Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer: The Eternal Question Answered

Of course you’re wondering whether to make the change from regular Internet Explorer Ver. 6.0 to Mozilla Firefox web brower. Don’t be afraid about asking because there are many people just like you who just aren’t quite sure if they are ready to make the switch. They’re already on edge from their workload, they have nine bosses telling them about the latest memo, or maybe they’re afraid that suggesting change will get them fired. Well, for all of those good folks out there, a local Chicago businessman is ready to show them how to direct their lives. Well, at least in the field of “look-over-your-shoulder-to-see-if-anyone’s-watching” internet exploration.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has been the standard in the business world for 10 years now, ever since Microsoft included it in their Windows 95 Plus! Kit. Back then, though, it was titled the “Internet Jumpstart Kit.” Now, the jumpstart has kicked into high gear with the Internet Explorer currently enjoying 86.07 percent of the internet market, according to OneStat, a web analytics company.

With the introduction of Mozilla Firefox on November 9, 2004 though, a challenger began to arise in the fight to control the average man’s nightly internet prowl for sports scores. Firefox was able to spread rapidly due to passionate marketing campaigns, sometimes aided by the browser’s users, who were given “referrer points” for turning people on to the new software. These campaigns allowed for the browser to reach the 50 million download mark less than 6 months after its release.

Both of these internet browsers have their ups and downs. Mozilla Firefox allows tabs to be created within a single “window,” so users are able to look at many websites at once without clouding their Taskbar. It also boasts a more effective pop-up blocker than Internet Explorer 6.0, according to Walter Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal. In fact, one website even listed 101 things that you can do with Firefox that you can’t do with the Explorer. However, many users complain that Firefox takes longer to load than does Internet Explorer. Sometimes, websites don’t load correctly in Firefox because they were made to fit the Internet Explorer mold.

The Internet Explorer, by most accounts, is obsolete and susceptible to a variety of viruses, but there are advantages to using it over Mozilla Firefox. Most websites were created to be shown by the Internet Explorer. This means that using Microsoft Internet Explorer, one will be able to see certain web pages the way they were meant to be seen. Another advantage to the Internet Explorer is that you usually don’t have to download it, because it comes with any computer that uses Windows.

At the end of the day, most technology experts, internet-surfing geeks, and sports-score checking jocks will agree that Firefox is the better choice. It is easier to use, more effective for searching, and the visual interface more appealing than Bill Gates’ drab backgrounds. If you want to stick to your guns and stay with the Explorer, you may go down fighting. But don’t think Microsoft won’t be fighting back. Mr. Gates has announced that a new, updated version of Microsoft Internet Explorer will be guiding you through cyberspace sometime this summer.