Firefox crosses 500 million download mark

Sometime last night, Firefox downloads crossed the 500 million threshold.

Mozilla congratulated itself on attaining 500 million downloads of the Firefox Web browser.

(Credit: Mozilla)

It's an arbitrary but interesting milestone for the open-source Web browser, whose development is overseen by Mozilla but that's also developed and extended by a large number of outside programmers. In September 2007, Firefox crossed the 400 million download mark, indicating an average rate a bit shy of 20 million per month at present.

According to the Spread Firefox site, there had been 500,168,448 downloads as of 6:15 a.m. PST. About 12 hours earlier, there had been more than 499,900,000.

Firefox has spread widely in the years since its release. The project originally was named Phoenix to symbolize a rising from the ashes of the Netscape open-source browser project that began in 1998 but languished for many years as Microsoft's Internet Explorer solidified its lead.

Now Firefox programmers are working on version 3, which brings performance improvements and interface changes, and Mozilla also is working on a mobile version of the browser for handheld devices.

A sister subsidiary of Mozilla, Mozilla Messaging, is working to reproduce the successes of Firefox with the open-source Thunderbird e-mail software.

[Commander_Spock]

Wow!

"According to the Spread Firefox site, there had been 500,168,448 downloads as of 6:15 a.m. PST. About 12 hours earlier, there had been more than 499,900,000..." How we wish this was happening with OS/2. Perhaps, following "Microsoft's API and Protocol announcement Thursday"<br /><br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/022108-microsoft-open-api.html?netht=rn_022208&#38;nladname=022208dailynewsamal" target="_newWindow">http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/022108-microsoft-open-api.html?netht=rn_022208&#38;nladname=022208dailynewsamal</a><br /><br />IBM may see some value in offering OS/2 "for free" like it is doing with Lotus Symphony and this might just rock the Microsoft Empire like an earthquake. ;-) !

[john55440]

OS/2 & Lotus Symphony

"IBM may see some value in offering OS/2 "for free" like it is doing with Lotus Symphony..."<br /><br />IBM gives away Lotus Symphony, because it doesn't own it. Lotus Symphony is just a minor variation of the mediocre OpenOffice.

[ittesi259]

I love it

Its solid, runs well and I think performs better, thats why it is my primary browser on both my Windows XP notebook and my iMac.

[protagonistic]

RE: I love it

And it pretty much runs on just about any OS on the planet. <br />Which is a whole lot more than MS can say about IE. :-) I run it <br />on my Mac and my Linux/UNIX machine.

[john55440]

Downloaded doesn't mean used...

Just because someone downloads Firefox doesn't mean that they actually use it.<br /><br />I downloaded/tried FF2, but prefer/use IE7.<br /><br />That said, I will try FF3 when it is released. If nothing else, FF2 is useful as an "emergency backup browser".

[Ben Waldron]

I agree - it doesn't mean "used"

I have drifted back and forth between Firefox and IE for a couple of years, but I always come back to IE. Hopefully, FF3 will resolve some of the annoying little "bugs" that I kept encountering.

[Arrgster]

You could also say

Just because you download it once, doesn't mean you only installed it once. We downloaded it at the office once and installed it on 300 machines.

[nasserd]

What is "download" anyway?!

I know many people who hear "there's an update" and download a new copy; I have downloaded FF2 on multiple occasions from a couple of computers -- but it's not my browser of choice.<br /><br />Also, are we 100% positive (the general public) that "download" does NOT include security updates/patches (when FF2 automatically downloads and updates your point release with a security fix)?!

[SatQ]

Downloaded once, installed four times

And in my case IE7 is the emergency back-up. And even then I'll try Opera first.

[Carion]

No it doesn't....

Many congratulations, Firefox<br />Downloaded it once, and installed it more than 40 times. I work for SMB's that prefer security and stability. Also love all those useful extensions...<br />Can't wait for a stable 3.x version.

[Jortibereal]

Most of the time

I agree that not everyone who downloads Firefox uses it, but I suspect that most internet users savvy enough to download an alternate browser can also recognize the fact that Firefox is a better option than IE. Therefore, I have the feeling that the ratio of users to downloaders is at least 1:1, possibly more, because 1 download can mean multiple installations.

[The_Decider]

Who said it did?

Or even implied it?

[bhushan bhaagii]

Agreed, But Does MS Abuse FF?

I and my son got around to using FF about six months. But encountered a fair amount of problems.<br />The feeling I got was that somehow the Microsoft<br />OS had compatibility problems with FF. <br />Wonder how many feel, or can vouch, if that is<br />the issue.

