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Microsoft offers a *cough* totally unbiased comparison of the Big 3 browsers
Oh Microsoft, you and your wacky propoganda!
Yes, we know that Internet Explorer 8 isn't the same steaming pile of dung that past versions have been. Yes, we know it has some neat features like accelerators and InPrivate filtering. But we really had no idea that you had such a great sense of humor!
If you haven't seen the now infamous chart (and you likely have, thanks to Reddit), it's well worth a look. Don't go looking for any real world data to back things up though. There are no screenshots, nothing on the chart is linked to anything else, and the "mythbusting" page points only to two malware studies and the IE8 add-ons gallery.
There are, of course, some valid points - other browsers lacking enterprise tools, for example. The rest of it, well, you tell me. What do you think of the points they make?
My personal favorite: the Firefox add-ons I'd want to download are already built in to IE8. You know, like my three must haves - LastPass, Weave, and Greasemonkey. Oh wait, no...No, none of that functionality is built in.
I do like the little green checkmarks, Microsoft. They suuuuure are purty!
Yes, we know that Internet Explorer 8 isn't the same steaming pile of dung that past versions have been. Yes, we know it has some neat features like accelerators and InPrivate filtering. But we really had no idea that you had such a great sense of humor!
If you haven't seen the now infamous chart (and you likely have, thanks to Reddit), it's well worth a look. Don't go looking for any real world data to back things up though. There are no screenshots, nothing on the chart is linked to anything else, and the "mythbusting" page points only to two malware studies and the IE8 add-ons gallery.
There are, of course, some valid points - other browsers lacking enterprise tools, for example. The rest of it, well, you tell me. What do you think of the points they make?
My personal favorite: the Firefox add-ons I'd want to download are already built in to IE8. You know, like my three must haves - LastPass, Weave, and Greasemonkey. Oh wait, no...No, none of that functionality is built in.
I do like the little green checkmarks, Microsoft. They suuuuure are purty!
Comments
40
Subscribe to commentsharveylubinJun 18th 2009 4:28PM
Microsoft's new slogan:
"You can trust us… no, really… stop laughing!"
mxt920Jun 18th 2009 4:28PM
"Knowing the top speed of a car doesn't tell you how fast you can drive in rush hour."
Ummm.... what point are they making, exactly? That IE8 is as fast as Chrome when you're on dial-up? Wow, nifty.
Eric D.Jun 18th 2009 4:40PM
Wow... people really like to hate on IE. Like it or not, it is the most used browser on the planet and has been for a long time... even if you personally don't like it or believe otherwise. Also, it's also the most secure browser when you take into account the number of attacks it receives and compare it to other browsers -- meaning a higher percentage of success against known threats. What hacker wants to find holes in a browser that has less than a 10% market share (Safari, Firefox, Chrome). That goes for OS's too. Quit bitching and report some real news. When Firefox is truly better, not just as good as but better, then I'll start using it. Until then, I'll use what my buddy Bill uses. IE Mobile on the other hand... that needs some work.
BufsabreJun 18th 2009 4:35PM
obvious troll is obvious.
Money MikeJun 18th 2009 6:22PM
It's the most used browser on the planet because it's shoved down your throat the minute you turn on a computer. Most people don't even know what a web browser is, let alone know that you can use something else. I doubt many people actually "choose" IE. Even those who know what it is tend to continue using it because they get used to it and it's what they know. I'm amazed Firefox has been able to catch on as much as it has. If you really think about it, Firefox had to win all of its users away from IE, yet IE has probably never won any of its users away from Firefox, Chrome, etc.
If you ask anyone who's really into computers, they will almost always tell you that they use Firefox, Chrome, or even Maxthon. IE users are not the most technically savvy people. What does that tell you about yourself?
IE gets the job done if you're a casual web user, so it's "good enough" most of the time. I don't hate it, but I made the switch years ago and love Firefox. I would really need a reason to switch back to IE, and Microsoft just hasn't provided one yet.
phezJun 18th 2009 6:48PM
Chill man, its just a web browser.
Eric D.Jun 18th 2009 8:35PM
@Money Mike
Yeah... calm down. My comment was more about the way Lee Matthews is biased against anything Microsoft.
I've used just about every browser avalable since the early 90's and still always go back to IE. And what does that say about me? It says that I'm an educated professional who has worked many tech jobs but most recently as a web developer, Oracle DBA, and college professor and I know how easy it is to poke holes in ANY browser. I teach this to all of my students at Pitt. Also, it's why most companys choose IE as the corporate approved browser for in house web applications. So once again, you're entitled to like any browser but no one can deny that this article is biased.
By the way, I prefer Opera or Skyfire for mobile devices.
Lee MathewsJun 18th 2009 8:37PM
Oh wow! One day I'm a fanboy, the next day I hate Microsoft with a passion.
