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Firefox gains ground on Internet Explorer in Europe, Australia

Popular alternative web browser Firefox is gaining ground on Microsoft’s Internet Explorer in a big way in Europe, according to French firm XiTi Monitor. The latest statistics put Firefox use at nearly 28 percent of European web surfers, up from just over 21 percent the same period last year.

In certain countries, the use of Firefox is nearly equal that of Internet Explorer. Slovenia had the highest Firefox utilization at 47.9 percent, followed by Finland at 45.4 and Slovakia at 40.4 percent.

In terms of overall Firefox usage per region, Oceania tops the globe at 28.9 percent. North America ranked lower at 18.7 percent. South America, Africa and Asia sat at around 15 percent.

"I hope we continue to gain market share, as our goal is to promote choice. Monopoly leads to lack of innovation," said Tristan Nitot, president of Mozilla Europe, to CNET.

Microsoft does not appear to be concerned about Firefox’s growth as long as it is on its operating system, as a company representative said in a prepared statement, "We're proud to see Windows remains the platform of choice, in part because it provides our customers with the widest range of both hardware and software options in the industry."

The folks behind Firefox, however, feel differently. "I think it should be a cause for concern for them--our intention is to encourage Microsoft to get back to work and improve IE," Nitot said. "We want a better Web experience for everybody."

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Schools Using Firefox - Great MS Responses
By Exodus220 on 7/18/2007 6:08:50 PM , Rating: 2
I have taught at a number of different elementary school in Las Vegas area and the dominant web browser has become Firefox. Nearly all the Mac computers are running Firefox instead of IE, and whenever the teachers get new computers in their class they are quick to download Firefox. So it would seem to me that Firefox must have done something right to bring a turn in at least one school district (I can't necessarily say for others).

Also, I love MS responses to interviews. For the X360 RROD they talk about how well their customer service is instead of addressing their defective machines. When asked about the X360 in Japan they are quick to point out that Sony is being outsold by Nintendo. And now when more people are using Firefox they say they are happy that it is on a Windows based machine...but I know that even Mac users are using it on their machines. Gotta love MS.




By Zoomer on 7/19/2007 2:51:05 AM , Rating: 2
The integrated popup blocker should help them keep their jobs and to prevent them from being sued!


RE: Schools Using Firefox - Great MS Responses
By JagFel on 7/19/2007 7:43:12 AM , Rating: 2
Reason for the Mac's running FF is because Microsoft hasn't released a Mac version of IE since 5.0, and Safari is a joke.

I work IT at a private school, and I place FF on every system that comes my way. Granted, 80% of the systems here are Mac's and anything is an improvement over Safari, but the Windows users I've switched to FireFox and Thunderbird have been happy with the changes.


RE: Schools Using Firefox - Great MS Responses
By 0blivious on 7/19/2007 11:22:38 AM , Rating: 2
Possibly because they don't know any better to begin with. You sure thaught them!

Ah force-feding.. don't you just love it.


By 0blivious on 7/19/2007 11:26:20 AM , Rating: 2
i meant: 'you sure taught them' and 'force-feeding' before i get flamed for spelling smth the wrong way, my apologies in advance


no difference
By tacoburrito on 7/18/2007 1:53:48 PM , Rating: 1
As I get used to IE7, I'm starting to see almost no difference between IE7 and Firefox. Moving up from IE6 to IE7 was a big step and much needed improvements. I think it is because of the emergence of Firefox that MS engineers were forced to go back and redesign IE.

By the by, is it just me or Firefox starts up real slow when you first open it?




RE: no difference
By EndPCNoise on 7/18/07, Rating: 0
RE: no difference
By TomZ on 7/18/2007 3:05:15 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
By the by, is it just me or Firefox starts up real slow when you first open it?

Maybe just your configuration or add-ins. I have no Firefox add-ins, and it loads about the same as IE7. I tested "cold" (after boot) and "warm" starts, and they are more or less the same. Firefox may actually be loading a tad bit faster, but the difference, if any, is not significant on my machine.


RE: no difference
By encryptkeeper on 7/18/2007 3:42:24 PM , Rating: 2
I have Firefox on a pretty slow machine here at work (a sempron 2400+ w/768 memory, constantly at 80%-95% cpu usage w/12 tabs open). Have you guys had the (Not Responding) message in the title bar when loading some pages?


Opera - more secure Cooler than FireFox
By Belard on 7/18/2007 7:41:17 PM , Rating: 1
Tnere are some issues with all three browsers - but I have recently switched to Opera as my MAIN browser.

I could never get FireFox to be my main. It doesn't save web-pages correctly and a few functions could be done better.

