| © Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved | | | | that Microsoft has yet to even address |
| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- | | | | with any of its software products. |
| When you think of software and personal | | | | I'll make a daring prediction here: |
| computers (PCs), you think Microsoft. | | | | watch for Microsoft or another large |
| The global software giant dominates the | | | | player to purchase FeedDemon rather than |
| PC market in both penetration and | | | | try to reinvent the wheel and build a |
| pocketbook. | | | | product brand themselves. |
| It seems you can't go a single day | | | | ** FireFox Web Browser ** |
| without seeing at least one news story | | | | Security problems always seem to plague |
| and several advertisements for Microsoft | | | | the Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) Web |
| or a Microsoft product. | | | | browser. |
| But that doesn't mean Microsoft | | | | In fact, last year the problem got so |
| dominates in every corner of the market; | | | | bad, it forced Microsoft to release one |
| in fact, as the software behemoth gets | | | | of the largest free software upgrades |
| bigger, numerous niche software | | | | (Service Pack 2) in the history of |
| offerings spring up to fill in the gaps | | | | computing. |
| left in Microsoft's wake. | | | | According to both and Webside Story, two |
| As you'll see, a couple of these niche | | | | of the Web's leading Web analytics |
| software programs have managed to either | | | | companies, Microsoft's IE market share |
| beat Microsoft to the punch, or even | | | | has dipped below 90%. |
| steal market share away from the | | | | See actual stats from WebSide Story |
| seemingly invincible company. | | | | Here: |
| ** FeedDemon ** | | | | In response to serious security threats |
| FeedDemon software ($29.95) enables you | | | | to Internet Explorer, an upstart browser |
| to subscribe to and read RSS Feeds (Real | | | | named FireFox from Mozilla.org took off |
| Simple Syndication). | | | | like a rocket ship in late 2004. |
| RSS has emerged as the preferred way to | | | | Available free from FireFox offers not |
| share news and other content with | | | | only a full-featured Web browser without |
| subscribers across the Internet without | | | | the security problems, but also a number |
| the use of email. | | | | of features not available on Internet |
| The advantage to subscribers: as news, | | | | Explorer. |
| blogs, or other content updates | | | | Probably the most popular feature |
| somewhere online, subscribers receive | | | | Firefox offers over IE is "Tabbed |
| virtually instant notification just by | | | | Browsing," which enables you to open |
| opening up their reader. | | | | multiple Web pages without opening |
| This represents a huge time savings | | | | multiple windows. |
| since subscribers can receive updates | | | | Firefox also limits harmful Active-X |
| without surfing individual sites to | | | | controls and pop-up windows. |
| chase down stories or wading through | | | | Firefox tends towards a less forgiving |
| piles of spam to find the content they | | | | attitude on HTML coding and may display |
| actually want. | | | | some Web pages awkwardly, where IE |
| The advantage to publishers: no worrying | | | | displays most pages as the designer |
| about whether email notifications, news | | | | intended. |
| releases, or blog updates made it past | | | | Despite this, Firefox makes an excellent |
| the spam filters or unreliable mail | | | | browser and Microsoft should take heed |
| servers. | | | | that market dominance doesn't last |
| Though many free RSS reader software | | | | forever once consumers see a viable |
| packages exist (just do a search on for | | | | alternative. |
| "free rss reader"), FeedDemon offers an | | | | And the lesson in all of this for all |
| unmatched suite of tools that enable | | | | you would-be entrepreneurs out there |
| serious RSS subscribers the power and | | | | with the next great idea? |
| flexibility to mix and match feeds, | | | | It doesn't matter how big or small your |
| including the new "POD Casting" craze | | | | organization, it always comes back to a |
| where content providers syndicate audio | | | | simple formula: Meet the needs and solve |
| content (MP3) over the web. | | | | the problems of a specific niche |
| Available from FeedDemon sets the | | | | audience better than the next guy and |
| standard for RSS readers in a market | | | | you'll be the winner! |