Firefox Reaches 20% Market Share for First Time Ever | Hacker News Reader

Firefox Reaches 20% Market Share for First Time Ever

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39 pointsqhoxie30 comments

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Their data 'only' represents 160 million visitors per month from their 'stats' network.

Still trying to get my parents to switch.

Install, import favorites and change default to FF, they'll prob never notice the difference.

Tried it and they noticed.

I'm probably going to try switching them to Chrome first over Christmas.

This might help: http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/firefox_internet_explorer/s...

been looking for that. it alleviates the made-up concerns that old people have. ("why is that over there?! have we been haxored?!")

Why won't they? In my limited experience working with parents and the in-laws, they've generally been excited to use something that I positioned as better (even if it was barely founded).

They get comfortable with things and don't like tech change.

My dad was pretty shocked how easily some malware managed to get onto his work system a couple of months ago from an ad on an otherwise legitimate site, despite fully patched IE and up-to-date anti-virus software. The anti-virus software did catch it, but only after it had made it onto the system. He got a mac and uses Safari at home now.

well you always have the option to lie. delete some files from IE, then when they ask you to fix it, bs them with tech stuff "sorry mom, but the latest auto update changed the drivers and now IE won't render"

then simulate trying different options to fix IE, and then give up and say "Sorry folks, you gotta use FF"

I really should try that over Christmas. Thank you.

Lying for the greater good?

Sure.

Heh, my mom switched in an instant, and my dad didn't even notice. She uses an older laptop (circa 2003~) and Firefox 3just runs so much faster on it compared to IE7/8

That worked on my grandparents (they didn't even notice).

I re-labeled IE "DO NOT USE".

This makes me think I should re-label Firefox "Internet".

Brilliant!

Whoa - that was just weird. Posted at the exact same time.

The ad execs at Guinness would be dancing a jig if they saw this.

Actually, dhimes seems to have beaten you by a fraction: his post has id=353847, while yours had id=353848 :)

Brilliant!

My mom can't use it, because she's on a corporate network that requires Internet Explorer. She's none too pleased.

A lot of people use IE because they can't help it. Then they think that using two web browsers in two places is too much trouble. I can't wait until corporations and schools switch away from IE entirely.

Still trying to get my children to switch.

I take another approach: Never, ever look at my parents' computer. Last time I did I nearly puked on the monitor. I think they're still rockin' the Bonzai Buddy.

Leo Laporte suggested that on holidays we should setup FF on relatives' computers. I will.

But the problem with that (that I'd bet most of us have) is that you're expected to become the IT department. Being "good with computers", you end up doing endless bloatware uninstalls on their "slow" computer.

But just like spring cleaning, clearing junk from computers can sometimes be cathartic.

I don't see any evidence of statistical analysis on this at all. People are touted raw figures as valid without any removal of bias.

More than that while it's cool it's 20% that still leaves 75+ % as IE and I'd be surprised if most of that 75% ever upgrade until those computers are replaced.

I've got a site running that only really sees traffic from students at my university. I see 70% firefox, 15% safari and 10% IE.

I wish all websites witnessed similar numbers.

What kind of students?

Better startup time and more intuitive to use for non freaks (just like Safari on a Mac), and we already would by at 50%.

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