Microsoft’s Windows Internet Explorer (formerly Microsoft Internet Explorer) has had a strangle hold on the web browser market since its launch in 1995, which peaked at 95% usage share during 2002 and 2003 with IE5 and IE6.

Microsoft’s Windows operating system was, and still is the most widely used operating system (88%), with only a small percentage of people (10-11%), opting to use an Apple computer and it’s OSX operating system, and a smaller percentage still (1-2%) using the non-commercial, free, open source software, Linux.

So how did Internet Explorer establish such a strangle hold on the web?

Since its conception in 1995, Internet Explorer has been the default web browser packaged with Windows. Many home users have been totally oblivious to the fact that there are other browsers out there, and a lot businesses have implemented systems to stop staff being able to install any software on their work computer. These two factors have helped Internet Explorers domination carry on for years unchallenged.

Why should I switch to another web browser?

You would think that because Internet Explorer is the oldest, and most established web browser that it would be the best right, if so you would be wrong. All other browsers on the market adhere to standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which are in place to ensure web pages display correctly in different web browsers. Internet Explorer has consistently ignored these standards, basically sticking two fingers up in an arrogant ‘why should we comply’ manner. It is this attitude that has infuriated web designers the world over. While using Internet Explorer you may have come across sites that appeared to be ‘broken’, with text and pictures all over the place. The site itself is probably fine when viewed in a standards compliant browser, meaning if it’s not the site thats broken it must be the browser. Getting websites to display the same in Internet Explorer as in a web coding standards compliant browser has long been the bane of many a web designer. The solution to achieving a ‘similar’ looking site in Internet Explorer is not an easy one, and lots of wasted time is spent trying to find ‘workarounds’ and ‘hacks’. This blatant lack of co-operation from the company that has the largest market share has ultimately hindered the progression and development of the internet.
In January this year, Germany and France came out to advise it’s citizens to stop using any version of Internet Explorer because of the possibility of attacks which could compromise the user’s computer and lead to the theft of data and personal information. The announcement came after Chinese Hackers managed to break into Google’s corporate network via a weakness in security attributed to Internet Explorer.

The new browser option screen which will hopefully reduce the number of people that use Internet Explorer as their web browser.

Internet Explorers market share has taken a nose dive since 2006, and with Microsoft having agreed to offer users a choice of browsers following the settlement of a ten year dispute with the European Commission over competition regulation, help web designers the world over put the nail in the coffin of this outdate browser by SWITCHING NOW.

I am convinced, Internet Explorer is the work of the devil, but which browser should I use?

We have compiled a list of browsers and links through to their site to make it as easy as possible for you to switch. Any of the browsers listed below will make browsing the internet a more enjoyable experience. At YGD our browser of choice is Mozilla Firefox due to it’s extensive web developer options.

The four most popular browsers (excluding Internet Explorer). Click on the links below to be taken to their website.

Mozilla Firefox | Safari | Google Chrome | Opera