Windows, IE lose web share to Mac OS X, Linux, Safari, Firefox, iPhone

[praka123]

by Stephen Withers Monday, 02 June 2008

The trouble with having a huge market share is that the only way to move is down - and that's exactly what's happening to Windows and Internet Explorer, according to an new report. The question is how much further are they going to fall?

According to the latest Market Share report from Net Applications, Windows' share has dropped from 93.28 to 91.13 percent over the last 12 months. What's taking up the slack? Mostly Mac OS, with a little help from the iPhone. The Mac share has risen from 5.99 to 7.83 percent, and the iPhone's from 0.04 to 0.16 percent - but more of that later.

Linux has scored the biggest proportional improvement over the period, but the growth is coming off such a low base that it is hardly significant.

Growing from 0.46 to 0.68 percent is an achievement, but look at it this way: Windows zealots often describe Mac OS X as irrelevant due to its comparatively small number of users, but on the Net Applications figures Linux is a further order of magnitude behind.

When we look at browser shares, Microsoft is doing even worse with the Market Share report noting a drop from 79.26 to 73.75 percent. Most of that is being soaked up by Firefox, which has gone from 14.45 to 18.41 percent. Safari also has picked up share, rising from 4.58 to 6.25 percent.

No other browser manages to crack the one percent threshold. While Opera last year supplanted Netscape as the fourth force in browsers, it is a long way behind the big three. That said, Opera Mini is responsible for around two and a half times the traffic of Pocket Internet Explorer.

So what was that about the iPhone?

Full article read here:
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/18541/1151/

though I definitely thinks Linux share ~=mac

[Pat]

Lol! I hope this thread does not turn into yet another flame war!

[praka123]

well,if M$haft fanboys dont come,then we can have peaceful discussion

[Pat]

^^Lol! Btw praka yaar, dont you think growth of linux is very slow! I mean 0.68% is nothing Maybe you should advocate Linux and OSS even more than earlier now

[praka123]

well,there is no accurate measure to count the actual Linux users,where Linux is deployed.
I can very well say ,it will be nearer or greater than mac os X's share.

but these guys measure using browser specific details,the details provided by our host etc.
but there are thousands of servers,clients all run Linux

also,it is our duty to spread awareness about GNU/Linux and FOSS in forums such as this ,which used to be a complete window$ one we have to aggressively show Linux and its benefits.these many n00b's here multiboot different microsoft operating systems and dont know about Linux?then it is our duty to let them know

[Pat]

I am hoping for a day when all major tech magazines in India give as much coverage to Linux as it does to windows!

Talking about accuracy, I agree..It is not possible to measure accurately how many users use specific products etc.

The most common example that I can think of right now is distrowatch Page Hit Rankings! People often mis-interpret the results and end up having wrong information. Like for example PCLinuxOS stayed at No. 1, but it did not mean that majority Linux users were using that during those days!

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

hey guess what ??
There is every possibility that M$ Vista purposefully crash Firefox....

If 4GB becomes minimum for an OS !! Then its time to phase out all 32bit processors !!
That is Windows 7 Minimum requirements... it should be atleast 10GB of RAM

[iMav]

OMG Microsoft is doomed from 93% to 92%, that is such a huge drop, it's such a big gain for others, a full 1% Microsoft is doomed

[Pat]

^^93.28 - 91.13 = 1% ??

You are are a true and typical MS user

[sourav123]

Originally Posted by Pat

^^93.28 - 91.13 = 1% ??

You are are a true and typical MS user

LOL. I guess he forgot to open calc.

[iMav]

^^ sorry typo, a full 2%

[Garbage]

Originally Posted by iMav

^^ sorry typo, a full 2%

we never minded !!

[krazzy]

2% isn't much bigger than 1. Truth is there is nothing noteworthy about it. What Microsoft would be feeling now is equivalent to how an elephant would feel on a mosquito bite. Nothing.

But then I think why on Earth would anyone want to use IE? The disadvantages outweigh the advantages by 10 to 1. One really has to be a n00b to use IE. Either by chance or by choice.

[goobimama]

2% is huge btw! It is 2% of at least 500 million who use Windows? So that means that another 10-15 million (I've got zero math skills) more Mac/Linux users out there who will further spread the joy of christmas.

[iMav]

Originally Posted by goobimama

(I've got zero math skills)

welcome to the elite club

[MetalheadGautham]

it doesn.t really matter how many users an OS has. Most of them could just be light users, like those in internet parlours, offices, etc.

