IE10 captures second place among Microsoft's browsers

Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) jumped into second place among Microsoft's browsers last month, pushing past IE9 through an enforced upgrade.

IE10's user share climbed from 16.5 percent to a record 24 percent of all copies of Internet Explorer in June, according to Web measurement firm Net Applications.

Among Microsoft's five supported browsers, IE10 was the second-most-used, leapfrogging the two-year-old IE9, which shed user share to end June with 20.9 percent of all copies of Internet Explorer. The 12-year-old IE6 was fourth with 10.9 percent, while 2009's IE8 remained in first with 40.4 percent.

IE10's climb has accelerated: June's user share increase was the largest since the browser's introduction on Windows 7 in February. As in previous months, June's jump was fueled by the automatic update from IE9 to IE10 on Windows 7 that kicked in last winter.

Windows 8's gradual if not dramatic rise in user share also contributed to IE10's increase, since that and Windows RT come with IE10: Windows 8's share grew in June by the largest amount since its October 2012 launch.

IE10's climb was mirrored by a large fall in IE9's user share; the browser that once threatened IE8's dominance plunged from 27.5 percent of all copies of IE to 20.9 percent. IE9 peaked in February 2013 at 38.8 percent, but unless Microsoft soon runs out of Windows 7 PCs to upgrade, the browser could be eclipsed by the still-surviving IE6 within a couple of months.

Overall, IE remained flat with approximately 56 percent of the user share of all browsers, implying that few if any of IE10's gains came from people switching browser brands. About 39 percent of all Windows users ran a non-Microsoft browser in June, slightly less than in May.

IE8 lost about seven-tenths of a percentage point in June—the largest decrease since December 2012—to end with a 40.4 percent share of all copies of Internet Explorer. IE8 will remain the most popular of Microsoft's browsers for some time, experts have said, because as the most modern version available for Windows XP it's been made the standard in enterprises supporting heterogeneous environments with both Windows XP and Windows 7 systems.

The rapid rise in IE10's user share has been unprecedented in Microsoft's experience. It has been much more akin to the quick turnover by rivals like Chrome and Firefox, which also automatically upgrade users, than any previous edition of Internet Explorer, showing that the Redmond, Washington developer can, if it wants, migrate large numbers of users to a newer browser.

But IE10's time as a climber will probably be short lived: Microsoft has promised to deliver IE11 for Windows 7, which will trigger a downturn in IE10's user share and corresponding rise in IE11.

Other browsers stayed in their long-inhabited positions grew and shrank in Net Applications' measurements, with Chrome exiting June with 17.2 percent, an increase of 1.4 percentage points, and Firefox dropping by 1.5 points to 19.2 percent. Apple's Safari and Opera Software's Opera remained flat at 5.6 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.

Havana Journal: Salons or Not, Cyberspace Is Still a Distant Place for Most Cubans

Until last month, though, the closest Mr. García, 59, had been to cyberspace was the painfully slow e-mail service at his local post office. Then on June 4, Etecsa, the state telecom company, opened 118 Internet salons around the island, expanding public Web access — by a fraction, at least — in what is regarded as the least wired country in the Western Hemisphere. Mr. García, a retired military officer, immediately signed up.

“This is like a Three Kings’ Day gift,” Mr. García said of his newfound Internet access, referring to the Jan. 6 holiday when people dressed as the Magi hand out goodies to children.

But as gifts go, it is extremely expensive, he said. At $4.50 an hour, a session at one of the new cybersalons costs almost as much as the average state worker earns in a week, prompting many Cubans to wonder whether President Raúl Castro is serious about bringing the Internet to the masses, or just playing for time.

“At this price, hardly anyone is going to be using it,” said Mr. García, who figured he could afford to buy an hour or two a week because his daughter helped him out and he had just sold his house.

Cuba’s limited Internet access is a source of festering resentment among Cubans, millions of whom have never been online. Some people — medics, for example, or journalists — qualify for a dial-up connection at home. Others use pirated connections, rent time on a neighbor’s line or log on at a hotel, where they pay about $8 an hour. Many trade information on memory sticks or rely on stodgy state-run periodicals for news.

“We are living in the back of a cave,” said Walfrido López, a Cuban blogger and information technology specialist. “People here are asleep, because they don’t have information.”

He added, “Having information is what enables you to make decisions, take positions.”

Government figures indicate 26 percent of Cubans had Internet access last year, but this includes millions who entered only an intranet linked to their work. The International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency for information and communications technology, puts the number of broadband subscriptions in Cuba at 0.04 per 100 inhabitants, or about one in 2,500. That is lower than in Haiti and Sudan, two places that are not considered the least bit tech-friendly.

Even Cuba’s new cybersalons, which operate under the brand name Nauta, amount to just one for every 95,000 Cubans.

The new service is “a gesture of openness within a context of the ability to have monopoly control,” said Ted Henken, a professor at City University of New York who closely follows the Cuban blogosphere, noting that Etecsa requires users to sign a contract warning that they will be monitored for subversive activity. Still, he added, the government has “created a conversation around access that didn’t exist before.”

Harold Cárdenas Lema, 27, a blogger and philosophy teacher at the University of Matanzas, said the cybersalons represented a “transcendental” shift because they put a relatively fast, fairly uncensored Internet service at the disposal of individuals.

