Firefox continues to steal browser market share from the leader Internet Explorer, jumping to 21.77 percent, up a percentage point since the new year.
Gaining over a percent as well was Apple's Safari, which settled at 8.02 percent. Google's relatively new Chrome browser jumped over 1 percent to settle at 1.15 percent.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, which comes pre-installed on every Windows machine, dropped to 67.44 percent, a continuing slow decline since the broswer hits its peak in 2003, at 95 percent market share.

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23 user comments

14.3.2009 23:34

inb4FFFanboys

Seriously, calm down

But it is interesting to see Google Chrome be that high already

24.3.2009 23:47

OMGLIEKYAYFIREFOXYIFFYIFFYIFF

*Humps Mozilla*

But in all seriousness, all this shows is that the average consumer of today has rapidly wise'd up to Microsoft's utter lack of customer care.

I personally use Firefox, as I just could not live without Adblock+ and NoScript, but I have used all the other main browsers (with the exception of Safari. The day I use ANYTHING from Apple willingly is the day I put my nads through a cheese grater) and each has their merits.
Opera is as Solid as ever, and nice to use, and Chrome is certainly looking promising, though I do wish Google would not bother and pump money into Firefox, but that's something only the old Google would do.

-le Sigh-

EDIT: Also, Holy F-ing Furfags Captain! People STILL use Netscape? Seriously, What the hell? 0.66% is far to high for people just Experimenting for the Lulz. Someone needs to take them out of the 90's.

And then Shoot them for Idiocy!

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Mar 2009 @ 11:53

35.3.2009 00:31

Originally posted by Lothros:
EDIT: Also, Holy F-ing Furfags Captain! People STILL use Netscape? Seriously, What the hell? 0.66% is far to high for people just Experimenting for the Lulz. Someone needs to take them out of the 90's.

And then Shoot them for Idiocy!
I remember that browser... Had it in my Win 95 some time if I remember right.

How come its not dead yet?


btw... now proud Firefox user ;)

45.3.2009 00:57
SamNz
Inactive

Chrome + Bfilter FTW :D

55.3.2009 02:16

Wow, Opera is only .71%. How depressing. It deserves to have a larger market share.

65.3.2009 03:13

Originally posted by Lothros:
OMGLIEKYAYFIREFOXYIFFYIFFYIFF
EDIT: Also, Holy F-ing Furfags Captain! People STILL use Netscape? Seriously, What the hell? 0.66% is far to high for people just Experimenting for the Lulz. Someone needs to take them out of the 90's.

And then Shoot them for Idiocy!
sorry, but some of us who were not getting our diapers changed in the 90's loved Netscape. The AOL interface zombies and later IE losers who never appreciated Netscape may see things your way.

Netscape is not a bad browser. Sure, AOL screwed it up in its later days just like they and Microsoft screw everything else up. But that is no reason to bash it.

Every once in a while I will use Netscape as well, just to see how it still works on modern websites. That is probably where the numbers are coming from. People like I am who know what it was like not to have the modern Internet access we all have today. People who, when they finally got regular Internet access, did so using Netscape.

I have seen web browsers come and go. Firefox is most certainly the best of them at present. But give it some time. In 10 years, Firefox will be trumped by some other web browser, and you may look back thinking how wonderful the Mozilla project was dethroning Microsoft. By that time, whatever version of Firefox is out will be considered a sorry browser by kids getting their diapers changed today. Some newer company will be around promoting its new design.

75.3.2009 08:01

Quote:
Originally posted by Lothros:
OMGLIEKYAYFIREFOXYIFFYIFFYIFF
EDIT: Also, Holy F-ing Furfags Captain! People STILL use Netscape? Seriously, What the hell? 0.66% is far to high for people just Experimenting for the Lulz. Someone needs to take them out of the 90's.

And then Shoot them for Idiocy!
sorry, but some of us who were not getting our diapers changed in the 90's loved Netscape. The AOL interface zombies and later IE losers who never appreciated Netscape may see things your way.

Netscape is not a bad browser. Sure, AOL screwed it up in its later days just like they and Microsoft screw everything else up. But that is no reason to bash it.

Every once in a while I will use Netscape as well, just to see how it still works on modern websites. That is probably where the numbers are coming from. People like I am who know what it was like not to have the modern Internet access we all have today. People who, when they finally got regular Internet access, did so using Netscape.

