Microsoft and Mozilla

Let me ask you something. If you are an Internet Explorer user (and statistics show that most of you actually are), did you know that the next version of IE will only be available to Windows XP users? That unless you are willing to shell out some dough in order to upgrade to XP (home users, corporate users, etc.), you will not be able to upgrade your IE browser.

Ask Mozilla what they think of all this and you'll get a rousing "Huzzah!" This from CNet.com:

"The Mozilla Foundation is expecting to see a surge in interest in the Firefox browser from enterprise users once Microsoft launches Internet Explorer 7 next year.

IE 7, which will be available in beta this summer, will not be available to users of Windows 2000.

Asa Dotzler, the community coordinator at the Mozilla Foundation, said Tuesday that he hopes to attract many corporate Windows 2000 users to the Firefox browser, since they will be unable to take advantage of the improvements in IE 7.

"We have high hopes that we'll do better and better in (the enterprise) space with Windows 2000 users," Dotzler said. "We're excited about Microsoft launching IE 7--it will remind a lot of people that if they want better features they have to spend hundreds of dollars upgrading to Windows XP."

Methinks I see blood in the water. I still use IE occasionally because I've just always used it, but I soon get tired of the stuff I'm missing with my new love, Firefox. Sorry, Microsoft..you might have brought me to the dance but I'm going home with that Firefox guy over there; he's so clean, virus-free, and that tabbed browsing capability is to DIE for (swoon).

Related: So what's all the fuss about Firefox? Find out more.

• Frequently Asked Question About Firefox: What makes this little browser that could such hot stuff?
• Install Firefox: Fast and easy download will get you surfing the Web in a whole new supercharged way.
• Setting Basic Security Options in Firefox: If you have installed Firefox, this is the logical next step in customizing your Firefox to your unique web search preferences.