It’s no secret that the browser wars are on again in earnest. Look in any forum like Lockergnome’s and I’ll bet you’ll find a thread on the evils of Internet Explorer and how Firefox is a gift from Heaven.

Fanatical followers of a particular piece of software aren’t new. Nearly every anti-virus application has its ardent supporters who quickly dismiss any other product as inferior. Discussing favorite email clients can lead to flame wars. And let’s not even get started on the Windows vs. Linux debate.

Google and Mozilla have escalated the browser war to a new level, and even some hardcore Firefox devotees are questioning the wisdom of this latest gambit.

While the Explorer Destroyer Web site describes this as a friendly competition, it offers an incentive that just might tip the scales in favor of the underdog in this instance.

“Get this tool for switching people from IE to Firefox.
For each person you switch, Google gives you $1, Microsoft loses market share, and an angel gets its wings.”

“You already want people to switch to Firefox. Now’s the time to get serious about it. Google is paying $1 for each new Firefox user you refer.

This is pretty amazing. Now you can advance your ideals, save people from popups and spyware hell, and make some serious money. Millions of people have heard about Firefox and are ready to switch - all they need is a friendly push.”

Obviously these folks are having fun while spreading what they, and millions of other Firefox users, consider the Good News of Firefox.

What has some concerned, though, is the way the scripts work that you can download from the site and install on your own.

“Three settings: Gentle, Semi-serious, and Dead-serious

When you install the script on your site, you can decide how much force you want to use to convince your users to switch away from the dark side:

Level 1: Gentle Encouragement Rating: $$
Visitors using IE see a message encouraging them to download Firefox (with a download link) running across the top of the page.

Level 2: Semi-serious Rating: $$$$
Visitors using IE get a friendly splash page encouraging them to download Firefox. There’s a download link, and a link to continue on to your site.

Level 3: Dead-serious Rating: $$$$$$
You’ve never considered blocking IE users from viewing your site, even though you hate IE with a passion that burns hotter than Hades. Now you have a practical excuse to do what you’ve always dreamed of.. IE users will see a friendly message stating that they need to download and install Firefox to view your site. This script will do the most good and make you the most money. Can you handle it? (At least try it for a day to see how good it feels.)”

Many Web sites designed for Internet Explorer continue to display improperly when viewed in another browser. Some feel that the Firefox/Google plan is simply leveling the playing field a bit. Others believe that this appears underhanded, a negative approach instead of positive encouragement. Indeed, some IE supporters are accusing those using Firefox of resorting to a type of scare tactic.

Microsoft certainly stands to lose more market share should Firefox usage increase. Should it be worried about a campaign like this? Not really. It could afford to lose another 20% of the market and still it would be the dominant browser in the computer world.

Does this concept tarnish the good name of Mozilla Firefox? I wouldn’t think so. Of course Mozilla is intent on getting as many people as possible to switch from IE to Firefox. And Google really is offering a buck per convert (of course, it also gets another user of its toolbar in the deal as well). But the site is obviously a tongue-in-cheek approach to gaining new users. The Open Source community has a long history of using humor to get attention.

If this promotion works too well, Bill Gates might want to reconsider paying a dollar for every forwarded email. Urban legend becomes the newest marketing tool.

[tags]firefox,google,internet explorer,ie,explorer destroyer[/tags]