Firefox vs IE

One of the jokes I remember the comedian Gallagher for, was a single line.  The  bigger a crowd, the more people show up for it.  Small crowd; not many people show up.  I'm sorry if I misquoted the original, but the truth is Gallagher will probably always be remembered as the guy who squashed watermelons on stage anyway.  http://www.gallaghersmash.com/

The concept of the joke has always stayed with me, and lends itself very well to the idea of the mainstream vs the fringe, or alternatives.  Society in general works on a majority rules idea, but there is always an alternative or two offered.  Simple math dictates that more people will almost always chose one option over the other, and some will choose whatever the masses choose.

Microsoft Windows is the majority leading operating system, primarily because Microsoft Windows is the majority leading operating system.  It makes sense for most people to use what most people use.  It's professionally logical, and economically handy.

Bigger markets bread bigger markets.  If I want to produce a support product or service, Microsoft windows is a huge market.  If I can reach 1% of that market, I can still turn a profit, whereas marketing to the fringe requires a much bigger penetration.  Of course, that market, being smaller may be more eager for your item, and may face less competition, but in the end, it's hard to ignore the bigger crowd.

A friend of mine and I were recently arguing the shocking reasons why people would choose to use Microsoft IE when FireFox exists.

I came up with all sorts of analogies why people would prefer to use what was in front of them, than learn a new process, figure out how to download and install, and probably not notice a difference.  Windows users are sheep, using the software and operating system as users... not programmers,m hackers or developers.  Why would they walk away from the crowd to the underdog fringe and lose the benefits of using what the masses use.  Both are free, and the fringe didn't give enough benefit to outweigh the transition and learning curve.

Now of course the universe needs alternatives.  people need to have the options and opportunities to CHOOSE the alternative.  People need to be able to rebel the mainstream and wear goth clothing and listen to punk music and use FireFox... but these choices are all to often made because they are NOT the mainstream our parents use... not always because the alternative is actually better.

Whether FireFox is a better choice isn't really relative. The fact that it is a choice is the main obstacle.  Microsoft IE isn't a choice, so much as it is the way to access the Internet using a Microsoft windows equipped computer.  If you want to access the Internet, you click the blue E icon.  Since it's the biggest crowd, all the web pages are designed to work with it.  The fact that this tool is horrible at following standards and causes web developers countless headaches and grief is really their problem.  Most users have no idea how horrible IE is at displaying web pages.  They only see it work.  The master it because it's the tool they used.

To convince them of an alternative outside the mainstream is an effort.

Those that do start using FireFox fall into three groups.

One... Power users who have found FireFox actually is better, and performs tasks and functions they need.  Plugins, scripts and power users features designed for programmers or designers.

Two... People who choose it because it's cool to hate Microsoft.  FireFox is chosen because it ISN'T IE and for no other reason.  The same kind of person that chooses alternatives or underdogs in other aspects of life.  FireFox is a sort of status symbol of not being mainstream.

Three... people who's kids or I.T. staff have forced them to switch.  Click this icon instead of this one and things will just be better.

I can't actually think of a fourth reason to go through the hassles of switching.  Why choose effort over what is in front of me.  Despite it being wrong, many people will stick with the crowd because they assume the crowd knows better.  People think the masses follow the best.  If FireFox was so good, why wouldn;'t everyone be using it?  Bad logic of course, but you can't blame people for thinking it. 

As an I.T. support person myself, I have decided to continue to use IE because it's mainstream.  Since all 3 out of 3 of the groups of FireFox users I listed above don't need my support, I continue to use what the crowd uses, so I can be ready when the crowd needs my help.  The same holds true for email, knowing that Outlook is probably the worst email program ever designed, but since everyone uses it, everyone is a big market for my support.

I'll be honest.  I like IE.  I like the command set, the features, and have overcome some of the shortcomings with add-on modifications and plugins.  When I use FireFox it feels awkward and different.  I don't like it.  I don't want to change.

Now - the next step is when it's time to upgrade IE, as it will be soon when IE 8 is released nationally.  I saw this happen when IE7 came out last year.  They moved buttons and changed commands and people were confused.  They had to learn something new they didn't ask for.  Every time a new change appears that is forced on the masses, this is the best time for the alternatives to expand their numbers.  When Word Perfect changed their complex and hard to memorize command structure, half the market was smart enough to figure out - As long as I'm learning something new anyway, why not look around and see what else is out there.

When Vista came out, people resisted and some switched to Mac or Linux.  As long as it was new and different anyway, they decided they could just as easily learn something ELSE new and different.

Windows 7 and IE8 are coming soon.  Watch for Mac and Linux and FireFox and maybe even Chrome to pick up a huge new following.  Crowds getting big enough to catch the attention of the other crowds.  Time will almost always increase the fringe at a rate proportionate to the mainstream, but as the mainstream gets bigger and bigger, more people hate it.  The winners at any market game will always have haters.  People who drink Pepsi because it isn't coke... and eat at Burger King because McDonalds is a huge corporation.

As the fringe grows to a size that gains more attention, it starts to grow even faster than the mainstream, and eventually it's got it's own competition.  Google Chrome is the new fringe.... and Google has a name people know and love.

More choice?  Some will still stay with what they know.  Myself included.