Earlier today Robin Wauters posted about Yahoo’s advertorial promotion of IE8 across Yahoo sites. “Get The New, Safer IE8,” says the message, which Robin viewed via Firefox 3.
Does Yahoo consider IE8 safer than Firefox? Not if you visit the German Yahoo, which promotes Firefox 3.5 (a tragedy of a browser) by saying “Schneller und smarter: Der neue Firefox 3.5″ (translation: “Faster and smarter: The new Firefox 3.5″).
A year ago, when Yahoo and Microsoft were at war, Yahoo promoted Firefox to IE users.
So what browser is safest and fastest?
As Robin said, “Apparently, Yahoo recommends browsers based on what their latest business alliances are.”
My guess is the German staff haven’t received the memo yet. It’s IE, not Firefox, that’s the safest browser this week, guys. Get with the program.
As an aside, one Yahoo employee complained this morning that all Yahoo is doing is recommending IE users upgrade to IE8, and Firefox users upgrade to Firefox 3.5, which isn’t the case. After calling Robin an idiot and accusing him of not fact checking, he later apologized. We accept.
Update: Poor Yahoo Mexico doesn’t know what to do, so they promote both browsers in the header.
At least they may help a few folks get off IE 6
i don’t think many people are on IE6 any more, other than poor corporate types on really, really old systems who can’t upgrade individually, and the admin won’t do it.
http://www.tech...-dont-like-ie6/
“Apparently, Yahoo recommends browsers based on what their latest business alliances are.”
>>>>>> I suspect… Yahoo is just posting ads. It just seems to be an advertising deal.
Medical users can’t upgrade if theyuse certain EMR packages
Then maybe they should upgrade their EMR package also.
Very true, poor corp folks are probably heavy yahoo users as well. Maybe it’ll spark a few “Hey there is an IE8 now, can we get it?” talks.
Followed shortly by the inevitable “Wait, there’s a *NEW* Mexico now?” conversation.
Ha! Unfortunately, most of my clients seem to be stuck in this situation.
I dont think Chrome installs to HKLM so it is good to go for those corp types… spread the word!
As of July 2009, nearly 15% of internet users are using IE6.
http://www.w3sc...wsers_stats.asp
The last TC article relating to browser share (2 weeks ago) had IE6 as the most popular browser in the world:
http://www.tech...rrhaging-slows/
Do you read your own blog
True
What do you expect from Yahoo? They’re the same unethical company who readily turned over information to the Chinese imprisoning users.
how is it unethical to get paid sell valuable ad space on a popular site? Load up Techcrunch, and let your eyes drift to the right a little.
it 8 isn’t safer. users don’t know it’s an ad. yahoo is whoring out and deceiving users b/c they’re desperate.
I knew it. There had to be Moo Goo Gai Pan connection.
IE 6 is the lesser of the IE evils as far as I’m concerned. When I setup Windows workstations, I ensure IE 6 is on it and turn off auto-upgrade for it in Windows Update, then I install Firefox and set it as the default browser.
Why? IE6 has 22 security vulnerabilities that will never be patched. If your users do decide to click that blue ‘E’, you’d better get out the anti-virus suit…
agreed, i also ask my clients to ditch Windows Vista and go back to Windows 95. That was the lesser of the Windows evils.
Now we cant trust yahoo ’s recommendations.
or they could just label an ad an ad.
Hey c’mon, there’s no contradiction. IE8 is safer and FIrefox 3.5 is smarter and faster. Isn’t that a perfectly clear distinction?
Why weren’t upset that the didn’t label it an ad when it was FF?
http://www.tech...t-explorer-too/
You’re really reaching here Michael. They never say faster or safer than what & could easily be comparing themselves to their older versions.
Also, do you really think TechCrunch is in a position to lecture someone on what they do or don’t label as ads?
Maybe if you stopped getting trips comped for coverage etc we’d care what you thought about Yahoo’s ethics.
yes, i absolutely do think we are in a position to talk about ad ethics.
what trips comped for coverage?
Michael, it’s becoming clear to me (at least) that techcrunch have very strong tendencies to promote certain companies and give them breaks when things go wrong (e.g. Google), and at the same time are very reluctant to promote other companies and are very quick to pounce on them when things go wrong.
In other words, TC is not a news source, it’s just an opinionated blog. That would be fine, but TC pretends it’s a news source with journalists that have integrity. That’s what’s so dishonest.