I have seen web browsers come and go. Firefox is most certainly the best of them at present. But give it some time. In 10 years, Firefox will be trumped by some other web browser, and you may look back thinking how wonderful the Mozilla project was dethroning Microsoft. By that time, whatever version of Firefox is out will be considered a sorry browser by kids getting their diapers changed today. Some newer company will be around promoting its new design.


Ummm for an golden oldie like me you don't seem to realise that FIREFOX IS NETSCAPE !
Netscape was made open source after M$ killed it and the Mozilla foundation turned the old Netscape code into Firefox ~!

85.3.2009 09:54

I've unfortunately seen other recent stats showing IE gaining of late. Not sure whose stats to trust. Here is one example:

From Statowl.com

Anybody used that site before? How does it compare to Net Applications?

95.3.2009 11:29
looser_ur
Inactive

Originally posted by ROMaster2:
inb4FFFanboys

Seriously, calm down

But it is interesting to see Google Chrome be that high already

Google ANYTHING is all hype and trendy. The only thing that google provides (free) that is great, worthy, useful, fun, etc is Google Earth. That's it. Gmail is a waste, google toolbar is a no no under any circumstances, Google search is just as effective as Yahoo search. Google blah blah blah

Can everyone say..............."Google Band-wagon"?

105.3.2009 13:04

Quote:
Originally posted by ROMaster2:
inb4FFFanboys

Seriously, calm down

But it is interesting to see Google Chrome be that high already

Google ANYTHING is all hype and trendy. The only thing that google provides (free) that is great, worthy, useful, fun, etc is Google Earth. That's it. Gmail is a waste, google toolbar is a no no under any circumstances, Google search is just as effective as Yahoo search. Google blah blah blah

Can everyone say..............."Google Band-wagon"?
you obviously have a dislike for the popularity of google, and thats understood, i tend to hate trendy sht as well, but in this case i disagree. Google offers some of the best services around. Gmail is by far superior than any hotmail or yahoo garbage, google search uses a different and superior algorithm, and although i used to be a bug fan of firefox, and had been using it for over 5 years, i actually switched over to chrome within the past few days and find it to be much better. The transition was hesitant because i liked firefox, and i tried chrome the first day it came out, but after spending time with both, chrome has intelligent features, and blocks pop ups and viruses much more than firefo. The last few updates of firefox have been ridden with security holes.

115.3.2009 13:07

Quote:
Originally posted by ROMaster2:
inb4FFFanboys

Seriously, calm down

But it is interesting to see Google Chrome be that high already

Google ANYTHING is all hype and trendy. The only thing that google provides (free) that is great, worthy, useful, fun, etc is Google Earth. That's it. Gmail is a waste, google toolbar is a no no under any circumstances, Google search is just as effective as Yahoo search. Google blah blah blah

Can everyone say..............."Google Band-wagon"?
on the other hand, if you own anything apple and talk about google being a bandwagon, then your opinion pretty much means nothing.

125.3.2009 13:19

Quote:
Originally posted by ROMaster2:
inb4FFFanboys

Seriously, calm down

But it is interesting to see Google Chrome be that high already
commented by looser_ur
Google ANYTHING is all hype and trendy. The only thing that google provides (free) that is great, worthy, useful, fun, etc is Google Earth. That's it. Gmail is a waste, google toolbar is a no no under any circumstances, Google search is just as effective as Yahoo search. Google blah blah blah

Can everyone say..............."Google Band-wagon"?
Wrong! Picasa 3 is pretty good too even though Google wasn't the origin provider they have done a good job keeping it up and competing with Apple's version of that app.

The average person doesn't really care much about what browser to use and whatever comes with their PC is what they will use and prefer as once they are use to it they won't want to change no matter how nice another flavor might be. It would be the Tech wise and some kids that would look for something better like Firefox. So MS will most likely always be the highest percentage of users unfortunately. I use Avant and if Orca wasn't so buggy I'd use it too as it is based on Mozilla. I also use Firefox & Safari but Firefox has had major issues as of late and Safari just sucks if you ask me. Opera has never impressed me so I don't even other with it and AOL? please.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 05 Mar 2009 @ 1:22

135.3.2009 13:56

Quote:
Google offers some of the best services around. Gmail is by far superior than any hotmail or yahoo garbage, google search uses a different and superior algorithm...

