
Google chrome – Global marketshare by version - rathish_g
http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-browsers/google-chrome/
======
arocks
The Firefox graph [1] also looks strikingly similar after introducing Silent
Updates since Apr. The trend of 'Move Fast And Break Things' seems to be
coming from the web applications world into the world of installed
applications.

Users seem to be more adaptable to change that previously thought. This is of
course thanks to better testing tools which ensures that essential
functionality is not compromised by such changes.

With the introduction of OS-level App stores, expect to see 'silent updates'
in a lot more consumer applications.

[1]: [http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-
browsers/firefox/](http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-browsers/firefox/)

~~~
sdfx
And releasing more often means that the changes are smaller.

Also, developers have introduced a more clever way of introducing changes to
the user. Overlays with explanations of new menus etc. which I've seen first
on the web (i.e. gmail) are making their way to more and more "desktop"
applications.

Introducing these changes slowly over time seems to avoid the "I will never
install this version" effect.

~~~
rtpg
the interesting counter though is that people end up being more likely to be
"stuck" with something they really don't like, and get to have it happen in
slow motion (see the gripes about gmail).

I wonder if that that makes it easier or harder to convince people to use
alternative software

------
soup10
Pretty sick, chrome makes it clear that silent updates can definitely be a
good thing if used appropriately. Compare to the sad new version adoption
rates for pretty much all microsoft products.

~~~
nivla
Although I do agree with you that silent updates are a far better choice, its
not perfect, sometimes it can introduce unexpected changes.

Let's take for example the latest Chrome update (v32). It replaces the OS
based scrollbar with a custom one. It also removes the ^v arrows around it. As
someone who regularly uses them, it breaks my workflow :( .Sad but I can live
with it. Had it ended there it would have been acceptable but the latest
update also introduced a series of bugs, for example on when hovering over a
html select box, the last item is never highlighted[1] and there is also an
issue with scrolling on a select box [2].

There is a reason why silent updates/auto-updates aren't popular in the
server/enterprise world because it could sometimes break things.

[1]
[http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/dxXGUaF...](http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/dxXGUaFo9xA)

[2] [http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21166379/html-select-
scro...](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21166379/html-select-scroll-bar-
not-functioning-correctly-in-chrome-32)

~~~
thirsteh
> There is a reason why silent updates/auto-updates aren't popular in the
> server/enterprise world because it could sometimes break things.

Thankfully we're seeing a shift where people will accept this if it means
serious security issues are fixed promptly.

I frankly couldn't care less if my scrollbar acts a little strange if it means
two remote code execution holes were fixed.

~~~
jonathansizz
Remote execution holes in the scrollbar code? How about if they fix series
security issues promptly _without_ simultaneously breaking basic UI elements?

~~~
thirsteh
> Remote execution holes in the scrollbar code?

You make it sound like that's not fathomable, but an astonishing number of
security issues are caused by insecure font and UI rendering.

> How about if they fix series security issues promptly without simultaneously
> breaking basic UI elements?

While I agree that it's great if things don't break, I'm not sure what is
really broken. I'm running Chrome right now and the scrollbar doesn't bother
me. (It seems more like somebody not liking a change than it being "broken.")

If you really dislike the change so much, you can just disable the auto-
updater--but then you're on your own. Running an old browser is like sailing
in a shark-infested ocean in a wheel of swiss cheese.

Either way, you're suggesting they fix a hole in all previous versions of the
software, and release new, fixed versions with _no other changes_. This is not
feasible for a browser.

------
afsina
Weekend down spikes in IE confirms Business is still forced to use old
versions of it. [http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-
browsers/internet-e...](http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-
browsers/internet-explorer/)

~~~
ygra
Uhm, the Chrome graphs show down spikes on weekends too.

~~~
ZeroGravitas
Are you sure? The graphs are difficult to read for me but on this one:

[http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-
browsers/](http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-browsers/)

The highs and lows for IE (orange) match the opposite for Chrome (pale blue).
You can hover over them to get a specific date and then check the other.

You can see this in other data sets too:

[http://gs.statcounter.com/#desktop-browser-ww-
daily-20131229...](http://gs.statcounter.com/#desktop-browser-ww-
daily-20131229-20140127)

~~~
ygra
Ah, granted, on that graph it's visible. But the linked one showed weekend
dips. Weird.

------
wooptoo
Arstechnica also has an article that highlights the quick deprecation and
adoption of Chrome and Firefox versions: [http://arstechnica.com/information-
technology/2013/10/intern...](http://arstechnica.com/information-
technology/2013/10/internet-explorer-6-usage-drops-below-5-percent-in-
september/)

Compare those with IE.

------
anilshanbhag
This is very biased. Of the total sample, more than 50% are classified as
other.

[http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-
browsers/versions/](http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-
browsers/versions/)

~~~
deadhead
The only show the current versions of Firefox and Chrome on the Top Versions.
The other category drops as soon as Firefox and Chrome gain which means that
past versions of all browsers (eg, Chrome 31, 30, etc) are grouped into other.
The "Top Families" show all versions together of each browser, and you may
notice that the other category on that page is very minimal.

[http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-
browsers/](http://clicky.com/marketshare/global/web-browsers/)

------
dlsym
Looks like they have a working autoupdater.

