I was researching some stories for our gecko-twitter this morning on a slow news day and headed towards the browser statistics on w3schools website and first felt excited and then old.
I noticed that in the next couple of months that two things will happen; Microsoft will drop below 40% market share across its web browsers and Firefox will break the 50% mark. The former is a positive and exciting reality many of once believed would never happen. The Microsoft stranglehold on the tech world has been the case since it broke Netscape way back in the beginning of the post-Mosaic-period. I am not sure which is more amazing the glass half empty for Microsoft of the glass over half full for Firefox. As a tabs devotee and a confessed foxophile – I am happy!
It is a vote of confidence in the “free world” that Firefox has done so well against the monumental MS machine but as Bill’s star is waning, and it is with Vista still under 20% uptake, what’s next?
Sadly I believe we have a Chrome future in OS and Browser with Apple held out as our salvation; I’m not sad about Chrome per se but I am concerned about the rampant aspirations of Google generally. Not much is left in its path as is explores and destroys niches large and small as it hoovers up the tech world.
Could it be that Firefox will enjoy but a few months in the sun as the Chrome train steams the tech climb to 15 % by the year end? I suspect so.
