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Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) again lost ground to Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome last month, even as the company launched its newest browser, Web metrics data showed today.

But Microsoft stands behind its decision to limit IE9 to users running Windows Vista and Windows 7.

"It was a very deliberate decision," said Ryan Gavin, senior director of IE, talking about the move to exclude XP users from IE9. "You simply can't build on something that is 10 years ago."

Gavin said that Microsoft "has no second thoughts" about its decision.

 According to California-based Net Applications, one of several companies that regularly publishes browser usage data, IE lost nine-tenths of a percentage point of share in March, falling to 55.9%, another record low.

IE9, which debuted more than two weeks ago, accounted for 1% of all browsers, a five-tenths of a point jump over February.

But older editions of IE dropped by more than what IE9 gained.

IE6, the browser Microsoft wants to kill, fell by four-tenths of a point to 11%, while IE7 slipped by two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.9%. And IE8, until last month Microsoft's current browser, dropped half a point to end March at 34.4%.

IE8's slip was the first for that browser since Net Applications began tracking it three years ago, a full year before it shipped in final form in March 2009.

Some rivals, meanwhile, continued to gain share at Microsoft's expense.

Computerworld has the details HERE!