Internet Explorer Usage Climbs to a Six Month High

[Brink]

For the past few years, it looked like Microsoft's Internet Explorer was well on its way to being usurped by spunky fan favorites. Early on it was Mozilla's Firefox that presented the biggest threat to IE's reign in the browser market, but more recently it's been Google's shiny Chrome browser that appeared to be on its way to the top, perhaps taking the lead this year. But then a funny thing happened. IE's share started to rise while Chrome's has been eroding.

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Maximum PC | Internet Explorer Usage Climbs to a Six Month High, Has Chrome Lost Its Luster?

 

[M1GU31]

Most folks who aren't too tech swavy usually use IE but that's not always true. I seem to use Firefox almost all the time but at times will use IE to use my download manger. I've tried to get my parents to use firefox and my dad loved it but once they update the interface he didn't like it any more. He loves IE now because of the book marking, the google toolbar"which was disabled in firefox another reseaon he dislikes it now" and simplicity of the browser. Any ways I believe it is the most used due to the majority of everyday users usually using IE. I never really liked chrome to much due to its interface, it just bothers me to use it. My personal choice is firefox, have been using it for years and I love it.

 

[profdlp]

I wonder if the stats are slightly skewed by all the people trying out Win 8 who haven't gotten around to finding an alternative browser that works.

 

[Dave76]

I haven't had any browsers that don't work in Win8 CP.

Mostly using the underdog, Opera, now.

 

[windude99]

I use ie. I don't think it is that bad, except when it locks up which it will do from time to time.

 

[chris1neji]

I personally enjoy using IE9, I see nothing wrong with it. It doesn't hang up as much as Firefox is doing recently. Also firefox was a hasle to go to task manager WAY too often and end the process.

I also enjoy bing bar, a quick glance at Facebook, get a small notification when there is a breaking news, and easily check weather and upcoming weather. All without leaving the page

 

[FuturDreamz]

The only thing I use Chrome for is bookmark syncing and spell check, which will be solved once I can install Live Mesh on the school computers and use Sparkie.

 

[MadSupra354]

I've tried to get my parents to use firefox and my dad loved it but once they update the interface he didn't like it any more.

I agree with him. I used Firefox for about 5/6 years, then v4 came out with the same look as Opera and I dropped it. I've been using Internet Explorer 9 since the Beta, and though it doesn't render a lot of things properly and a few things don't work at all, it's great.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
I'm not surprised about IE coming back (But don't forget those stats probably include W8 CP which a lot of people are testing as a previous poster pointed out).

Also with people collecting more and more information from the web and downloading into spreadsheets only IE has a sensible Automated Web Query <=====> Excel interface. People often forget that Browsers are used within OTHER applications too.

Firefox itself is now so over bloated and to set decent options you need a Doctorate in Computer Science to use it efficiently.

MS's original idea of incorporating the Browser into the OS itself was originally the correct strategy -- Politicians etc skuppered that one. It's actually the BEST way --security in the browser can then be linked to the OS kernel simply - but what do Politicians know about writing "OS'es". !!

Another misconception about "Fast" and "Slow" browsers -- the main elements are the Internet Connection speed and the Web site itself. Having loads of "Addins" especially if they are dynamically loaded at run time doesn't help either.

When (and if) the cloud gets reasonable established the main OS interface will be the browser in any case.

If 10 million people are trying to access the same site at the same time the "Speed" of your browser will be irrelevant in any case.

As far as other browsers are concerned --- Been there seen it done it !! and have always ditched them in favour of IE.

Only IE9 seemed to be a bit of a "dodgy" one. IE10 on W8 CP Preview (Normal version / Not Metro) runs fine as does IE8 on W7. (They may have fixed IE9 by now in any case - I might try IE9 again --but I tend to use W8 CP a lot now rather than W7 -- not because W7 is no good --it's great --I just want to try out the new system and see how it works (or not) as the case may be. - So far it's fine.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[seavixen32]

I'm using IE9 and have done since it was released to market.

Apart from the very occasional "IE9 has encounterd a problem and needs to close" message, I've had no problems at all and get on well with it.

 

[jimbo45]

I'm using IE9 and have done since it was released to market.

Apart from the very occasional "IE9 has encounterd a problem and needs to close" message, I've had no problems at all and get on well with it.

Hi there
Thanks for the info.

next time I'm on W7 I'll re-install it. There've been loads of W7 updates since I last tried it (both W7 and IE9).

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Phone Man]

IE-10 (W8CP) is NOT included in the stats. Here is the link the article is getting its information.

Browser market share

Jim

 

[windude99]

The main time I have problems with IE9 is when it will crash. It did thast multiple times then Windows Explorer crashed, so I reformatted. I must likely screwed something up

 

[indianacarnie]

Still sticking with my beloved Opera.I do have Chrome as well but only use it for a facebook game. I just don't care for IE's UI. Its "here" but only for updates and my V.A. .

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I switched to Firefox from IE 3 or 4 years ago, but it wouldn't take much for me to go back to IE.

I don't like Firefox's reliance on add-ons and extensions, nor the ridiculous upgrade schedule they have come up with in the last year or so. I wouldn't be surprised if they never recover market share.

Chrome is on my list of not-to-do, mainly because I resent the way that Google tries to insinuate itself into all aspects of my online life--more intrusive than Microsoft by far.

 

[pparks1]

I was an ardant fan of firefox and used it almost exclusively for years. Never was able to really get along with Google Chrome in the past.

However, when I discovered the Google Sync feature of Chrome that will synchronize my bookmarks, my apps, my extensions, settings, themes and auto-fills, I switched completely to Google Chrome and haven't looked back. It's great having the same bookmark bar, and shortcuts on all of the machines that I commonly use.

I'm also a Linux and Windows user both. With Google Chrome, when I install the browser on my Linux machines and enable sync, it just completely sets itself up for me, including downloading and installing my Ad Block Plus extension.

 

[Coke Robot]

I use IE 9/10 everyday. I used to be a firefox user, and a safari user and a chrome user. IE is lots better compared to the rest. It's not being auto updated every three months or weeks or constantly changing UI elements.

But IE 9 is the exception to UI changes...

 

[pparks1]

I use IE 9/10 everyday. I used to be a firefox user, and a safari user and a chrome user. IE is lots better compared to the rest. It's not being auto updated every three months or weeks or constantly changing UI elements.

As far as constant updates go, IE is updated regularly with Windows Updates...it's just not considered a version change like some of the other browsers. With the quick evolution of the web and security issues and such, I personally want my browsers to update often to stay as safe as possible.

I would agree that I don't want constant UI changes. While Google Chrome updates a lot, I don't see UI changes...so you must be talking more of Firefox...which I haven't used in a while now.

 

[M1GU31]

I haven't seen any UI interface changes for firefox for a good time now and all the updates have done is fill up some security holes with patches. Been with the interface for around 5-6months now hasn't changed yet.

 

[kado897]

Same with Chrome. It's mostly security updates. I first started using Chrome when IE9 beta came out and it hosed my system and have never changed since. I also use FF occasionally but only for the Downloadhelper extension and IE9 as a last resort if the IE8 extension in Chrome fails.