By some estimates, Firefox has surged to take anywhere from 12 percent to more than one-third of the overall Web browser market. But PC makers are acting like they couldn"t care less. And that doesn"t appear to be changing any time soon. Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Dell continue to pre-install Microsoft"s Internet Explorer Web browser onto PCs, but -- save for the comparatively few Linux-based systems that Dell ships - - the OEMs continue to shun Firefox except in some custom-ordered configurations.
Firefox is developed under the open source model, where code writers and engineers collaborate on its advancement, new functionality and bug fixes. Under this model, Firefox has become a highly customizable user interface and has eaten into Microsoft"s IE market share. Its advancement is overseen by Mozilla, a subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation. While Mozilla has taken part in some marketing efforts, largely in the consumer space, it has received virtually no support from OEMs and remains a non-player in the channel -- even as some observers see an opening for it in the enterpris