It’s no secret that internet technology advances much faster than most people can keep up. If you asked your average internet user, you can bet they would have no idea what HTML5 is, why it’s important, or what it means for the mobile web. Hell, they might not know what mobile web means.

That’s why this chart from Pingdom.com is so crazy. Look how many people are running the current versions of their browsers. Even though Chrome is a notoriously geeky browser, the 90 percent current version stat is impressive. I’m not willing to give credit to the users for most of this. I think we can all admit that the numbers would be much lower if users were totally responsible for the updates. Developers, on the other hand, have done a great job of encouraging updates or even background updating.

For some people, that’s a problem, but as technology gets more advanced, it becomes increasingly unlikely that the general population will understand it. Until we hit some sort of soft wall, where the next great leap will be like that of the silicon chip, we won’t likely see a general population of users who actually understand what the machine they’re using does. Why do you think your parents call you all the time about pop-ups? It’s because they click things without thinking and don’t understand that the “Whack the Fly!” game is actually an advertisement or a wormbait.

I’m an avid Firefox user. I have been for years. And there are many reasons for my love affair. First, I enjoy the ability to install add-ons like “Adblock Plus,” “All-in-One Sidebar,” and especially “Foxmarks.” Also, Firefox gives me the freedom to tweak settings inside the browser’s core which can change my interaction with it, as well as its overall speed. Finally, I definitely notice that the browser uses less of my PC’s memory and always releases it properly when I close it. What’s not to like about Firefox?

So, it might surprise you to know that I am always willing to try the next new thing in web browsers. I’ll install Opera and try it out for a few weeks then go back to Firefox. What’s that? Google came out with a new browser called Crome? Sure, I’ll install that too and see what all the hubbub is about. Since everyone on the planet seems wired to think anything Apple does is great, I end up installing Safari as well. Sadly, even though I installed all those browsers, I still end up using IE to check my work email. I’m sorry but for some strange reason Microsoft’s webmail client works better inside Microsoft’s web browser. Crazy, I know.

For those of you out there wondering what the current advantages and disadvantages of each of these browsers are, maximumpc.com has put together a great list comparing all the browsers. And they even took it one further by comparing what the future releases will look like.

Anyone who may have thought the death of Netscape would signal the end of the browser wars, boy were they mistaken. In fact, it could be argued that it was at that point it all began. It didn’t take long for Mozilla’s Firefox to emerge from Netscape Navigator’s ashes, and over time, Firefox would win over enthusiasts with a potent combination of speed, security, and an unprecedented level of customization.

But what started as a two-man battle is quickly growing into all-out warfare. Prepare to be overwhelmed by an onslaught of new browser releases in the coming months as Microsoft, Mozilla, Apple, Opera Software, and Google all vie to provide your vehicle for navigating the web. Each one brings something new to the table, whether it be blazing fast performance or a unique feature-set. Don’t worry if you haven’t been paying attention – we jump in the trenches with whole lot of them and get to know each one on a personal basis.

So there you have it. Read it and make your own decision. Don’t just use IE because it comes installed with Windows. Try something new on and see if it fits.

As for me, I’ll be constantly trying whatever is the latest and greatest thing to come out in the browser wars. And then, well… in all honesty… within a week going back and using Firefox about 95% of the time.