[pj_mouse]

Agreed

I've always found it to work better. I also installed it on my sister's computer where IE7 does nothing but crash all the time. I do hope the world is coming to realize the superior product open source provides.

[Dalkorian]

FF is the only browser for me!

Whenever I'm dealing with a PC, if FireFox isn't already installed <br />it's one of the first things I do. I won't even use IE, I consider it <br />trashware for retards. The second thing I do after getting FF <br />installed on a PC is to hide IE so it's difficult to use.<br /><br />I rarely run into one of those nasty "IE only" websites, but when I <br />do I just move along. I don't need anything out there that forces <br />me into servitude and slavery.<br /><br />The only exception to this is when I'm on a Mac, I actually like <br />the Safari browser (although I do tend to keep a copy of FireFox <br />for the rare occasion when a site doesn't render properly in <br />Safari). But for winblows and Linux, it's FireFox or no internet at <br />all.

[Penguinisto]

FF outstripping IE?

...FF has 20 million downloads per month. <br /><br />What was Vista's sales rate again? I'm thinking that (very probably) Firefox is perhaps outstripping IE in install rates... <br /><br />/P

[chash360]

How many bugs?

I am curious, has anyone tallied the amount of FF vunerabilities and security holes against IE's (version 6 or 7)?

[chash360]

by my count....

Since 11-27-2007:<br /><br />2 low-to-medium threats in FireFox neither being remote attacks, or admin priveledge gains.<br /><br />3 high threats for IE containing uncounted multiple vunerabilities in each alert/patch.<br /><br />~10 med-high threats in related M$ OS services, like IIS, TCP/IP, Active Directory, DirectX, OLE automation, including one so scary I won't mention it. (these threats affect all current M$ OS's from Win2K to Vista)<br /><br />~5-6 low-medium threats in Office and related app software.<br /><br />~1 low threat kernel flaw in Vista already<br /><br />PS&gt; there has never been any such thing as true computer network security since Y2K, regardless of anyones claims, it does not exist. regardless of whatever patch they are pushing, there are more holes, even in the patches. 5 or 6 of the M$ threats above were subsequent patches to the same software component, some fix eh?

[drhowarddrfine]

IE has three times more vulnerabilities than FF

Secunia reports three times as many vulnerabilities than Firefox, or any other browser. <br /><br />The number of bugs in IE is unknown because Microsoft will never tell you or admit to any while Firefox is open for anyone to see. All software has bugs.

[chash360]

Hard to count users...

I would suspect that even those who intend to use FF exclusively, still end up touching and using IE in the background in some cases, thanks to M$ making such tight integrations with the OS.<br /><br />I also suspect that these may be some of the remaining appearent sources of error in FF, because the OS want FF to do something that only IE will do, (that you probably don't want it doing anyway), that gives rise to some of the errors.

[robinaire]

Firefox

I have Firefox on my system,and everybody seems to rave about it, but it is TERRIBLE to use!! Is there a site that explains how to use it?? When I call it up, I get a start page with 3 items on it, one of which is email, and the others don't seem to do anything! HELP!!

[wkia]

Re: Firefox

Need help? <br />Send me an e-mail [e-mail]<br /><br />I'll help you with your problems in firefox, or I can give you a quick overview.<br /><br />NO SPAM, PLEASE

[captphill]

FF

When I bought my first PC many years ago. My DL was Firefox.

[wkia]

Two worlds, in one, Is that possible?

Personally, I switch between IE7 and Firefox.<br />They are 2 extreamly good browsers. (IE is even better when used with security)<br />I use IE7 more than FF because personally I like IE7, but I must say I am impressed with firefox. FF is technically not an internet browser, but instead a multi-function application. With the correct extensions FF can do virtually anything.<br /><br />Now just imigine if IE and FF were combined into one product. (That probably won't happen) People would stop fighting over which one is better and actually use for program for it's original intent, browsing the internet.<br /><br />Then again, that's like combining the 3 OS'es.<br />Merging Windows, Mac, and Linux would make a great product, again, that will never happen. That's only wishful thinking.

[capitanqueso]

Firefox

Opera is better! to me, it has paste and go, duplicate the page, show the images as they are wysiwyg, it has a practic zoom, has an interesting "insert personal data" &#38; "insert notes", everithing that has explorer 7 &#38; firefox was first in opera the only fault is how it show some javascript or i dont know some link images in some ordinaries pages.<br />Opera Browser es mejor!, para mi, tiene pegar e ir, duplicar la pagina, muestra las imágenes como son, un práctico zoom, tiene un "insertar personal" e "insertar notas", todo lo que tiene firefox y explorer7 opera lo tenia desde antes del 2000solo falla en una cosa no coinciden algunos links con las imagenes pequeñas en las paginas mas berretas