I’m sure you all know about the browser ballot screen which was brought about by a combination of the EU antitrust investigation and complaints from Opera. Well it came into action earlier on this month. Windows users who had their default browsers set to IE were presented with a browser ballot screen from which they could choose a different browser to install.
Each time the browsers are displayed in a random order with the 5 main browsers on the first page as you can see above.
Early reports are now showing that only a couple of weeks in, Microsoft and Internet Explorer are already beginning to suffer. According to Statcounter, IE use in France has dropped 2.5 percent since last month’s implementation of the ballot, 1.3 percent in Italy, and 1 percent in Britain. However this is only a small decrease when you compare it to the fact that IE currently holds nearly 63% of the total browser market share.
Opera on the other hand, who were so insistent on the browser ballot screen, have seen that their constant complaints are boding well for them. Opera claim that downloads in the UK of its Opera 10.5 browser have increased 85% with downloads in Italy, Spain and Poland more than tripling since the introduction of the ballot screen.
This confirms that when users are given a real choice on how they choose the most important piece of software on their computer, the browser, they will try out alternatives. “A multitude of browsers will make the web more standardised and easier to browse.”
said Hkon Wium Lie, CTO at Opera
Opera also said that 46% of their downloads, were coming directly from the browser ballot screen itself.
The second most popular browser firm, Mozilla, says it has seen strong growth also.
“We have seen significant growth in the number of new Firefox users as a result of the Ballot Choice screen. We expect these numbers to increase as the Ballot Choice screen fully rolls out across all countries,” said a spokeswoman for Mozilla.
So how long until we see Internet Explorer knocked off the number one spot? Or will we ever?
Let us know what you think in the comments
Source
this ballot screen does not make sense from business perspective. why microsoft is forced to do this thing while all they want is to promote IE? I am a firefox user, but I just don’t understand what the EU MEP or whoever they are think about this. Users always have the choice of installing and using their preferred browser. i know novice users would not be able to install it, etc, but I think IE is sufficient for them.
The irony is Opera, the one who suggested this browser choice screen, is the one who gains from this. I will never use Opera, thank you.
Isn’t bias great? Oh wait, no it’s not.
Windows 8:
Browser Ballot Screen
Image Editing Ballot Screen
Media Player Ballot Screen
Media Center Ballot Screen
Messaging Client Ballot Screen
I’m starting to wonder something. Did Microsoft had no choice to add the ballot screen or is it an advertising thing? Hmm!
Novice users SHOULD learn how to use other browsers. Internet is the present and most of all the future. Opera IS the fastest browser on the planet, confirmed. If its not working for you its because you dont know how to use/configure it. You can argue about how come its not popular or how it is not advertised, but what “novice” users don’t know is that “the good stuff” is NEVER advertised cause it is NOT intended for them, only for the few good who bother to look around a bit more before they form an opinion. What is funny though is that “the good stuff” is FREELY available to them and not restricted or allowed only to “advanced” users. Therefore what EU or whoever else enforced the Browser Ballot is telling them is “WAKE UP AND SEE WHATS AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YOUR LIVES ! ” You only want to use IE? fine , but don’t be miserably narrow minded and conservative about the free choice, even if its just a minor tweak…Captain