Google promotes Firefox against Internet Explorer
San Francisco: Google plans to promote the open-source Firefox Internet browser. The plans is
likely to kick off browser wars afresh with Microsoft. Google has been enabling websites to run small ads promoting Firefox and gain a referral fee of one dollar for every downloaded version of Firefox that has a Google toolbar.

Google launched the new programme by putting an ad for the first time on its usually ad-free home page. However, even without Google's help, Firefox open source browser has steadily eating away at the market share of Internet Explorer browser since 2004.

From a market share of 95 per cent, Internet Explorer now has a share of 85 per cent of the market, as web surfers discover the smooth delights of Firefox, which offers better security and powerful features. It also includes tabbed browsing, which allows you to open multiple windows in a single browser, and "autofill" which automatically completes form applications.

Microsoft does seem to be taking measures to halt the progress Firefox. Earlier this week, Microsoft launched a new trial version of its Internet Explorer browser, which in addition to beefing up its notoriously vulnerable security, has also copied all of Firefox's best features.

Recently Information Week did a comprehensive test of both browsers and concluded that Firefox was still slightly ahead especially for technology savvy users.
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