InformationWeek have managed to prove their brainlessness continues. As they claim "IE8 Users Downgrade To Explorer 7".
Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)'s Internet Explorer 8 appears to be losing market share, even though the browser has been on the market for less than a week.
As of 8:00 am Monday, IE8 -- released Thursday -- held 1.86% of the browser market, down from a high of 2.59% on Sunday, according to market watcher Net Applications. The most likely reason for the decline is that early adopters of IE8 are switching back to the more familiar, and --at this point -- reliable Explorer 7 browser.
The Net Applications data is here. What they should have said if they weren't trying to make an ideological point was:
The most likely reason for the decline is that early adopters had to show up for work Monday morning, where they are forced to use Windows XP and Internet Explorer 6.
As we can see from the Net Applications data (which I've highlighted and marked the days for easier visibility), IE8 usage drops during working hours. This is nothing more than a high resolution version of the weekly cycle between Windows XP and Windows Vista, with Windows XP seeing greater use during the week, and Windows Vista showing greater use during the weekend.
Surprisingly InformationWeek's journalists aren't aware of this effect, despite it being core to their reporting.
Update: PC World are following along spouting the same nonsense, as have TechTree and no doubt others. Despite the fact that as of this hour (0100 UTC on the 26th) IE8 usage has climbed to 2.82% its highest ever figure.