You Are Probably Not Using Internet Explorer to Read This

[Greg Tito]

You Are Probably Not Using Internet Explorer to Read This

For the first time since Netscape, less than half the people browsing the web use Internet Explorer.

At one point in the 1990s, Microsoft's Internet Explorer enjoyed an almost 90 percent market share for web browsers. For many users, that blue "E" icon was synonymous with "internet." The ubiquitousness of Microsoft's browser and its policy of bundling it with the Windows operating system is what led to the famous antitrust trials last decade. But now, with the growth in popularity of Google's Chrome, Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox, Explorer's kung fu grip on the internet is loosening. Explorer was only used by 49.9 percent of users in the month of September, according to StatCounter.

"This is certainly a milestone in the internet browser wars," said StatCounter's CEO, Aodhan Cullen. "Just two years ago Internet Explorer dominated the worldwide market with 67 percent."

It's important to note that stat-tracking of this kind is not an exact science, and that other internet statistics still places Explorer on top. For example, Net Applications reports that IE is still being used by 59.7 percent of the web-browsing audience. [http://marketshare.hitslink.com/browser-market-share.aspx?qprid=0]

Still, Explorer is losing ground. And given its lack of innovation and general slowness when compared to Chrome and Firefox, it's not hard to see why.

Source: CNN [http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/06/technology/internet_explorer_market_share/index.htm?hpt=T2]

Permalink

 

[Pegghead]

...I'm using IE.

 

[mikemart]

49.9 actually surprises me..

 

[Woodsey]

...I'm using IE.

BURN HIM!

OT: Good, it's shit.

 

[theevilsanta]

Well obviously readers of a video game website aren't. I'm using Chrome atm. Firefox and I aren't on speak terms right now.

 

[teh_Canape]

HA, jokes on you, I am using Internet Explorer


just kidding, but now, seriously, I'm very fond of Opera, I find it to be an excellent explorer all around, though I do use IE for webs that dont work very well with opera, like the System Requirements Lab and stuff (stuff would be Robot Unicorn Attack game ^-^)

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I'm using Firefox. I won't touch IE with a 40 ft. pole. ...except to get Windows Updates.

 

[mjc0961]

49.9% is still the biggest market share, though. Obviously with three other browsers named in the article and even more out there than that, there isn't one other browser that everyone else is using for the 50.1% remaining. Nice to see that IE is slowly moving closer to dying in a fire though. The only thing it's good for is using to download another browser.

Although to that 49.9% of people, what's wrong with you? Get Chrome or Firefox right now!

 

[MasterChief892039]

49.9% of people are still using IE? That's embarrassing. Even my mom has firefox.

 

[Bigsmith]

Firefox and... Flock. thats what i use.

 

[Azmael Silverlance]

i just cant understand why doesnt microsoft improve the IE??? they certainly have the money....

 

[FinalDream]

Safari (Mac), Firefox annoys me these days. Its like the new IE.

*runs for cover*

 

[Korten12]

...I'm using IE.

Same, don't really like firefox and chrome.

 

[Tsunimo]

Hate IE
I'm using Firefox, although I prefer Chrome

 

[Lost In The Void]

I'm forced to use IE here at work because my workplace won't download another browser
At home though I used to use Firefox until it started jumping to any possible search bar that was on a web page. I've since switched to Chrome. I don't mind it, but if FF started working again I'd probably go back to it

 

[drbarno]

I'm using Firefox, actually only started regularly using it because IE went through a phase of continually freezing every 5 mintues.

 

[Rhymenoceros]

I'm on chrome personally (it's the only web browser that loads webpages at a half decent spped on my Craptop)

I'm not surprised it's fallen that low to be honest. The only reason I think it's still that high is because the older generations (50+) as a generalisation wont bother changing browser from whatever came with their computor in the 80's
/stereotype

 

[gl1koz3]

I've seen some awesome IE9 marketing (features they say will be there, but beta installer failed in a really miserable way). I hope it gets a lot faster then, because I'm so sick of installing Chrome at every place I go. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen IE8 work normally at all (well, the optimization and debugging department). It is either painfully slow or leaves resource hogging processes of itself even if you close all its windows.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

Simply put, I don't really like IE. It's just slow and cumbersome. Firefox all the way, for me =D