Goodbye IE, hel-lo Firefox!

Microsoft Internet Explorer's been taking a lot of fire from industry folks who rightly criticize it as being a profoundly insecure and underdeveloped web browser- so much so that, despite the fact that it comes installed as the default web browser on all versions of Windows and as such benefits directly from Microsoft's monopoly, people are beginning stop using it.

Today, I made the transition on my office PC from IE to Mozilla Firefox, one of several alternative web browsers that are both more functional and more secure than Internet Explorer.

The fact that people are willingly swapping out Internet Explorer- a key part of the Windows operating system- in favor of replacement products (some of which actually cost money) shows that Microsoft has done a rotten job with IE.

The fact that Microsoft has done such a rotten job with IE shows that, even though they've got billions of dollars, a stranglehold over the computer industry, and the ability to do just about whatever they want, they have chosen not to make Internet Explorer a web browser that addresses the needs and concerns of a large number of their customers.

This is further proof that Microsoft does not have its customers' best interests at heart, and that better alternatives to Microsoft products- many of which are open-source and free- exist.

Now WE have a choice. We can continue using Microsoft products and supporting a company that takes us for granted, or we can begin to use alternatives when they make sense.

It makes sense to use an alternative to Internet Explorer, and my vote goes to Firefox because it's open-source, free, and- better yet- an awesome web browser.

The more people that ditch IE and use something else, the further Internet Explorer's market share will drop. And the further it drops, the more it will be clear to the industry, and hopefully Microsoft, that they need to do a better job.