So much on TC is said without any disclaimer to highlight the underlying bias. You can’t pull the wool over our eyes with faux-innocence about this. It’s obvious. If I were editor of TC, I’d tell my writers to be more subtle about it.
An example : If I were to aggregate all the TC posts about browsers, basically one browser seems to be exempt from criticism. Google Chrome.
TC isn’t about reporting, it’s about trying to manipulate and influence its readership into using certain brands. It’s not hard to imagine the motivation behind such propaganda.
Ironically, it’s the same motivation that drives Yahoo! to push Microsoft products now. Money.
So true.
cant watch porn on safari 4… should i go back to IE8?
“New, safer IE8″ means that the new version is safer than the previous version. Not sure it was worth writing an article. Ps. your reference and article about FF 3.5 being a nightmare of a browser is quite questionable. Works perfectly on both my Windows and Linux machines. Maybe should you check your adds-on before writing an article lacking any thorough research.
oh, add-ons were checked. FF 3.5 is a train wreck.
3.5.2 Fixed allot of those issues, it might have been a train wreck for a while but they were quick enough to fix it. (How long did it take Microsoft to go from IE6 to IE7?)
i just upgraded from 3.5 to 3.0 and everything works fine again.
Firefox 3.5 for the month of July was like upgrading from XP to Vista. Tons of add-ons had not been upgraded. Frustrating!
Works fine now, as I type this via Chrome.
I’m glad you fixed ff by moving to chrome.
I think your experience was pretty anecdotal, Michael. I recommend that you try the latest stable version of FF3.5 without any add-ons and see how it works. I’ve been using it on XP (work), Vista (home), and Win7 (home) since it was in Beta, and I haven’t had any crashes or problems since it was a RC. I use lots of add-ons, too.
I’ve been using 3.5 since the 3rd RC and it’s been smooth sailing all the way. The only issue was that till it came out of Beta I had to disable add-on compatibility check.
In fact, the only place I keep hearing about FF3.5 issues is TechCrunch and mostly it’s from you. Ever consider you were the exception to the rule? (Oh and don’t bother linking to any discussions of FF3.5 bugs on some forum, you can find a heated discussion on everything on the internet, that would make it seem like the issue is global and widespread, even if it’s actually happening to two people.)
why do you techcruch guys always have a problem with firefox 3.5 . You always complain about stuff not working well yet you do not clearly help the mozilla project by clearly stating the problems you have with the browser. I’m sure google is paying you guys to keep the hype on chrome. I have tried chrome and it is good for speed. They however are going to grow slow if they open up their browser for addons.
Sure, rewrite history. Let’s look at Firefox:
In the 90’s Netscape was pure garbage. IE was truly a better browser. Yes, Microsoft got stale with IE6, but it took YEARS for a usable version of Firefox to raise from the ashes of Netscape. So basically it took a decade for Mozilla/Netscape to finally release a usable browser.
Agree – if you actually read the text it just says that IE 8 is safer and faster (that previous versions)… How the heck is this a story? I’m sure Yahoo advertises competing products in different countries all the time. They’re an ad network. Nice try though.
lol
What? Other than a typo and the absurdity of IE being good, I don’t get what’s funny. Advertisements make ludicrous statements all the time. I’m currently seeing two ads on Techcrunch for hosting providers (Atlantic.net and Rackspace) that appear *next to eachother*; how is Yahoo running ads for different web browsers in different countries worse?
This is like trying to have a discussion with a dining room table.
Michael, please do us a favor and admit that you are biased against Microsoft – BIGTIME! This is not ethical journalism.
i love microsoft.
There’s money under the table being exchanged I’m sure – TC loves Google so much, therefore hates any competing products (e.g. iPhone, FireFox). No coincidence Michael’s rubbished both FireFox and the iPhone recently.
wow this is serious loss of credibility. Is Yahoo’s business suffering so bad that now they are selling their recs? Embarrassing.
What do you mean by the title? Did Mozilla pay Yahoo to have that link before?
of course mozilla is paying yahoo. as is microsoft.
So apparently everything is driven by money. Innovation is just for namesake !
No kidding FF was paying. So why is this such a revelation to TechCrunch?
did you read the title?
how did you know? can you verify this. is there an official statement from mozilla saying that they paid yahoo. please do responsible journalism
While it’s pretty obvious the blurb is there only because of the deal that was struck, I’m not sure their claim isn’t accurate.
