IE7 and Firefox 2
As Mozilla's user base grows, we can't help but step back and wonder what they are doing right. I will look at all the things that made me change over from Firefox to Internet Explorer and try to put these into a global context.
While the circumstances surrounding my first launch of Firefox had nothing to do with a desire to streamline the way I surfed the internet, it must be brought to light that Firefox gained popularity during the height of the age of spyware. It may be superfluous to include a reference to it as it is unlikely that someone has never have heard of it before (barring legislators *cough cough*). Nevertheless, the depth of the problem that spyware presents is troublesome. The ease with which some shadier businesses implant tracking software onto an unwitting user's PC caused many people to think twice about how they browsed the internet. Enter Firefox. With its built-in pop-up blocker, stylish look, and simple user interface, it was not hard to catch on. Though there are many speculative reasons why Firefox caught on, the biggest reason I feel was simply for want of change. Microsoft, holding the largest user base, have released neither an OS nor a web browser in over 5 years. Just as people change cell phones, computers, and ISP's, it was time to change the way they browsed the web, and Firefox was readily available for that change to happen. Though Firefox borrows from Internet Explorer heavily as well as from other browsers such as Opera (Opera was actually the first to have tabbed browsing) and Netscape.
And now we are looking at two major releases just one week apart. But what do each of these actually bring to the table? From a home user standpoint: Not much. As pointed out on CNet, the real winner is the consumer. Another big question is "Would Microsoft have tried as hard to get out IE7 if Firefox weren't making them look bad?" Of course, people who love statistics will say Firefox still has nothing on Microsoft's user base, but this is similar to the argument in elections that non-major party candidates shouldn't even bother running. Mozilla may still be the little guy in the big picture, but it's definitely making waves in the proverbial browser pool. Take a look at IE 7. The first thing you'll notice: tabbed browsing. Next up is an unprecedented little section called Add-ons. Microsoft is actually allowing some of its coveted IE7 code to be manipulated to create customizations similar to that of Firefox's, which is what makes Firefox the most versatile web browser available. Of course, they won't let you see too much (security, security, security), but this is a welcome change for the sluggish titan. Without extensions, I never would have touted Firefox the way I did. But with the ability to customize everything about the way your browser worked kept me coming back for more. Whether it was opening a new tab with a mouse gesture or having the weather updated in my status bar every few moments, the Firefox icon I clicked on my desktop was entirely different than the one someone else clicked on. It is this customizability of such an integral part of my system that endeared me to Firefox.
All said, neither new version brings any large share of new features to the table, and IE7 is simply a conservative attempt to keep up with the deadly versatility of an open source, highly popular, free alternative. As several of the readers over at PC World recognize, Firefox is moving in, so prepare for new standards in web browsing.
Comments
Posted by: Jeremy Smith
Posted on: October 25, 2006 02:07 PM
Good post. Very well written.
You should create an "About Me" page (The 10 Commandments of Blogging). At first, I hadn't tagged you as en engineering student because your writing was too clear and concise. I had to pick back through your archives to your first blog post to find out who you were.
Posted by: Heidi Cool
Posted on: October 25, 2006 02:39 PM
Well done.
To learn more about how Firefox made such inroads into the market you should listen to The City Club's podcast of their June 14, 2006 forum featuring Blake Ross, Inventor, Firefox. He provided some intriguing insights into both the development and marketing processes.
I prefer Firefox for some of the reasons you mention, but also because it is more consistent (and logical) about the way it interprets HTML and CSS than is I.E. I've not tried the new I.E. yet, though I will because I need to test sites in multiple browsers.
Keep up the good work!