See...some of us would choose to always use Firefox - and do so at home. But at work, where the evil dictators have decided that software engineers don't need admin access to their machines, if they want to install something, they can call tech support like everyone else, we're stuck with IE. So while yeah, your stats are showing percentages correctly - the car thing is maybe not as good...unless we can say that IE is the corporate car we have to drive when on company busineess.

I am and have been a Opera user for several years nows. Recently I posted some comparison info on browsers on my blog if anyone is interested. It can be found at:
http://faith2hope2love.wordpress.com/2006/08/12/the-battle-of-the-web-browsers-ie-firefox-and-opera-which-is-best/

Sometimes I think that there's a perception that one's choice in browser says as much about them -- or more -- than their choice in automobile.

Not to mention one's choice of operating system. So I won't.

Not to mention one's choice of operating system.

There ya go, inserting religion into the discussion.

Will, I've considered Opera in the past, but have been under the perhaps mistaken impression that the Mac version wasn't as well-developed as the Windows version. I am thinking, however, about trying Camino.

Beth, the "car thing" still applies, since -- once you were able to choose -- you picked Firefox over IE, thus proving your superiority over "evil dictators." ;-)

[Aside #1: I just popped over and looked at the Gazette's visitor stats and note that Netscape is used by 4% of the traffic, with a scary 2% (!) still using Netscape 3.x. Yikes. I can't imagine the jumbled mess they see here. OTOH, that's the same percentage as those using IE 7.]

I'm proud to be your 2% solution.

No, not the Netscape 3.x end of it, the other 2%.

In other news, I drove my Hummer H98.6 over a Subway roast beef sandwich this morning and it vanished.

The Hummer, that is.

I suppose that if you have to use IE, 7 is the way to go. We Mac user don't have that choice, of course.

And I can't imagine the jumbled mess you see here. Oh, wait...yes it can. It's the same one I see!

If I was workong on my XP laptop, I'd be typing this in Netscape 8.1, since it's basically a Windows-only browser based on Firefox, with IE emulation for Active X webpages and a Security Center (which slows down loading) designed to protect you from things like websites that use the Active X code. I also use Opera there, but v9.0 seems to be a little buggy on my computer, so I dropped back down to 8.x and all is right with the world again.

Here at work on the little eMac, I'm on Firefox most of the time (1.5.0.4), with an occassional trip to Safari -- as I posted before, the lack of a drop-down option on the webpage history bar for the URL window is the deal killler for me there (IE has the same problem in Mac OX 10.x, which makes it even less attractive than its Windows version).

Sometimes I think that there's a perception that one's choice in browser says as much about them -- or more -- than their choice in automobile.

But see there? I drive a Volkswagen. What makes you think I care about what my browser says about me? ;-)

"VW...the lowest ego emissions of any vehicle on the market." Classic.

But, I know you still care. You care very deeply. That's just the kind of caring person you are.

Plus, we all know that our browser choice is designed to compensate for shortcomings in other areas. Well, not me of course, but I have a friend...

That's precisely why I stop in here so often...you're always good for a laugh, or two. :-)

And was it really you who argued that the "potential for improving productivity would offset the potential for abuse" in reference to firing up the world wide web in offices across the country? Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! ;-)

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

Why, thangya...thangyavurymush (you know what today is, don't you?).

Wait a minute. Did I detect a soupçon of sarcasm, and in a fake British accent, to boot?