However, the government risks a deep digital divide if it does not cut prices in line with most Cubans’ salaries, Mr. Cárdenas said. And despite an official pledge to prioritize “social” use of the Internet, he and others using university or hospital connections complained they were as slow as ever.

Wilfredo González Vidál, vice minister of communications, in an interview with the official news media in May, assured that “the market will not regulate access to knowledge in our country.” But Rogelio Moreno Díaz responded in his acerbic blog, Bubusópia, that this was “the final insult to the public’s intelligence.”

RSL jumps into first place with success at home

SANDY — The Rio Tinto momentum has proplled Real Salt Lake to the top spot in the West.

Kyle Beckerman scored a goal right before halftime and Robbie Findley added another immediately after it to lift Real Salt Lake to a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.

The win vaulted RSL (9-5-3) into first place into the Western Conference. Seattle (6-5-3) lost for just the second time in its past nine MLS matches.

“I am really, really pleased,” said RSL coach Jason Kreis. “To score two goals, get the shutout at home, and to keep the momentum going is exactly what we were looking for.

“ I hope to ride this momentum for the rest of the season,” he added.

Seattle finished the match with a total of two shots. RSL tallied 17, putting six on the net.

Salt Lake has scored two or more goals in five consecutive matches. RSL has 27 goals in its last 10 games across all competitions this season, registering eight wins during that same stretch.

“We knew this (home stretch) was critical. We knew had to get the next three. We took them one at a time, building momentum and doing a good job,” Beckerman said.

The string of victories includes a pair in U.S. Open Cup play, with a quarterfinal matchup with the NASL Carolina Railhawks up next on Wednesday evening at Rio Tinto.

“It’s a big one. We need to keep reminding ourselves, that if we get complacement we will lose,” Beckerman said. “We need to keep the momentum going on Wednesday.

Beckerman put Salt Lake on the board in the 41st minute after cleaning up a deflected free kick by Javier Morales. The ball bounced off a defender and took a hop out to Beckerman on the right side of the box. He cleaned it up perfectly, sliding a half-volley under to the crossbar.

Seattle had no shots on goal and did not create a single shot period during the first half.

Salt Lake created a much bigger hole for the Sounders right after halftime. Findley gave RSL a two-goal lead in the 46th minute on a second-chance goal after his initial shot was saved.

Findley tracked down a deep pass from Morales and fired a right-footer just outside the 6-yard box. Seattle goalkeeper Michael Gspurning cleared the ball out to Khari Stephenson, who flicked ahead to Findley again. He launched another shot just outside the right upper corner of the box. This time, he threaded the ball inside the left post.

The Sounders struggled to mount a comeback because they could do hardly anything against a stiff RSL defense. They did not create their first shot of the game until Mario Martinez curled the ball from the right side of the box at RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the 73rd minute.

Seattle finished the match with a total of two shots. RSL tallied 17 shots, putting six on frame.

One key for RSL’s success has been the play of young players Carlos Saucedo, Olmes Garcia and Khari Stevenson. Saucedo is in the spotlight after injuries to Kwame Watson-Siriboe and Chris Schuler.

“Carlos has been doing a great job, and he’s done that since day one,” Beckerman said. “He’s proven that he belongs.”

• FIRE 2, CREW 1: At Columbus, Ohio, Mike Magee had the winning goal and Joel Lindpere had two assists to help the Chicago Fire rally in the second half for a victory over Columbus.

Lindpere found former Crew midfielder Dilly Duka at the far post for a right-footed stab that tied the game 1-1 in the 52nd minute.

Two minutes later, Lindpere assisted on Magee’s 10th goal, sending a cross into the box that Magee chested into the goal.

Magee has scored in four league matches and six straight in all competitions since being acquired from Los Angeles in May.

The Fire (5-7-3) are 3-0-2 in their past five matches and have won six of the past seven against the Crew.

Federico Higuain scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute for Columbus (5-6-5).

• FC DALLAS 2, SPORTKING KC 2: At Frisco, Texas, Andrew Jacobson and Walker Zimmerman scored in the final two minutes of regulation to lift FC Dallas into the tie.

Jacobson scored in the 88th minute and Zimmerman followed with his first career MLS goal in the 90th to cap the stunning comeback for Dallas (8-3-5), which remains unbeaten at home this season at 7-0-2.

Dallas remains atop the Western Conference standings, despite winning just once in its last five matches (1-2-2).

After Kei Kamara’s penalty kick goal in the 43rd minute and an own goal in the 58th, Kansas City (6-5-5) seemed to be in good shape, even after going down to 10 men following C.J. Sapong’s ejection in the 68th minute.

Dallas nearly won it in stoppage time, but Kenny Cooper’s 20-yard blast curled just wide of the right goal post.

• D.C. UNITED 1, EARTHQUAKES 0: At Washington, Chris Pontius converted a minute penalty kick in the 11th minute and D.C. United (2-11-3) snapped a 13-game winless streak with its first victory since March 9.

San Jose (4-7-6) was shut out for the third time in four games and has failed to score in each of its seven losses this season.

• TORONTO FC 0, DYNAMO 0: At Houston, Joe Bendik stopped four shots for Toronto FC and Tally Hall made three saves for Houston in the scoreless draw.

Houston (6-5-5) is winless in six games, while Toronto FC (2-7-6) extended its unbeaten streak to three games.