What number is more important is Power Users, which is users who use the OS for power, and have a good understanding of their OS and use it. Among Power Users, the statistics are quite different, and though windows is still at the top, its lead is conciderably different, and Linux is far ahead of Macintosh.

[goobimama]

Maybe in terms of servers, but as far as notebooks and desktops are concerned, I have come across more Macs than Linux boxes. Windows mainly rules the corporate world.

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by goobimama

Maybe in terms of servers, but as far as notebooks and desktops are concerned, I have come across more Macs than Linux boxes. Windows mainly rules the corporate world.

servers ? there you find NO mac at all. Only windows and linux. Usual boring win server or LAMP server which are as common as stray dogs...
Macs are popular in notebooks, yes.
Desktops ? nope. I think you might have missed quite a few linux machines.
Windows does not RULE corporate world, it DICTATES it.

[goobimama]

Toh maine kya bola? I did say you Linux servers rule didn't I? There must be what, like four-five Mac servers in the world?

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by goobimama

Toh maine kya bola? I did say you Linux servers rule didn't I? There must be what, like four-five Mac servers in the world?

actually, I never said Linux Servers Rule. I just indicated the statistical position of them in webservers.

as for mac servers, you yourself know why they don't exist

[goobimama]

Personally, I don't know. I mean, if a Mac server can power a site like Apple.com, I don't see why it won't be ideal in other conditions. But then again, what do I know, I'm a Mac user.

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by goobimama

Personally, I don't know. I mean, if a Mac server can power a site like Apple.com, I don't see why it won't be ideal in other conditions. But then again, what do I know, I'm a Mac user.

simple answer:
who in their right mind would want to make the PC he bought thats so good looking and highly expensive, with lots and lots of eyecandy and suits like iLife which can entertain you for ages, into a server ?

[goobimama]

Xserve | Mac OS X Server

This reminds me of a conversation I had with someone the other day. She mentioned that she was having trouble starting the Apache web server on Linux. Some DUTK or something like had to be configured and it wasn't responding (exact words might vary). Then I mentioned how one starts the Apache web server on a Mac...

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by goobimama

Xserve | Mac OS X Server

This reminds me of a conversation I had with someone the other day. She mentioned that she was having trouble starting the Apache web server on Linux. Some DUTK or something like had to be configured and it wasn't responding (exact words might vary). Then I mentioned how one starts the Apache web server on a Mac...

ah the usual... people trying to use linux without knowing how it works always end up like that Once you figure out how it works, things will be a breeze.

I am more comfortable on Ubuntu than in windows xp now. Infact, my windows XP got damaged beyond repair by another of those zillion odd bugs/viruses. It only works in safe mode. But I am tooo lazy to reinstall it, despite obtaining SP3, nLite, Drivers, and other tools needed to install it.

Have you ever wondered how easy it is to install a Mac ? Absolutely no drivers ? The same thing happens with linux for me. But windows is hell I say you. Try installing it once and you, who are used to the ease offered by a mac, will suicide. It doesnt even have a non interactive mode so that we can click a few options and be done, and go and have some fun outside while it installs.

[praka123]

@gowtham:dont make goobi come into heat.you will feel sorry for later cats can be dangerous.

[nitish_mythology]

I got my dad switch from IE to Firefox n he loves his new browser
Another loss for M$...

[Voldy]

Another bug for the M$haft AKA Gates firewall

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by praka123

@gowtham:dont make goobi come into heat.you will feel sorry for later cats can be dangerous.

I just said him that him being used to the ease of mac install, he will find windows very difficult. Anything wrong ?

[chandru.in]

No doubt IE is losing market share. My recent experience at work said it all. CSS in IE (6 & 7) sucks big time. What worked flawlessly with FF (2&3) and Opera (highly standards compliant) kept failing on IE. Lost one whole day in debugging it to make it work on that crappy browser (client wants IE and FF compatibility).

The page itself was very complex. Plenty of dynamically generated DIVs with absolute positioning using dynamic CSS along with plenty of real-time AJAX based DnD.

If it was not for IE, I'd have moved on doing something more creative. Sorry IE fans, but the torture I experienced due to that crap was massive.

[iMav]

Well, Safari & FF render my site in a mess on Windows & Ubuntu respectively. IE 6 is not good, 7 & 8 work like a charm.