Firefox Still Drawing Internet Masses

[question everything]

Firefox Still Drawing Internet Masses

Thu Apr 14, 2:52 PM ET

Jay Wrolstad, www.toptechnews.com

The Firefox browser continues to draw millions of users looking for an alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer, with Nielsen//Netratings confirming data from other market analysts showing that the open-source browser has developed a strong following in a short time.

Nielsen reports a whopping 237 percent increase in the number of visitors to the Firefox Web site -- operated by open-source developer Mozilla -- in the past nine months. Some 2.6 million people visited the site during March 2005 to download the browser.

(snip)

Firefox might well continue to gain traction in the consumer market, although its momentum seems to have slowed somewhat. However, breaking into the enterprise arena is another matter, primarily because of compatibility issues.

The upstart browser's popularity stems from better security features and enhanced functionality, said Yankee Group analyst Nitin Gupta. "Firefox has some innovative features that thwart pop-up ads, adware and spam, which Explorer has not yet added," he said.

(snip)

The Mozilla Foundation's product is not the only competitor chipping away at IE's numbers. OneStat.com's data show that Apple's Safari browser has moved up from 0.91 percent usage to 1.21 percent since November. Netscape continues to hold a usage share over 1 percent, and Opera stands at 1.09 percent.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nf/20050414/bs_nf/32881

[Hosnon]

1. Proud user of Firefox...screw IE

[FreedomAngel82]

19. I LOVE FireFox!

They're the best. My brother discovered them a year or two ago and that's all I use. For a math program to do homework I have to still use IE but everything else I use Firefox.

[LiberalVoice]

2. I'll never go back to IE ever again.

That is the biggest piece of shit browser and you'll have to pry Firefox out of my cold dead hands!

[Technowitch]

3. I've been using Firefox for about 8 months now...

...and love it. The only time I use IE is when a website doesn't support Firefox, for whatever reason (which is rare, but happens sometimes).

The tabbed-browsing alone is worth the installation.

[Hosnon]

5. yes, the tabs make it worthwhile alone. eom

[kenny blankenship]

8. Anyway, it's not like you can get rid...

of Internet Exploder from your Windows system. Having it around is excusable, sometimes necessary (thanks to a few idiot site designers out there who use MS-broken javascript and CSS without realizing that they are breaking standards) Using Firefox except when forced to use IE should help cut down on driveby installs of malware. Now if people would only stop using Outlook, the Internets Al Gore initiated into our lives might be reclaimed for non-DDoS, non-worm, and non-Spambot traffic...

[question everything]

10. I have been using Netscape 7 for more than 2 years

and recently switched to Mozilla, also use Safari - all of them with tabs and with popups blocked.

So it is really strange for me to realize that people just now have discovered the tabs.

I often post stories here, like that one, and would not be able to do this so easily without tabs.

(Of course, we, Mac users have always detested IE..)

[Technowitch]

12. Well, I came to Firefox for the speed and security--

--but it's the features and extentions that completely hooked me.

Tabbed browsing is just the top of the list. I also use BugMeNot (gets around pesky "free registration" requirements for news sites), Adblock (w/custom filters), IEView (so I can pop open IE from a right-click context menu as needed), AniDisable (controls annoying animations), Googlebar (nothing more need be said about that), and Tab Mix (makes tabbed browsing even better).

Long ago, I had been using Netscape, until it became as slow as a dog (esp. on loading) and bloated. I know they fixed a lot of that in the more recent versions, but it still had page compatibility problems at times. Wasn't quite enough for me to go back... and truthfully, it took the "Firefox is wonderful" hooplah to get me to consider the alternative.

Now, I wish I -had- switched earlier.

[question everything]

20. Yes, bugmenot is great

and I've found out about it from DU.

I need to look at your other programs. Recently popunder are crawling. I don't see them until after I log out, or, sometimes, when surfing is getting too slow.

[DrDebug]

4. Proud user of Opera since early 2003

I'm very happy with it. Don't know about FireFox but Opera is marvellous compared to IE.

