Microsoft asleep at the wheel

[Humpty]

Firefox has achieved what many thought impossible and overturned Microsoft's browser monopoly. This week the company announced that the browser had achieved 400 million downloads. We caught up with Tristan Nitot, president of Mozilla Europe, to find out why the open-source browser has been so successful and get the latest news on Firefox 3.

 

Firefox has just hit 400 million downloads. That's a significant milestone for the browser, why do you think there's been so much interest?

 

I think there was a huge need from people for a secure and accessible browser. Browsers hadn't been evolving for close to six years, but the web was. The browser had been dead while Microsoft was asleep at the wheel. Malware attacks and pop-ups became common and people got fed up with it.

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[Anthony A]

If Firefox was shipped with every version of Windows like IE is IE would be dead like it should be. The only reason it (IE) has the market share it has is because it comes with every computer that has Windows. I know many people who think the only way to get to the internet is to click the blue e on the desktop or quick launch bar. They don't know any better. They don't even know that it's a browser which is just a program and that there are others out there that are much better. Firefox has lots of momentum now and Microsoft can't reverse it. IE7 was the best they could do in 6 years and that browser is a sad joke.

 

I think/hope Microsoft goes the way of GM. Arrogant jerk offs that get their asses kicked by better competitors. In GM's case Toyota is over taken them and GM is losing market share badly. Bankruptcy is a very real possibility for them and it will be well deserved. They are a dinosaur and the meteor is coming. Hopefully it hits Microsoft to.

[Andavari]

In GM's case Toyota is over taken them and GM is losing market share badly. Bankruptcy is a very real possibility for them and it will be well deserved. They are a dinosaur and the meteor is coming. Hopefully it hits Microsoft to.

I want a Corvette before that meteor smacks them on the head and they disappear.

[Anthony A]

I want a Corvette before that meteor smacks them on the head and they disappear.

 

They won't disappear but their is a very good chance them and Ford will need to file for bankruptcy at some point. Than they will re structure and down size and continue on. Lost count how many reports I have read on this

[DennisD]

I know many people who think the only way to get to the internet is to click the blue e on the desktop or quick launch bar. They don't know any better. They don't even know that it's a browser which is just a program and that there are others out there that are much better.

Spot on there Anthony.

 

This pc, purchased about 11 months ago, was my first, and of course my first introduction to the internet. I had no idea there was any alternative until I found this place, and there must be countless thousands of people in that same position.

 

It's a shame that IE cannot be removed totally like any other browser, although as some of you probably know, this particular subject has seen considerable discussion.

 

This Wiki entry I've just been reading myself.

 

Link:

[Andavari]

This Wiki entry I've just been reading myself.

 

Link:

I've practiced this for 7 or 8 years from that wiki article "An alternative way to protect a local network is to limit Internet Explorer to Windows Update only." With the inclusions of only using IE for downloading directly from Microsoft Downloads, and with some online malware scanners like Eset Online Scanner that require IE, and only using IE for an offline browser. I haven't had one infection in all those years either.

[Caldor]

Microsoft was late coming out with IE7 as a response to FF but its a better browser than FF on Vista:

 

1. IE7 protected mode is key and even with gran paradiso its still not possible

2. Embedded memory protection unlike FF

3. More accurate and faster phishing filter than FF

 

FF has better CSS standards support especially in gran paradiso where the new gecko layout engine is used but lets face it with around 80% market share most webpages are designed around the way IE handles CSS.