Comments on: Google Advertises Firefox to IE Users http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/ News, opinion, and fresh thinking for web developers and designers. The official podcast of sitepoint.com. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:30:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Kevin Yank http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-23050 Kevin Yank Sun, 14 May 2006 06:59:37 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-23050 <blockquote>Firefox is only safer because less people use it so less people try to exploit it. As soon as its popularity increases and a larger percentage of people are using it, the attacks will start coming at Firefox users as much as they have been at IE users for so long.</blockquote> Were that true, Apache web servers (which make up over <a href="http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html#market_share" rel="nofollow">70% of servers</a> as of November 2005) would suffer from a much greater number of successful attacks as compared to Microsoft IIS servers. But according to <a href="http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html#security" rel="nofollow">many independent studies</a> Apache has by far the better track record for security. Note especially point two of that essay: "Windows sites are disproportionately defaced more often than explained by its market share." Why? Because the source code of open source software is available for public scrutiny and review. In the absence of security by obscurity, open source software must be secure by design.

Firefox is only safer because less people use it so less people try to exploit it. As soon as its popularity increases and a larger percentage of people are using it, the attacks will start coming at Firefox users as much as they have been at IE users for so long.

Were that true, Apache web servers (which make up over 70% of servers as of November 2005) would suffer from a much greater number of successful attacks as compared to Microsoft IIS servers. But according to many independent studies Apache has by far the better track record for security.

Note especially point two of that essay: “Windows sites are disproportionately defaced more often than explained by its market share.” Why? Because the source code of open source software is available for public scrutiny and review. In the absence of security by obscurity, open source software must be secure by design.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-23014 Anonymous Sun, 14 May 2006 02:15:56 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-23014 Firefox is only safer because less people use it so less people try to exploit it. As soon as its popularity increases and a larger percentage of people are using it, the attacks will start coming at Firefox users as much as they have been at IE users for so long. Firefox is only safer because less people use it so less people try to exploit it. As soon as its popularity increases and a larger percentage of people are using it, the attacks will start coming at Firefox users as much as they have been at IE users for so long.

]]> By: Ace http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21877 Ace Thu, 04 May 2006 17:02:38 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21877 Eh well, any move away from an unsafe browser, is a good move. Eh well, any move away from an unsafe browser, is a good move.

]]> By: Searchnerd.com - » Blog Archive » Google goes crazy and puts banner on homepage http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21252 Searchnerd.com - » Blog Archive » Google goes crazy and puts banner on homepage Sun, 30 Apr 2006 00:52:11 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21252 [...] Of course they already have used graphic ads on their pages before, but they were less banner like. Danny Sullivan pointed this out late December 2005. It looks to me like this latest add is the most banner like so far - and is relatively new. Based on other posts I am guessing this happened a few days ago on 4/26. According to these reports the reason for the ad is to “help provide our users with a great search experience”. [...] […] Of course they already have used graphic ads on their pages before, but they were less banner like. Danny Sullivan pointed this out late December 2005. It looks to me like this latest add is the most banner like so far - and is relatively new. Based on other posts I am guessing this happened a few days ago on 4/26. According to these reports the reason for the ad is to “help provide our users with a great search experience”. […]

]]> By: Searchnerd.com - http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21250 Searchnerd.com - Sun, 30 Apr 2006 00:50:16 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21250 <strong>Google goes crazy and puts banner on homepage</strong> I usually use firefox now, but I just used IE for something and noticed this: It reads: “Firefox with Google Toolbar: tabbed browsing, safer surfing.” and has spreadfirefox.com in the url. This doesn’t really show much about the ta... Google goes crazy and puts banner on homepage

I usually use firefox now, but I just used IE for something and noticed this:

It reads: “Firefox with Google Toolbar: tabbed browsing, safer surfing.” and has spreadfirefox.com in the url. This doesn’t really show much about the ta…

]]> By: Markandey Singh http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21191 Markandey Singh Sat, 29 Apr 2006 10:16:42 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21191 Great news. by the way any how we should switch to non-microsoft browser because <blockquote>It keeps Microsoft from controlling the future of the internet</blockquote>. Great news. by the way any how we should switch to non-microsoft browser because
It keeps Microsoft from controlling the future of the internet

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21177 Anonymous Sat, 29 Apr 2006 04:42:53 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21177 Great.... Not only does Google have way too much control over information, but now they're trying to control what browser people use? Why not just automatically download a Google browser, a Google operating system, and a Google office suite onto anyone computer accessing google.com? Oh, and fry any non-Google processor and destroy any non-Google monitor while it's at it. If Microsoft was doing half the things Google has, there'd be a public uproar and a mob marching on Redmond. But because it's Google, not Microsoft, it's really cool. Great…. Not only does Google have way too much control over information, but now they’re trying to control what browser people use? Why not just automatically download a Google browser, a Google operating system, and a Google office suite onto anyone computer accessing google.com? Oh, and fry any non-Google processor and destroy any non-Google monitor while it’s at it. If Microsoft was doing half the things Google has, there’d be a public uproar and a mob marching on Redmond. But because it’s Google, not Microsoft, it’s really cool.

]]> By: id="omg" http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21142 id="omg" Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:08:50 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21142 oh yes and GREAT news, it wont make my job easier but the more people using a proper modern browser, be it Opera, Safari or Firefox etc...the better! oh yes and GREAT news, it wont make my job easier but the more people using a proper modern browser, be it Opera, Safari or Firefox etc…the better!

]]> By: id="omg" http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21140 id="omg" Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:08:00 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-21140 <blockquote>Tygger2512 - Firefox is an awesome browser, and I’m happy I made the switch so long ago. Having to use IE to view certain web sites just reminds me of how inferior it is in comparison.</blockquote> How is it inferior when people for IE and not all major browsers? If people design properly then there's no good reason for it not to work in browsers other than IE... which is in no way superior.

Tygger2512 - Firefox is an awesome browser, and I’m happy I made the switch so long ago. Having to use IE to view certain web sites just reminds me of how inferior it is in comparison.

How is it inferior when people for IE and not all major browsers? If people design properly then there’s no good reason for it not to work in browsers other than IE… which is in no way superior.

]]> By: TheLunchBox http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-20632 TheLunchBox Fri, 28 Apr 2006 03:42:54 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/04/26/google-advertises-firefox-to-ie-users/#comment-20632 This is cool, I'm glad Firefox is getting more recognition for "average" web users. I think one of the reasons that Firefox hasn't caught on is that for most web users, like my Mom, things like better CSS support and browser extensions don't mean anything. Hopefully thing like this will encourage some browser diversity. This is cool, I’m glad Firefox is getting more recognition for “average” web users.

I think one of the reasons that Firefox hasn’t caught on is that for most web users, like my Mom, things like better CSS support and browser extensions don’t mean anything. Hopefully thing like this will encourage some browser diversity.

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