“Does Yahoo consider IE8 safer than Firefox?”
I don’t think it’s making (explicitly) a claim about Firefox. To me it’s saying that IE8 is both “new” and “safer” than IE7.
You’re basically ignoring the “new” part (by not running a headline, Does Yahoo think IE is newer than Firefox?) but zeroing in on the safer part.
Is IE8 newer and safer than IE7? Probably, yeah.
and that ie8 is newer and safer than firefox, unless you live in Germany.
Do you really think MS is going to stir up more trouble in Europe by advertising IE8?
Or maybe the ads are based on browser popularity in the respective markets?
Microsoft is paying them! Now that they are like brother and sister via the search market, Yahoo is doing more business with them. Just a theory.
good theory.
The pimp hand is strong.
“There was, of course, no admission that any change had taken place. Merely it became known, with extreme suddenness and everywhere at once, that Eastasia and not Eurasia was the enemy.”
Well, everywhere but Germany.
+100. I need to re-read that book.
hmm my “two minute hate” TC column idea comment was removed. it was just meant to be a harmless 1984 joke. oh well
yahoo is truly a desperate company now so anything goes
Yahoo should be careful the internet is filled with cultures and my guess is the Yahoo culture embraces firefox as a browser recommending IE could back fire.
Why don’t you guy’s just believe that IE8 is faster and safer?
unless you live in germany.
So apparently everything is driven by money. Innovation is just for namesake !
…
…
…
I always thought Robin was a girl.
…
He’s named Robin.
Well Robin Hood was male
– also, I live in Belgium where Robin is actually exclusively reserved for *real* men.
Well, first off, I agree this is lame and stupid and a company’s integrity shouldn’t be for sale.
However, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that in the U.S. IE8 is promoted as a New, safer” browser, while in Germany, FF3 is promoted as being “Faster and smarter.” Where is the contradiction? Can’t IE be new and safer while FF is faster and smarter? They’re not claiming FF is safer, nor are they claiming that IE is faster… they are four different qualities, each being awarded two – exclusively… no?
And as far as “labeling an ad as an ad” – who on earth doesn’t see that and instantly realize that it’s a paid endorsement?
At least one person making the point clear.
see update. Yahoo Mexico manages to promote both browsers in the header.
dump both .. go for Chrome.
except http://twitter....atus/3430654402
I clearly see it as an ad, not a recommendation or the conclusion of an in-depth review of all browsers. I wouldn’t expect Yahoo, or any other site that has this type of ad, to label it as such. I don’t think it’s sleazy to sell ad space to the highest bidder or whatever benefits the company most – I think it’s a fair way to do business.
Really?
While there is certainly an element that may view Yahoo somewhat as a source of advice, I don’t think anyone (who even manages to notice that) is saying, *in monotone brainwashed voice* “Must. Use. IE8.”
By the way, last night during Leverage on TNT, I saw an ad for Ford in one commercial break, then an ad for Chevy during another…
One ad said that that Ford was the best car maker EVER! Theother claimed Chevy was the most incredible car maker ever! I can’t believe the nerve! Make up your mind of whom you’re going to promote, TNT!! Gawd!
Could it be Yahoo’s just providing a link to a “newer, safer” version of IE (relative to earlier versions) as an alternative. Or don’t we like competition any more?
Only one way to settle this!
Yahoo Answers: http://answers....20123749AAxlZ5l
Better way:
http://search.y...ss&ei=UTF-8
Did you think Yahoo was a charity organization?
How is this news? “Get The New, Safer IE8,” this statement is true, it’s newer and safer than IE7. “Faster and smarter: The new Firefox 3.5″, again regardless of what the visible user interaction with 3.3 might be there have been code improvements so this is true also.
i have no doubt that Yahoo! gives these recommendations after thorough testing, benchmarking and monitoring various browsers on each of their sites. no doubt. absolutely positively. i think.
yahoo doesnt seem like a worth trust brand to me anymore, it has done so much but most in a mess. i just want something simple and nice while yahoo keep destroying it, look at geocities, flickr, yahoo360.
Funny… now if you go to Yahoo Mexico using Firefox, it doesn’t display the Explorer link anymore. If you use Explorer, it keeps showing both…
why are my comments not getting posted?
