It has barely been a week since Microsoft’s browser ballot scheme was announced, and already we see Firefox beginning to edge out Internet Explorer. Not that I imply causation, just coincidence; the browser ballot is still a few months away.
StatCounter, a web analytics firm which tracks over 3 million websites, recorded that finally the latest version of the Firefox browser (3.5) has managed to surpass Internet Explorer 7, which had been the most popular browser till date.
Now with a 21.92% share, Firefox 3.5 has edged out Internet Explorer 7 (with a share of 21.18%) and Internet Explorer 8 (a share of 20.34%). Internet Explorer still has a high share of 13.93% still beating Chrome, Safari, and Opera.
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Needless to say, all versions considered, Internet Explorer is still the most popular browser with a 55% share while Firefox comes seconds with an impressive 32%. However, with the ballot option coming in March next year, Firefox is sure to gain an even more significant lead in the coming year.
While the truly good news will come when Internet Explorer will finally die the death it deserves, this growing trend of adopting alternative browsers is a pleasant one indeed. With all the goodness that HTML5 brings, its impact will be severely limited if Internet Explorer is not safely out of the way. It is too much to hope that the coming year will finally see Firefox take a lead over Internet Explorer as a whole, however we do hope for a severe dent.