As flexible as Opera is, it could be a TAD bit better, I am using an MCE type skin which makes it look SHARP and professional (in a way that IE7 doesn't). The Speed dial rocks. Zoom function is excellent. A big feature that Opera can use is a Spell Checker.

Also, on a report with security issues - IE6/7 has about 350 security issues, FireFox is at 36~38 and Opera is at 0~1.

Other than a few sites with ASP specfic ActiveX issues - nobody needs IE. Also, Opera is the MOST compatible with Web Standards. IE is broken and websites have to break their code to work with IE, a typical M$ trick to make their broken products "Standard".




By TomZ on 7/18/2007 9:17:46 PM , Rating: 3
That's a load of crap. There are lots of sites that are not compatible with Opera, but look fine with IE7 and Firefox. I ran Opera for a few months, so I know firsthand. Being the "most compatible with web standards" means nothing - being the most compatible with actual web browsers is what counts.

The reason that Opera has poor compatibility with web sites, and also have few security problems, is that it has just a tiny market share. Opera did not go through the same security audits and changes that IE7 did, so there is no basis for any claims about it being secure. It is no more secure than IE6 - it is just less of a target than IE6.


IE7 sill better
By shraz on 7/18/2007 4:30:44 PM , Rating: 2
I use firefox and IE a lot because of my job at rating website for Google and I can tell you that Firefox loads websites page slower and they still have CSS problem.




Cause for concern
By mindless1 on 7/18/2007 5:20:04 PM , Rating: 2
I have to feel that for much of the world's population, use of Firefox instead of IE should trouble MS. Even if it's running on windows, once users start becoming used to, and preferring applications with cross-OS support they are far more easily switched over to using an alternate OS like 'nix. Remeber, most PC owners didn't install the OS themselves, and a surprising few ever even buy supplimental applications unless something very specific and subjectively-required was missing. Certainly not all users but also remember that the more professional users already had a PC and bought retail software.

The typical users with basic needs received a preconfigured system then just booted it, clicked the icons to do things. Many of them could have been shipped a 'nix box, properly set up, and just used it. This has to be a concern for MS, when the end user experience is not lessened enough to offset the lower cost of the OS.




Choice
By stryfe on 7/18/2007 9:18:26 PM , Rating: 2
IE, Firefox, who needs them when you've got Opera! ;)




Browsers
By althaz on 7/19/2007 4:24:37 AM , Rating: 2
I've tried all the browsers and all of them have something I like. I love Speed Dial from Opera, love the printing and zooming from IE7 (as well as the speed and cleanliness of the interface) and I love the way Firefox handles tabs.

But the one I use is IE7. I run Vista, so really, it'd be silly not to in terms of security. Plus it's faster, prettier and printous seem to work a whole lot better.




the move is on MS
By derdon on 7/20/2007 4:45:27 AM , Rating: 2
I started using FF back when it was still called Phoenix and the version number was 0.6. That's when I started to use it on a regular basis and it's the very first application that I install on any new windows machine and about the only time that I need IE.

It's IE that needs to convice me to switch back and not FF that needs to convince me to stay.




Comments
By Anh Huynh on 7/18/07, Rating: -1
RE: Comments
By stburke on 7/18/2007 1:22:34 PM , Rating: 4
Firefox did make MS improve IE already, IE6 to 7 was a large jump in many ways and it really was due in part to Firefox.

I imagine the use in Europe has something to do with the anitrust concerns over MS and not including stuff like Windows Media Player, speculation.


RE: Comments
By stromgald on 7/18/2007 1:25:52 PM , Rating: 3
I don't think IE7 has that much appeal. It's too big of a change for people to swallow and the interface just isn't that user friendly.

I just hope that FF's success pushes MSFT to make an update to IE7, because in it's current state, IE7 doesn't have a chance at being my primary browser.


RE: Comments
By GaryJohnson on 7/18/2007 1:52:19 PM , Rating: 3
IE7 became usable to me when I found out how to put the file menu back on top of the browser window. It's too bad you have to edit the registry to do it.


RE: Comments
By Kenenniah on 7/18/2007 2:04:29 PM , Rating: 5
You have to edit the registry? Guess I did it the wrong way by right-clicking the command bar and placing a checkmark next to menu bar.


RE: Comments
By GaryJohnson on 7/19/2007 9:24:39 PM , Rating: 2
What I mean is: the command bar is normally under the address and tab bars. You can edit the registry and put it back above them, under the title bar (where it belongs).

http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&safe=off...


RE: Comments
By bdot on 7/18/2007 2:05:24 PM , Rating: 3