Internet Explorer usage continues to decline - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

hugh · 2009-02-03, 01:32 PM

For the seventh straight month, the market share for Microsoft's Internet Explorer, the world's most popular web browser, declined according to data released Monday by Net Applications.

Click on the link to find out what browsers Digital Home readers are using.

Before you look though, think about how DH readers might differ from average internet users experience.

99semaj · 2009-02-04, 11:23 PM

...and that's only bound to get worse with all the reports that IE8 performs dramatically worse than all its competitors (Chrome, FF, Safari, Opera).

tablo · 2009-02-16, 03:01 PM

IE is just slow and unsecure, and bad in many ways. Safari doesn't really have killer feature like FF, Chrome or Opera does. Also you can look at IE vs FF vs Chrome vs Safari forum.

That includes just the readers, right? Those who just search and find these forums and -

KingBuzzo · 2009-02-16, 10:31 PM

Hopefully they keep bundling these fantastic bowsers with every tird-party application because the consumer is absolutely lost!

Walter Dnes · 2009-02-17, 12:20 AM

I'm dissapointed with Firefox. It performs OK, but FF3 has "gone geek" just for the hell of it. The "Awesomebar" is my main complaint. Basically, for the first week after switching, it's totally useless until you "train" it. I still don't like it, and only switched from FF2 because FF2 is no longer supported for security patches. They added SQL-lite to search your history and FF3 fercryinoutloud.

sleemo · 2009-02-17, 07:50 AM

Get rid of the "Awesomebar" with an add-on. To completely kill it, see here.

NeilN · 2009-02-17, 09:06 AM

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. After a couple days I got used to the Awesomebar and now find it saves me a lot of keystrokes when going to sites I've visited in the past. On ocassions where I have to use IE I find myself really missing that functionality.

Dog Byte · 2009-02-17, 12:02 PM

On TWiT Leo mentioned that about 60% of site visitors are using FireFox.

tablo · 2009-02-19, 08:06 PM

Those "geek-site" visitors mostly use Firefox or other, and not IE.

JmanBC · 2009-02-28, 06:15 PM

I'm really happy with IE8. Even in beta it is very stable, and compatibility mode allows it to render almost every older site flawlessly.
I would have switched to Opera over IE7 if there was an official google toolbar for it. Now that I have IE8 though, I've totally lost any desire for a different browser.

99semaj · 2009-03-01, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JmanBC

I'm really happy with IE8. Even in beta it is very stable, and compatibility mode allows it to render almost every older site flawlessly.
I would have switched to Opera over IE7 if there was an official google toolbar for it. Now that I have IE8 though, I've totally lost any desire for a different browser.

How does IE8 perform against the de facto HTML standards test Acid 3? Could you please run it and post the results? I know it crashed outright on earlier betas, but hopefully it's more stable now.

Of the browsers I've used, I've observed the following:

Google Chrome (on WinXP): 79/100
IE7 (WinXP): 5/100 (I think. It was so poor at rendering I could barely read the screen)
Safari 4 Beta (OS X): 100/100

jayoldschool · 2009-03-01, 09:42 PM

I finally ditched IE last week for FF after experiencing too many "IE has encountered a problem" crashes. No crashes for FF yet...

JmanBC · 2009-03-03, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99semaj

How does IE8 perform against the de facto HTML standards test Acid 3? Could you please run it and post the results? I know it crashed outright on earlier betas, but hopefully it's more stable now.

Of the browsers I've used, I've observed the following:

Google Chrome (on WinXP): 79/100
IE7 (WinXP): 5/100 (I think. It was so poor at rendering I could barely read the screen)
Safari 4 Beta (OS X): 100/100

It gets 21/100. (Vista SP1)

Walter Dnes · 2009-03-04, 06:01 AM

I tend to view the "Acid test" similarly to EPA fuel milage numbers. Interesting, but not necessarily indicative of real-life. While I don't use IE myself, I wouldn't be too concerned about Acid test numbers. The main question is how it works in real life. BTW, FF 3.0.5 won't even load that page with NoScript enabled. With NoScript turned off, it gets 71, the animation is jerky, and the squares are shades of grey... and I don't give 2 hoots.

TKG26 · 2009-03-04, 07:23 AM

IE8:11- 20
Chrome: 77
Opera 9.63: 85
firefox 3.XX: 71

I use Chrome daily and go to IE8 when things dont work.

