IE Competitor Wins Hearts and Desktops

The Jan. 31 Businessweek reviews the open source browser Firefox. Glowingly. In a nutshell, the story says: “The Good: It’s quick, easy to use, and virus-resistant. The Bad: Nada. The Bottom Line: The rare software program that just makes you happy.” In an October Alarmed column, CIO’s Scott Berinato already outlined the security advantages of Firefox.

Indeed, you have to look hard to find anyone with any gripes about the browser beyond 1) some sites using proprietary Microsoft technologies aren’t fully compatible and 2) some functions taken for granted in Internet Explorer need to be added on as extensions. (PC Magazine today lists the top 15 extensions.)

Organizational policy aside, Firefox may become the de facto browser at your company. The rave reviews and ease of installation make it sure to find a home in your environment, with or without your blessing.

A gossipy aside: Yahoo News notes yesterday that the release of version 1.1 has been pushed back from March to June. And, not to fan rumors unnecessarily, Technology Review Monday speculated that Google may be in line to join the Microsoft IE competitors with its own browser. Besides registering the URL gbrowswer.com some time back, it recently hired Firefox’s own lead engineer Ben Goodger.