Here's some perspective, Mike:
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/11/01/windows-7-hands-on-impressive-at-every-turn/
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/08/27/microsoft-drops-ie8-beta-2-first-impression/
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/03/xp-mode-in-windows-7-is-no-cop-out/
I'm biased against things that smell. That comparison chart? It reeks.
AndrewJun 20th 2009 2:37PM
@Eric D. I don't know how you can claim that this article is biased when it's just reporting about an unbelievably biased study. Does anyone else see the irony?
Did you even read the comparison chart?
RoberJun 21st 2009 6:16AM
LA gente como tú se merece que los desarrolladores no gastemos ni un minuto en adaptar nuestros diseños a los bugs del IE. Si tan bonito es, porqué no pasa ni el 20% del acid test 3.????
MarkJun 18th 2009 4:44PM
In other news:
Microsoft brainwashes users into thinking the unreliable and last-gen Xbox is better than the PS3 and Wii.
Does anyone fall for Microsofts propaganda anymore?
ZavenJun 18th 2009 4:48PM
this just brought a smile to my day. Funniest post ever.
ZavenJun 18th 2009 4:48PM
Oh wait, it's not April Fool's Day
Money MikeJun 18th 2009 6:10PM
You really have to pay attention to the wording here. None of it is accidental, I'm sure. I have a couple of favorites…
In the Browser comparison tab:
Customizability: "Sure, Firefox may win in sheer number of add-ons, but many of the customizations you'd want to download for Firefox are already a part of Internet Explorer 8 – right out of the box."
What?!? Even if this statement was true and many of the customizations I'd "want to download for Firefox are already a part of IE8," how would that make IE more customizable? If anything, they just proved the point that they're less customizable... unless they're saying these features that are already included can be removed from IE8. You can't have it both ways, Microsoft.
Oh, and I’d estimate that at least 75% of my add-ons are not only not built into IE8, but aren’t even remotely possible.
Then in the Myths tab, I love the wording of the first "myth":
Myth #1: Internet Explorer is much slower than Firefox and Chrome.
You know if they really thought IE8 was just as fast or faster than the others, they wouldn’t have said “much faster” in the title of the myth. Either that or they would have tried to argue that “much faster” claim. Instead, they respond with:
The Real Deal: In tests, Internet Explorer 8 performs as well or better than Firefox and Chrome.
Wait a second. That was tricky wording. Instead of arguing that IE is “just as fast or faster,” they said IE “performs as well or better than Firefox and Chrome.” Well that’s an arbitrary argument if I’ve ever heard one. What exactly does a browser have to do to “perform better?” Clearly, speed has nothing to do with it.
More importantly, what "tests” are they referring to? Were these tests done by someone at Microsoft? Also, did they mean some tests, most tests, or all tests?
Thank you for making me laugh tonight. I needed it after the week I’ve been having.
MollyJun 18th 2009 6:10PM
this chart is plain riduculous and so is their tone (greeting visitors with a heart-warming 'get lost' on that website where you're about to win 10k aussie dollars if you happen to use the 'wrong' browser).
however, i'm using mainly IE8 and i'm quite happy with it (Opera on my portable computers). my biggest beef with FF: the pathetic memory leaking of the troubled Gecko engine (something the Mozilla Foundation keeps ignoring).
p.s.: if you're looking for some nice add-ons for IE, try this:
http://www.bayden.com/ietoys/
RollinsJun 18th 2009 7:43PM
I agree with the comments about Firefox; the Gecko rendering engine has some serious issues.
I think Firefox's time in the spotlight is coming to an end; IE has made quite a bit of progress and both Safari and Chrome are superior alternatives. The only thing left that Firefox has going for it is customizability, something which the average consumer doesn't care terribly much about.
gonintendoJun 18th 2009 8:04PM
I'd say that the only thing that FF has going for it is Adblock. I know that there are alternatives, but none are so tightly integrated into the browser. For example, i can just right click on an image and block it.
RocketboyJun 19th 2009 9:24AM
I can do (just about) the same thing in Opera. It just takes me an extra click.
RollinsJun 18th 2009 7:41PM
This is some seriously aggressive marketing, and I'm not sure if Microsoft should be going in this direction.
That said, the enterprise bit is right on. It's nice that someone out there packages Firefox in an MSI file for pushing on Active Directory, but that's no substitute for the degree of control network administrators have over IE.
I won't be surprised if Chrome starts becoming more enterprise-friendly, though. Google's been shoring up their enterprise support for a while now; I'm sure once they're happy with Chrome's feature set and stability, they'll start offering it as a business solution.
the real BradJun 18th 2009 7:54PM
Well, this goes in hand to hand with IE6's supposed conditional comments that (gasp) let you take advantage of features that other browsers haven't (cough cough) caught up with yet... funny how it's the other way around.
The link is here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms537512(VS.85).aspx