2009-02-03, 01:32 PM	#1
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,501	Internet Explorer usage continues to decline For the seventh straight month, the market share for Microsoft's Internet Explorer, the world's most popular web browser, declined according to data released Monday by Net Applications. Click on the link to find out what browsers Digital Home readers are using. Before you look though, think about how DH readers might differ from average internet users experience. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2009-02-17, 12:20 AM	#5
Walter Dnes Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vaughan, Ontario (near Dufferin and Steeles) Posts: 1,894	I'm dissapointed with Firefox. It performs OK, but FF3 has "gone geek" just for the hell of it. The "Awesomebar" is my main complaint. Basically, for the first week after switching, it's totally useless until you "train" it. I still don't like it, and only switched from FF2 because FF2 is no longer supported for security patches. They added SQL-lite to search your history and FF3 fercryinoutloud. __________________ OTA brings you crystal-clear, uncompressed HDTV, no simsubbing, and the real SuperBowl commercials. You can't get all that on satellite... OR CABLE.

2009-03-04, 06:01 AM	#14
Walter Dnes Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vaughan, Ontario (near Dufferin and Steeles) Posts: 1,894	I tend to view the "Acid test" similarly to EPA fuel milage numbers. Interesting, but not necessarily indicative of real-life. While I don't use IE myself, I wouldn't be too concerned about Acid test numbers. The main question is how it works in real life. BTW, FF 3.0.5 won't even load that page with NoScript enabled. With NoScript turned off, it gets 71, the animation is jerky, and the squares are shades of grey... and I don't give 2 hoots. __________________ OTA brings you crystal-clear, uncompressed HDTV, no simsubbing, and the real SuperBowl commercials. You can't get all that on satellite... OR CABLE.

2009-03-04, 07:23 AM	#15
TKG26 Veteran Join Date: May 2007 Location: OTTAWA Posts: 2,904	IE8:11- 20 Chrome: 77 Opera 9.63: 85 firefox 3.XX: 71 I use Chrome daily and go to IE8 when things dont work. __________________ Licenced HVAC TECH: "Without seeing your problem i can only offer suggestions, no warranty is included with my advice"

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2009-02-04, 11:23 PM	#2
99semaj Veteran Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: /dev/null Posts: 2,686	...and that's only bound to get worse with all the reports that IE8 performs dramatically worse than all its competitors (Chrome, FF, Safari, Opera).

2009-02-16, 03:01 PM	#3
tablo Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 536	IE is just slow and unsecure, and bad in many ways. Safari doesn't really have killer feature like FF, Chrome or Opera does. Also you can look at IE vs FF vs Chrome vs Safari forum. That includes just the readers, right? Those who just search and find these forums and -

2009-02-16, 10:31 PM	#4
KingBuzzo Join Date: May 2007 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Posts: 273	Hopefully they keep bundling these fantastic bowsers with every tird-party application because the consumer is absolutely lost!

2009-02-17, 07:50 AM	#6
sleemo Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The Scarb Posts: 2,781	Get rid of the "Awesomebar" with an add-on. To completely kill it, see here.

2009-02-17, 09:06 AM	#7
NeilN Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North York Posts: 1,630	Different strokes for different folks, I guess. After a couple days I got used to the Awesomebar and now find it saves me a lot of keystrokes when going to sites I've visited in the past. On ocassions where I have to use IE I find myself really missing that functionality.

2009-02-17, 12:02 PM	#8
Dog Byte Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Langley, BC Posts: 863	On TWiT Leo mentioned that about 60% of site visitors are using FireFox.

2009-02-19, 08:06 PM	#9
tablo Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 536	Those "geek-site" visitors mostly use Firefox or other, and not IE.

2009-02-28, 06:15 PM	#10
JmanBC Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Burnaby Posts: 67	I'm really happy with IE8. Even in beta it is very stable, and compatibility mode allows it to render almost every older site flawlessly. I would have switched to Opera over IE7 if there was an official google toolbar for it. Now that I have IE8 though, I've totally lost any desire for a different browser.

2009-03-01, 09:42 PM	#12
jayoldschool Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,755	I finally ditched IE last week for FF after experiencing too many "IE has encountered a problem" crashes. No crashes for FF yet...