Indeed, Google use the "Who advertises the most and pays the most to get their name at the top of the list" algorithms. it depends wht you are searching for. If you are searching for some serious academic stuff,good luck sorting through Google's findings. It will first display pages of publicized junk before taking you to the serious information.
Quote:
The average person doesn't really care much about what browser to use and whatever comes with their PC is what they will use and prefer as once they are use to it they won't want to change no matter how nice another flavor might be. It would be the Tech wise and some kids that would look for something better like Firefox. So MS will most likely always be the highest percentage of users unfortunately...
Totally agree. I house-sat for some friends of mine for about a week. They are in their 50's. of course, on both computers they had IE as the default browser, and I switched it to Firefox. When I got home, they called me:
-"what did it happen to our internet?
- "Well, you see, I did that and that, is safer,features,yada,yada..."
- "Oh, okay".
5 minutes later
-" How do we switch back? I can't use this one, I got used with the old way". And that was it.

145.3.2009 14:49
ericg8
Inactive

Google has done an admirable job of maintaining a clear distinction between paid placement and other search results. They have also done a remarkable job of not manipulating search results to reflect their personal or regional political or issue-related bias.

Microsoft and Ebay should take note.

155.3.2009 15:30

Browser wars are great! I remember the days of Netscape. A fully integrated browswer with email and everything!
Now we have firefox and it is pretty good too, but unfortunantly IE is still the defacto standard. In other words, sometimes a page will only display correctly in IE.
I've tried a few other browsers, including Chrome and they're alright. Nothing really worth making the change over, though.
Google has some pretty amazing things out there right now and are a leader when it comes to innovation. GoogleDocs, Picassa, Gmail, Google Earth... These are trend setters. Like them or hate them, they are clearly forcing others to keep up and that is always a good thing.
Example: Everyone knows about GoogleDocs... but have you ever heard of Live docs? They exist and they are cool, but Google is the one that made them popular and set the trend, not Microsoft.

The Interweb future is bright! I can't wait to see what it brings us.

165.3.2009 17:11

I have to agree - Mozilla Firefox has it all! I've got Chrome loaded, but I hate it!

175.3.2009 19:36

Originally posted by mrblonde1:
I've unfortunately seen other recent stats showing IE gaining of late. Not sure whose stats to trust. Here is one example:

From Statowl.com

Anybody used that site before? How does it compare to Net Applications?
That just shows how many people use M$ how many people don't like M$ and how many people have an Apple.

Not being an Apple fan I would still use Safari if it was more compatible with external apps. But once IE8 comes out people will be back to the mainstay.

Yes I have tried all other browser to try and find something else but keep coming back to IE, and am using IE8 at the moment

186.3.2009 04:42

For me it doesn't surprise me that firefox and google are charging and bridging the gap. However it amazes me to that Netscape is still in the mix well done.

196.3.2009 07:27

I won't be happy until I pass a dark alley one day and see Micro$oft and Apple going round and round each other in a knife fight.

With Firefox waiting to shoot the victor in the back of the head.

207.3.2009 04:29

Most seem to take the Firefox gain as being a good thing. As an almost exclusive Firefox user since before v2.0, personally, I'd like to see it stay about where it is, or maybe even decline somewhat. Whatever is used the most, THAT is what gets hacked the most. Just notice how many more security holes are being found in Firefox now than before. It is only because more people are looking for them. Once the exploits get too high, I'll switch to Opera. I've already fiddled with it on my cell phone, and I've heard nothing but good things about it. If things keep going the way they are, I'll be a new Opera user before the end of next year.
I'm on "gallagher's" side on this one. No need to hate on Netscape all you diaper kiddos. There will always be the underdog and up-and-coming browsers. 4thletter, I didn't realize that Mozilla was using Netscape code to build from? Interesting. Got a source on that? Thx.

217.3.2009 11:50
ericg8
Inactive
2212.3.2009 09:51

Proud FF user!! But with that being said.... I just love to see ppl using IE. I make sooooo much $$$$$$ removing all the spyware\adware\malware\viruses. Keep up the good work. I need all the work I can get!!!!!

2312.3.2009 14:19

Quote:
In 1998, an informal group called the Mozilla Organization was formed and largely funded by Netscape (the vast majority of programmers working on the code were paid by Netscape) to co-ordinate the development of Netscape 5 (codenamed "Gromit"), which would be based on the Communicator source code. However, the aging Communicator code proved difficult to work with and the decision was made to scrap Netscape 5 and re-write the source code. The re-written source code was in the form of the Mozilla web browser, which, with a few additions, Netscape 6 was based on.

Quote:
Between 2005 and 2007, Netscape's releases became known as Netscape Browser. AOL chose to base Netscape Browser on the relatively successful Mozilla Firefox, a re-written version of Mozilla produced by the Mozilla Foundation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_(web_browser)

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