I Don’t and Won’t Use Internet Explorer!
Aug 10th, 2007 by Steve McGrath
This is response to my fellow blogger Spud Oregon.
I started with Netscape in 94 and with the various version(Mozilla, Firefox). Since then, I converted my entire family to Firefox because I was tired to have to reinstalled their computer because of virus and spywares. It is for security reasons, support for older Windows version like Windows 98(IE7 don't!) and I love tab browsing. And yes, my mom use Firefox.
With the latest versions, 99% of the time it's what I used. Like you, I keep IE for testing my site with it. I can use my Vista HTPC computer to test Internet Explorer 7(thanks for the reminder 
).
I grant you that you have 1 site with many Internet Explorer and no offline friends using Firefox. Perhaps, like you mentioned, it is because your isolated out there in Japan.
For me, it's another scenario(from a recent post):
Steve’s Tech Blog (81.44%, 15.74%) update to last 30 days (58.17%, 36.93%) see Edit 1
2012movies.net (32.52%, 62.62%)
i2mfan.com (39.72%, 52.37%)
M.I.S. (37.08%, 55.29%)
MISfan.com (64.37%, 33.33%)
Experimental site (34.25%, 56.78%)
We both have something in common: we love our browsers. We just need our visitors to installed the Alexa toolbar to give us some juice 
Edit 1: The previous stats were taken in mid-July. Now, this include the John Chow Effect and my Contest. Those may be outside of my previous readers profile thus lowering my stats.
Except for MISfan.com where Firefox was 71% now in the last 30 days, the other sites had the same numbers plus or minus 1 or 2%.
It could also be Spud doing a refresh all day long with Internet Explorer on this blog
Popularity: 7% [?]
Watch Free Movies Legally (and make money too). It's my ebook
Related post:
- If you don't know already, Microsoft ceased updating Windows 98 in July 2006. But you can still update you Windows 98 with the existing patch.
So, recently, I had to do a clean install on a computer. No trouble, I had
- In a "old" post(Feb. 26, 2007), So, you want to make money on the Internet, I wrote about looking at your Alexa Rank. Even if it's far from perfect(more later), advertisers, ReviewMe! type sites.... will use it with other
- I have been using the Alexa Toolbar (Internet Explorer) and SearchStatus (Firefox) for a few months. But now, an official Alexa Toolbar for Firefox called Sparky is now available.
Heeeere is Sparky!
This is important for site owners because it
- Last week, my sister bought a new HP computer with Vista. She wanted me to set it up and I said that she could do it herself. Hey! it's supposed to be friendly for everyone and I wanted her to
- What is Virus Heat?
Virus Heat is a fake anti-spyware giving false virus result. Many popups will open mentioning that you are at risk, infected... It's very annoying. Also, Internet Explorer has it's home page changed to go to their
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Crikey! 81% of visitors to this blog use Firefox??? I better come here more often to try and swing things back in favor of IE!
I love a good IE vs Firefox debate, but I’ve yet to be convinced Firefox is better for the average user. In fact, I’d love your mom to explain why she uses Firefox. I somewhat suspect that her son installed it without her knowing, and she doesn’t even realize she’s using IE! Come on Steve, you maybe Tech-savvy, but I can’t believe your mum is!
I took the time and updated my stats.
As for asking my mom, that’s another story. Yes, I installed it on my dad’s computer and said to her to click that little fox icon to browse the web and she use it. My mom, who I love, is far far from being Tech-savvy. She did asked a few questions at first but now ask my dad. It does the job for her.
Internet Explorer is there by default and people don’t know about other and better
options. But when they pay a few times to get their computer fixed/reinstalled because of spywares/virus then they will look for safer free alternative. The problem is that the dishonest “fixer” don’t tell them so to keep them repeat customers or sell bloat ware security that they have to renew each year and go back to “fixer” to install it.
Also, security holes a fixed more quickly with Firefox than IE.
Like Leo Laporte once said: “IE is too intelligent for it’s own good”, referring to the ActiveX security blunder.
I will stop because it’s starting to be a post by itself.