Mozilla Builds a Special Bing'ed Firefox For Microsoft
Microsoft has begun offering a customized version of Firefox for download.
This new Firefox features Bing as its default search engine instead of Google. According to Mozilla, the browser is an extension of the "partnership" the company announced with Microsoft in 2010.
For Mozilla, the "Firefox with Bing" browser is certainly a good idea, as it is an opportunity to diversify its revenue and become at least a bit more independent of Google's search revenues. However, from Microsoft's perspective, this is a remarkable move because it is featuring the Firefox download from its own website. However, in its battle against Google, Microsoft may have concluded that a partnership with Mozilla cannot do much damage at this point, and may even help its Bing unit to divert some advertising revenues from Google toward Bing.
StatCounter market share data indicates that Firefox will post its ninth consecutive month of market share loss for October and end the period with about 26.4 percent share. IE also suffered heavy losses this month, despite a newly launched marketing campaign, and cross the finish line with about 40.2 percent. Google has picked up more than 1.3 points of share and will be listed with a share of about 24.9 percent. If the current trend continues, Mozilla will lose its position as second most popular browser in November. In South America, Chrome has become the dominating browser with daily market shares in excess of 40 percent this month, according to StatCounter.
Teaming up with Mozilla may be a good idea for Microsoft at this point, as every other strategy to fend off Chrome has failed so far. If Microsoft keeps losing market share at the current pace and if Chrome keeps gaining share at the same time, Google may surpass IE share as early as June 2012.
Not a bad idea. IE sucks, and lots of people I know, even ones that don't know a ton about computers, use Firefox.
Its lack of support of its own OS's shows me that Microsoft really wants to sell Windows 7. Its funny how all other browsers can be backwards compatible to Microsofts OS's, but Microsofts own browser cant. I run XP on my desktop. Yes my desktop needs an update, but I shouldnt be forced into buying a new OS to get the benefits of the newer IE. IE 8 is garbage, I cant use IE9 because Microsoft wants me to buy Windows 7, yet any other browser will out perform IE 8 on XP. You think the "IE sucks" mentality should be re-evaluated, I think IE sucks due to its performance across more than 1 platform. Funny how the other browsers seem to be handing Microsofts IE its ass on Microsofts own OS's. I'd say that kind of justifies the "IE sucks" mentality. Also, in my book, even without rushing things out the door, IE failed to even enter the game on IE9 on the majority of its own OS users, as there are still more people using XP than Windows 7.
i mean i would pay for a version of dx 10 or 11 for xp, and you all know they could do it, hell id pay 50$ for it which is about 20$ more than i payed for windows 7 on my little brothers computer.
that said, will this browser also be tied to 7 only?
IE uses the Trident engine. Microsoft practically invented that one.
The last thing Mozilla needs is to piss off Google. The competition with Chrome could be seen as a necessary evil from either company's perspective, but if Moz is in bed with Google's biggest enemy, they are going to find themselves in the crosshairs of the most active internet tech company in the world, and depending on a recent enemy for funding to fight the war. Not a good situation, no matter what they do.
Its Chrome that's taking their market share, not IE. Continuing to bend over and take it from Google out of fear of pissing them off would be just stupid.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
This seems like a modern TV series where the good guys and the bad guys switch sides to keep the plot interesting.
i know quite a bit about computers and would never use firefox, it just doesnt work properly with many web pages i use. With IE there is no need to install a 3rd party browser, it's good enough. Like it matters if a web page loads 0.01ms faster or slower.....
Perhaps, but all's I know is that when I run IE (rarely that I do) it says something along the lines of "consider disabling add-ons to enhance security while browsing". That sure does make sense in this day and age, considering all the strong competition is promoting the use of add-ons.
In spite of the fact that Google wants Mozilla's marketshare *and is getting it*, Google is apparently still providing support to Firefox. Will Microsoft do the same if their fortunes change?
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" doesn't work too well. Eventually, you'll find that the problems you had with your new 'friend'/former enemy are still relevant, and you'll wind up being enemies again. If Microsoft deems this experiment to be either a failure or an unnecessary expenditure, they'll end it, and then where will Mozilla be?