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According to Net Applications, an authority on Internet browser usage statistics, Internet Explorer (all the versions added together) is continually losing market share, and has finally dropped below 60%:
Meanwhile, as you can see from the graph, Firefox’s market share is at 24.59%, Opera and 2.3%, and Chrome at 6.73%. Chrome had the largest increase in market share at a increase from 2.4% only last year. This chart gives a better idea about the browse usage trend over the years:
It is interesting to note that other sources, such as W3Counter, say Internet Explorer market share is even lower than the 59% stated by Net Applications:
Further it is even more interesting to note that Firefox has already surpassed Internet Explorer as the most popular browser used by dotTechies (50% vs 30% roughly).
Of course no one knows exactly why Internet Explorer is losing market share (it is impossible to know exactly), but chances are it is because
- Other browsers, such as Firefox and Chrome, are offering enhanced features via extensions/addons. Internet Explorer also supports addons, but not to the extent of Firefox and Chrome.
- Other browsers are boasting better speeds.
- Awareness among users is being raised to the fact that Internet Explorer is not the only browser out there. Internet Explorer has a really bad reputation (particularly thanks to Internet Explorer 6) so when users find out about other browsers, many make the move.
Feel free to share your thoughts on the matter.
@Scaredwitless:
I don’t get the ‘shadow’.
When I then try Save, I only get the two choices, and when I choose Web Page Complete, I get that pesky accompanying _files folder.
@RobCr: Yeah, the shadow is pretty obvious when it happens, so clearly the extensions not working properly on your system. Can’t say why. It works perfectly on my chrome and the only thing I can think that’s special about my setup is I run the current Chrome beta, but I can’t say if that’s related, dunno.
@Scaredwitless:
I have downloaded the latest Chrome version (not beta), but still no luck
I am about to give up on it.
Just before I do, when you call up the Save dialog, do you ONLY GET the two usual choices -
Single Web Page
Web Page Complete (which gives me the accompanying …_files folder)
IE: never had any crashes or security problems with it, fast, low on ressources but hardly no customisation possible (IE7, IE8, hardly remember IE6) Always install “Simple Adblock”, it’s free and cleans up most adcrap. Remember IE is necessary for your Windows updates.
Firefox: Some crashes (very seldom),never had security issues, very heavy on ressources, a bit slower than IE but fully customisable, indispensable addons for average surfer, simple.My choice browser
Chrome: Over my dead body…Doesn’t anybody read “eula’s” anymore? Anything that passes by Chrome may become property of Google!!! Have tried SRWare Iron, which is Chrome original, without Google. Will accept Chrome extensions (sometimes slightly buggy), extensions on the rise, very very fast, low on ressources. Maybe my next browser?
@ Doru: Maxthon is a juiced up IE
Well, I think that the main reason why Internet Explorer is losing market share nowadays is because of the higher awareness among users of the fact that that IE is not the only browser out there, especially after EU (European Union) forced MICROSOFT to include in WINDOWS UPDATES other browsers beside IE (see ”browsers choice” update on Windows Update), as means to curb its unfair advantage over its browsers competitors since IE, unlike the other browsers out there, is already built into WINDOWS, namely into the most worldwide used OS.
Of course, FIREFOX and CHROME are much better than IE but most people out there are simply not aware of that (masses are ignorant by definition, you know?? LOL!!), although it’s worth mentioning that they both use much more RAM than IE, meaning that in OLD PC with low resources IE 8 is probably still the best option out there!!
And, according to this article, is not necessary true that IE (vers 8) is less safe than FIREFOX and CHROME in the fight against internet threats:
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/012210-firefox-36-is-good-but.html
What do you make of it, ASHRAF?
Overall I think tha FIREFOX is still the best browser out there but only because of its great extensions.
long live firefox! why?
more secure
more “awesome” add-ons
you can open IE in FF if you have IE-tab add-on
fully customizable
if crashes, webpages can restart
for casual browsing (including watching youtube), chrome is better.
i would keep IE (but would never open it) only to use IE-tab in cases where FF does not display a site well (there are sites like that).
@RobCr: I only get the same two save options as default as you describe, but when I save, no extras folder is made and the single html file is quite large and has everything embedded. If you look at the techniocal notes on the extension it says the embedded content is injected so in essence it injects into Chrome’s regular save process:
“2 – technical notes :
- all image, frame contents are converted into base64 and injected using data URI scheme (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_URI_scheme).
- data URI scheme is supported by the following web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Konqueror and Internet Explorer 8 (limited support : data URIs must be smaller than 32 KB, base64 encoded frame is not supported).
- nested frames are supported (frame content is converted into base64)
- nested css imports are supported”
Shame that you didn’t get it working, it works pretty hassle free for me.
I don’t use IE because there’s no version for Ubuntu. Oh, and it sucks. They make me use it at work, bleh.