Why do public places/jobs/schools only use Internet Explorer?

[Ħ]

Are administrations just stupid?  Better browsers are free.  Seriously, it makes no sense and is really annoying.

/rant

[Gorille85]

Internet Explorer is by far not only the best browser available, but also the best computer.

[Zook]

Because they don't care.

[lonestar]

Because they don't care.

[black_biff_stadler]

Because they don't care.

This and I'd also bet that most of the folks making these decisions got one little virus a long time ago and now think everything that can possibly be downloaded on the internet will surely come with viruses as well. Add to that the fact that computers running Windows already come with IE and it's a done deal

[Zantera]

Well, the only browser "big enough" to become more mainstream then Internet Explorer is Firefox, and Firefox is not really an upgrade.
I doubt that they will ever start using Google Chrome, Opera or something else "indie" as standard browser.

[Fiery Winds]

The middle school I student taught at used iMac computers and had Firefox installed.

[antigoon]

All the computers in my university's library had Firefox installed.

[bosk1]

There's really no incentive for most places to install an extra browser rather than use the default that is already installed and takes no additional effort to use.  Since IE is already on computers right out of the box, and since it accomplishes everything 99% of users will do on the Internet, what incentive would a university or other institution have for installing something else?

[Gadough]

People give Internet Explorer way too much shit. It's not that bad. I've never encountered any problems with it. If you need to use a school/work computer to get on the internet, IE will work just fine.

that being said, I'm posting this from work using Firefox, lol

[Zantera]

People give Internet Explorer way too much shit. It's not that bad. I've never encountered any problems with it. If you need to use a school/work computer to get on the internet, IE will work just fine.

that being said, I'm posting this from work using Firefox, lol

I think the funny thing is that people bash Internet Explorer, and then proceed to praise Firefox.

Firefox is hands down the buggiest internet browser ever, and it's even more annoying when there are 5 year old buggs that hasn't been taken care of yet.
So yeah, Internet Explorer might not be AWZUM, but Firefox certainly ain't much better. 

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

My town's libraries have IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari on each computer. They're really the only public computer places here though.

[Adami]

Just started using Chrome.


Nice.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

I doubt that they will ever start using Google Chrome, Opera or something else "indie" as standard browser.

I think you're underestimating Chrome's popularity. Most people I know use it at least.

[Zantera]

Yeah I know Chrome is starting to get popular, I'm using it myself.
It's great. 

[bosk1]

I have chrome installed, but I honestly don't see any advantages to it.

[Adami]

I have chrome installed, but I honestly don't see any advantages to it.

I don't know technical stuff, but I like the look of it more so far, that's enough for me.

[Ħ]

There's really no incentive for most places to install an extra browser rather than use the default that is already installed and takes no additional effort to use.  Since IE is already on computers right out of the box, and since it accomplishes everything 99% of users will do on the Internet, what incentive would a university or other institution have for installing something else?

To be nice?

I have chrome installed, but I honestly don't see any advantages to it.

Because it's like....twice as fast.  Also, the viewing window is bigger, and not cluttered like IE.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Yup, the speed and the fact it doesn't get all those damned toolbars.

[bosk1]

I notice no speed difference whatsoever.  I'll give you the bigger viewing area.  That is nice.  Except that I actually the menus and tool bar (I only have one).  ...except that tool bar on the bottom.  I never really noticed it before, but why is that even there?

[Chino]

At my university we do a lot of stuff online in terms of homework, exams, etc... The websites only support IE. So I guess it makes sense that IE is the primary browser. However, my university just upgraded all the labs to Windows 7 and all the PCs have IE, FF, and GG. Up until now I used to have to boot GC or FF of my flash drive.

[PetFish]

Because who cares?

I'd say <1% of people who use a public computer in a public school give a shit which browser they're using to Facebook on and the other >99% couldn't care less.  Joe Computer has different browsers installed at home and runs personal tests to see which one he likes better but the vast majority of people don't care that Chrome loads this page in 1.2 seconds whereas IE does in 2.4 seconds.

It's like iOS vs Android or Mac OS vs Windows.  Not a lot of people care that you can customize Android/Windows and fool around with hardcore settings.  Most people who aren't geeks just want something that's easy to use and works.

I didn't want to type so much but I did.  IE is proven and in the end almost nobody cares what's on a public computer.

[black_biff_stadler]

I actually the menus and tool bar

The whole thing?!

[Millais]

IE6 was incredible ... for it's time.
IE7 was just awful.

Personally I use Firefox, although Chrome is pretty much the browser of choice nowadays.

[Dr. DTVT]

I go by a simple credo...if it works, it works.

Until someone shows me why I should switch, I'll use IE because I've never had a problem with it.

[Chino]

I go by a simple credo...if it works, it works.

Until someone shows me why I should switch, I'll use IE because I've never had a problem with it.

.

I don't know if the problem still exists, but the main reason I switched from IE was because of the insane amount of pop-up windows and spyware that made it onto my machine. The day I switched to FF the problem stopped.

[Dr. DTVT]

Pop-up stopper + non-risky web browsing.

[Adami]

Yea, I also pretty much stopped getting virus problems once I switched away from IE.

[Ħ]

I actually the menus and tool bar

The whole thing?!

That's the same thing that I was thinking.

[bosk1]

I don't what you mean.

[emindead]

IE6 was incredible ... for it's time.
IE7 was just awful.

Personally I use Firefox, although Chrome is pretty much the browser of choice nowadays.

We're in the IE9 stage by know which is awesome... but I don't use it.

[emindead]

I don't what you mean.

You accidentally a word.

[bosk1]

The whole thing?

[bosk1]

I don't usually use Chrome because, as I said, I have never noticed any significant difference.  But since this thread, I have been using it for a few hours, and I do notice that .gifs load faster and perform a lot better.  I had not realized that.

[lonestar]

The whole thing?

most of it, the rest was just really small.