Why IE will win the Microsoft browser ballot
How do you build a better web if the majority of people cling to a crap browser?
Microsoft is evil incarnate, everyone knows that. But fear not, the European Commission will save us!
In all seriousness, Internet Explorer’s poor track record of security, innovation, web standards compliance and media support is bad for the internet. So in theory breaking the stranglehold that it has on the market is a good thing. The slight problem with that is that it won’t work.
The source of the problem is obviously the fact that IE comes bundled with Windows. Most people just use the browser that comes with their system. This isn’t a trait confined to tech-blind Windows proles, i’ve seen a fair amount of the same attitude from supposedly switched-on Linux users when Chrome was released. If the default does everything you ask it to, why try a new browser? New things are weird and scary.
While the browser ballot isn’t a bad idea, it won’t result in a major shift in behaviour for Windows users. The folks who are inclined to try another browser have mostly already done so, or at least know that it’s an option. The rest will stick with what they know. That’s fine, most people aren’t too fond of change and just want their computer to shut up and get on with it.
The real good that will come out of the ballot is that all IE6 and IE7 users will be upgraded to IE8 if they click on it. So ironically the biggest winner is likely to be IE itself. That’s pretty much the opposite of what the EC intended, but so what? Personally i’m not bothered at all. If the name of the game is getting rid of browsers that hold back web innovation, then switching from IE6 to anything else is still a win.
