Gbrowser powered by Firefox?
Unless you've been on a ski trip in the Alps where you can't get internet in your cabin or somewhere else where you can't get internet you've probably been hearing about Firefox. Why is Firefox getting so much attention? Well it's simple really; Microsoft hasn't released a major upgrade to Internet Explorer since I don't know how long. Plus people are getting tired of all the spyware and other junk that is written to take over Internet Explorer.
So with all the attention on Firefox, it still only has about 4.6 percent of the Web surfers and are only projected to reach 10 percent by mid-2005 according to an article I read on Yahoo News. But according to a more recent article I think we can predict that Firefox might even surpass that previous prediction and could jump to 50 percent or higher almost over night. How you ask? According to the more recent article it has just been reported that Google has just hired Ben Goodger (ironic name) one of the lead programmers for Firefox. So what does this mean? Well let's do the math. Google is hired one of the lead programmers for Firefox. They hired some Internet Explorer engineers from Microsoft and plus they registered the Gbrowser.com domain. So what does all this add up to...? I think it adds up to Google wanting to build there own browser based off the Firefox browser.
So if Google released a browser what would that mean? Well, I think it will mean that Firefox (the Google branded one) could increase its market share over night. Since Google already is the most popular search engine at 36.8% according to SearchEngineWatch. Google could easily increase Firefox's market share, simply by marketing it on their search engine. Plus, Google has already established trust amongst people that use it as a search engine.
I just hope that the Google branded Firefox doesn't get ruined like Netscape got ruined by AOL taking it over.
The Trump Card. The trump card that could play into all this however is that we haven't seen anything new from Microsoft so who knows what they are cooking up. Microsoft has a reputation of letting the competition build some ground and then almost seeming coming out of nowhere cruses the competition. Everyone remember how in the early years Netscape was king and then Internet Explorer 4.0 came out and the entire landscape was ever changed.
It should be interesting to watch it play out.
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Comments
I'm not sure if I really think Google is going to build a browser or not, but if they do, it would certainly be successful. On name alone they'd get a lot of downloads. If they base it on Gecko, the Firefox rendering engine, web developers should be happy with it.
From what I've heard, it sounds like Microsoft will come out with a new Internet Explorer for Longhorn, which I'm sure will be much improved. However, my understanding is that said new version won't run on previous version of Windows (XP, 2000, 98, etc.) If this is the case, it will take quite a while for the new Explorer to have a very significant marketshare -- Windows users don't tend to migrate to major Windows upgrades very quickly en masse.
If Google wants to enter this market, the time is now. Longhorn is still quite a ways off, and there could be at least another year or so even after its release for Longhorn to have a very significant number of users. Google (or anyone, really) has a real window of opportunity right now...
Jeff,
Good points... Just never count Microsoft out until they say their out!
If they fall out of the number one spot as the lead browser, they could still come back and leave the competition crying for their momma!
I'm not saying I like it that Microsoft has that much power. But, it is fact we all I have to live with!
I predict lawsuits no matter what happens!
The Mozilla camp does not need Google for world domination. If someone wants a good browser, Firefox is there to download. If someone is lazy, then that stinkin' 'E' on the Desktop is available...
Roy,
I do agree that the 'E' on most people's desktop is a stinkin' browser.
However, I'm not sure I'm convinced that Firefox can convert the masses away from that stinkin' 'E' because the masses, well... Let's face it, the masses don't realy give a rats patoot what they are using as long as it semi works and is just there and they don't have to do anything extra to get it or make it work.
So I think the only real way that Firefox could reach 90% of the market share ever is if they have Microsoft pre-install it on windows machines, which isn't going to happen. Or if some big super huge tech company with a super huge audience like Google markets their own version or Firefox its self.
A lot can happen in a few years.. it should be pretty interesting. IE will continue to dominate in numbers of 85% or greater until Windows is dethroned, regardless if Google gets behind a browser. If Google wants to enter the browser war, the fastest path to dominance is through GoogleOS, a 100% Windows/Linux/Mac compatible OS with mind-blowing features.