[Massacure]

6. Been using firefox since version 0.8.

IE can rot in hell.

[SlowDownFast]

7. Firefox

is the only way to browse, now. Most secure browser there is.

[Old and In the Way]

9. Here's my browser strategy.

I use Firefox for straightbrowsing and keep the interface simple.
I use IE as my "swiss army knife": I have webster's dictionary, google tool bar, mapquest toolbar, and Copernic Search engine installed on it...plus I need it for Windows updates.

works for me...

[Berserker]

11. There are many reasons to use

Firefox. But I sure like the Adblock extension. You can eliminate any ad or any picture or gif off a website you don't want to view. Comes in very handy :evilgrin:

[alarimer]

13. I just switched today

Also use thunderbird for email. So far so good.

[a kennedy]

14. Just installed Firefox, now how, or should I dump all MS browsing

stuff......when getting into DU the screen hesitates a little before DU comes up. Should I get rid of all my previous IE stuff??? and how do I do it. Thanks

[Berserker]

15. What do you mean IE stuff?

Don't do anything with IE you will need it for security updates but thats ALL.:)

[a kennedy]

18. Thanks, thought with both browsers my computer would be stuffed.

Like, doubles of everything. My husband and I both had MIE and I just wondered if with Firefox we'd have doubles, thus cluttering up with extra"stuff" we didn't need. :shrug: :shrug:

[SteveG]

16. Never have used IE as my primary Browser

Started with Mosaic, then went to Netscape thru version 4.7 tried later versions of Netscape and never liked them so I stuck with 4.7 until the early betas of Mozilla came out. I've been using Mozilla for about 3 years. Moved my users (I'm in IT) to Mozilla about 2 years ago. Everybody seems quite happy with it. It has the same features as Firefox, but is based on older Netscape code. IE is only for doing updates and accessing a few commercial sites that require it.

[question everything]

21. I like Mozilla because, like the old Netscape, it has its own email

[The_Mule]

17. I miss Lynx...

and Gopher, too!

Seriously, I also highly recommend Firefox.

[WillowTree]

22. Tried Firefox awhile back. Didn't care for it.

I've been using the Avant browser for several years now and find it a smoother product. It's also open-source, also tabbed, and feature-rich without requiring the installation and manipulation of extensions as in Firefox. Things such as a pop-up blocker, ad blocker, picture enable/disable, flash animation enable/disable, ActiveX enable/disable, Java Applets enable/disable, scripts enable/disable, customizable right-click menu, customizable URL alias list and mouse gestures plus multiple home pages and/or the ability to save all open pages on exit and automatically return to them the next time the browser is opened are all standard built-ins and the list keeps growing with each new release.

I haven't found anything yet, including Firefox, that can touch it.

[Berserker]

28. No matter what Avant can and can't do

If you are using Avant Browser you are still using IE in the background.
Instead of Avant adding all the bells and whistles to try and keep up with other Browsers like Firefox or Opera and coming out with a new build every few days or every time IEs security is compromised it should go it's own way and be open source and not be tied into the years old windows core.

[ObaMania]

23. Tried FireFox and hated it. Installed Avant Browser and...

.. i's the best!

It may be ie based, but it is still the greatest IMO.

[WillowTree]

24. Based on both IE and Opera.

In fact, it used to be called "IEOpera". But I agree that the security and funcionality are the best I've come across so far.

[zanne]

30. Can I have both IE and Firefox installed on my computer?

Obviously, I don't know much about computers. I'm always afraid to try something, thinking I'll make a mistake I won't be able to fix.

[k j]

25. Love Firefox

[Jawja]

26. I am using Firefox for

reading DU and browsing. Really love it. :loveya:

[BuddhaGirl]

27. I LOVE Firefox!

Dumped IE and have never been happier. :-)

I also use Mozilla's mail program, Thunderbird, and I really like it!

[Arugula Latte]

29. I've got it.

nt