Not a conspiracy or free advertising for either firefox or internet explorer. All i can see is poor internal communication and messy homepage design.
ok now they are….
so I was saying… as a web developer, its really a pain to support IE6. but I was wondering whether yahoo is “promoting” IE8 to IE6 users as well, or just the non-IE users?
Michael Arrington
YOU ALREADY HAD AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS SAME THING 30 MINUTES AGO.
Are you just trying to get to some quota, and you found that by writing two different articles within less than a day on the same thing helps you out? –
Its not like it hot breaking news that needs realtime coverage, repeating the same thing over and over.
The first article was written on IE. The second, Firefox.
i think the relevant thing was in between those two posts a yahoo employee called us out, then apologized.
I will keep on loving FF, because it rocks and is totally FREE.
I am sure Microsoft adds the cost of IE in Windows.
What, you guys/gals at TC don’t think we readers understand advertising-speak–your own or anyone else’s?
Yahoo says IE8 is safer, but they don’t say what it’s safer than.
Get a grip.
Can anybody else (beside Robin Wauters) see “Get The New, Safer IE8″ link on others browsers (FF, Chrome)?
Only way IE can be safer is if they disable all internet connections.
Who’s paying (and how much) @TechCrunch to say Firefox 3.5 is a “tragedy of a browser”? http://u.mavrev.com/04bkd
Wait, you actually see a problem with this? Why would they recommend a competitors product? The more people download the IE browser, the more people will have bing as their default browser, the more money msft and yhoo make. It’s not really that difficult to understand.
…I don’t get the whole brouhaha. You can read it just as viably as Yahoo claiming that IE8 is safer than its predecessors, and therefore worth reconsidering.
Well, of course, such an interpretation requires that you not actively look for compromised integrity where it doesn’t exist, and give the company some benefit of the doubt rather than treat every advertisement as evidence of corruption~
yahoo mexico..haa
Guess there should be a clear distinction between the way you communicate to your users that you actually officially endorse a product or you are just advertising it.
I must say this is most funny and interesting post i have ever read on techcrunch.
It’s simple money talks.
Yahoo will “i love you long time” who ever pays the most
.
So, a search engine / advertising mongul is advertising both commercial web browsers? And to people that have firefox? THE HORROR!!!!
Anywho, I’m on SR-Ware IRON, and I don’t get any ads on yahoo :p Maybe the true news story here is that neither IE or Firefox are smart enough to block all the ads? maybe Yahoo is actually paying microsoft and mozilla to ensure that ads on yahoo.com display correctly on those browsers? OOHHHH THE CONSPIRACY POSSIBILITIES!
BTW, I’m currently watching TV through Cox Cable, a company that also provides phone and internet service. In the past 48 hours I’ve seen ads for: Cox, Dish, DirecTV, Verizon, Vonage, Qwest, AT&T, Comcast, and likely even more similar companies. And not one of those ads specifically said on it that it was on ad.
ieYahoo….
Just user Opera like me
Who is paying TechCrunch the most?…
You do realize, that Yahoo! peddles its co-branded version of both browsers on their downloads page, right? RIGHT?
And I’ll bet that if you clicked on that, it would take you to
http://downloads.yahoo.com/
All I see is a link to the Yahoo! Toolbar with FF 3.5. As soon as I IE tabbed to IE, THEN I got the link. Guess where it leads you….
http://download...ternetexplorer/
More of a way to install the Toolbar via a “co-branded” browser on more users boxes I would say.
Well guys! Yahoo home page is NOT compatible with IE8
. When you open yahoo.com or the re-designed Yahoo.com page in IE8, the broken page icon thingy appears besides the address bar and asks you if you want to switch to the compatibility view.
Clearly, it’s money flowing somewhere!
Screenshots of the broken pages posted at http://geoux.wo...ey-promote-ie8/
Thanks for pointing this out about yahoo and browsers.
Everyone knows that Opera is the safest.. however, Google’s adwords give me some great incentives so just for the heck of it, i’m gonna play the Devil advocate: “Chrome is the safest, most reliable browser EVER!!!”
Does it mean that browsers shouldn’t be advertised on any website, in case it gets a blogful or two from TC?
There is no problem with websites advertising browsers as long as the website works on the browser bing advertised.
Would you believe an out-of-shape celebrity endorsing a gym?
Sorry for the unintentional (but somewhat relevant) typo. It sould read “being advertised” instead of “bing advertised”.