Windows Media Player leads the pack, with 34% of the users polled claiming they fire up Microsoft’s player utility to access the Internet. AOL’s Instant Messenger came in second, at 20%, while Real Network’s RealPlayer, Microsoft’s MSN Messenger, and Yahoo’s instant messenger client round out the list. In other findings from Nielsen/NetRatings’ monthly report on Web usage, the audience ranking firm noted that the number of people accessing the Internet in November, 2003, was up 11% over the same month last year.
?With 76% of Web surfers using Internet applications, functionality has grown beyond the browser to become a fundamental piece of the overall desktop,? said Abha Bhagat, a senior analyst at Nielsen//NetRatings in a statement. ?It’s become harder to distinguish when you’re on the Internet.?