Firefox reaches 25 million downloads

Look out, Microsoft.

That's the message this week from the Mozilla Foundation, whose Web browser Firefox has surpassed 25 million downloads in 100 days.

Mozilla, which released the free 1.0 program in November, says an average of 250,000 people download Firefox every day and more than half a million Web sites feature Firefox promotions. The group promotes the program as an alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which has become a target for computer virus writers and other security exploits.

"What was just a small flame 100 days ago has since exploded into a phenomenal demonstration of the power of open source," lead Firefox architect Blake Ross wrote on a blog. "Tens of thousands of devoted users and fans are a powerful and capable force of change."

Mozilla developed the program using donations and an army of volunteer programmers, many of whom are presumably bent on challenging the dominance of IE. People downloaded more than 8 million copies of the test version of Firefox before the November launch.

Microsoft has been defensive about Internet Explorer, denying that it's more vulnerable to bugs than other browser programs. Yet the company made a surprise move this week, unveiling plans to release a new version of IE independently of an upcoming release of Windows so that it can more quickly fix security problems.

The growing popularity of Firefox may have spurred the move, some industry observers said. Recent surveys show that Microsoft's market share in Web browsers, while still huge, is slipping.

Mozilla, an open-source software foundation formed by Netscape, was spun off from Time Warner in 2003.

There are other reasons

Security comparisons may be debatable... I don't really know, as <br />I only use IE6 for website testing. This brings me to the main <br />reason why I'm behind the migration to Firefox: IE6 rendering <br />bugs. It has more CSS rendering issues than any other browser <br />I've used. Truly pathetic, considering IE5 for Mac, an older <br />program, fairs much better. It's the #1 bane of any standards-<br />compliant web developer's life. I really wish more articles would <br />illustrate this point. IE6 is single-handedly holding back the <br />proliferation of standardized web code, and it needs to be <br />phased out (won't happen, I know, but I can dream).

I agree on Standards

As a developer I have to agree that IE is way behind, I'm not sure <br />even the IE 7 will be 100% W3C compliant with CSS or even PNG <br />support. Microsoft is hindering the standards in development of <br />cross-platform websites buy forcing developers to use their <br />standards. I'm happy with the ease of expandability that Firefox <br />provides with its developer extensions a must for any developer. <br />As a Mac user I am happy with Firefox as it opens up sites that I <br />could not view with IE Mac or Safari. I hope development of open <br />source technologies such as Firefox and their sibling apps help <br />promote awareness of there is another way than the Microsoft <br />way.<br /><br />Just my two cents.

We can only hope.

I mostly switched from MSIE because of the security bugs, the one that keylogged through a pop-up on banking sites was just a little too scary.<br /><br />The support for additional CSS2 and the Alpha-Channel in .PNGs is going to keep me using other browsers. Microsoft is far behind the curve in those respects. The extensions are like icing on the cake, they've given me customizable mouse gestures, flash block, and a spell checker for web forms.<br /><br />What it boils down to is that Microsoft, by not being more standards compliant, has merely denied its entire massive market share new features. I don't know where they think they're going with that.

[Not Bugged]

You must be young

If you'd ever tried to do CSS with Netscape 4 then you'd know how much of an improvement IE is over that old dog. Regardless, you are quite corrent in noting that IE is the millstone around the neck of any web developer who wants to take advantage of advanced CSS capabilities simply because it's huge market share demands that all pages work with it's deficient CSS rendering.<br /><br />In the historical context though IE 4 was as much of a step above Netscape 4 as Firefox is above IE 6. Let's just hope that MS not only makes the necessary improvements to IE but that they also push it to enough people that we can retire all the old hacks required to make web pages work with the current version of IE.

[ralph spoilsport]

Jesse, you are so right

Jesse, you are so right. IE6 is a web standards nightmare. The sooner it is gone, the better. But lets not fool ourselves into believing Microsoft will support web standards in IE7 any better than they do now. As long as IE is bundled with Windows, it will be the dominate browser. Microsoft's objective is nothing more than dominance. They only give lip service to others.

[David Arbogast]

All they can say is "STANDARDS!!"

&lt;&lt;IE6 is single-handedly holding back the <br />proliferation of standardized web code...&gt;&gt;<br /><br />In other words... 90% of the worlds computer users are resisting standards that are working in 5%-10% of the worlds computers. So the 90% should be shut down and replaced with something better.<br /><br />How is this logical? This "standards" argument is making me weary. Some small group of people gets together and designs specifications they deem to be "standards" and the rest of the world must adapt and comply? Why? 90% of the world has an effective solution. How is it good to disrupt a 90% population for the principles of a single small organization?

There are other reasons

Security comparisons may be debatable... I don't really know, as <br />I only use IE6 for website testing. This brings me to the main <br />reason why I'm behind the migration to Firefox: IE6 rendering <br />bugs. It has more CSS rendering issues than any other browser <br />I've used. Truly pathetic, considering IE5 for Mac, an older <br />program, fairs much better. It's the #1 bane of any standards-<br />compliant web developer's life. I really wish more articles would <br />illustrate this point. IE6 is single-handedly holding back the <br />proliferation of standardized web code, and it needs to be <br />phased out (won't happen, I know, but I can dream).

I agree on Standards

As a developer I have to agree that IE is way behind, I'm not sure <br />even the IE 7 will be 100% W3C compliant with CSS or even PNG <br />support. Microsoft is hindering the standards in development of <br />cross-platform websites buy forcing developers to use their <br />standards. I'm happy with the ease of expandability that Firefox <br />provides with its developer extensions a must for any developer. <br />As a Mac user I am happy with Firefox as it opens up sites that I <br />could not view with IE Mac or Safari. I hope development of open <br />source technologies such as Firefox and their sibling apps help <br />promote awareness of there is another way than the Microsoft <br />way.<br /><br />Just my two cents.

We can only hope.

I mostly switched from MSIE because of the security bugs, the one that keylogged through a pop-up on banking sites was just a little too scary.<br /><br />The support for additional CSS2 and the Alpha-Channel in .PNGs is going to keep me using other browsers. Microsoft is far behind the curve in those respects. The extensions are like icing on the cake, they've given me customizable mouse gestures, flash block, and a spell checker for web forms.<br /><br />What it boils down to is that Microsoft, by not being more standards compliant, has merely denied its entire massive market share new features. I don't know where they think they're going with that.

[Not Bugged]

You must be young

If you'd ever tried to do CSS with Netscape 4 then you'd know how much of an improvement IE is over that old dog. Regardless, you are quite corrent in noting that IE is the millstone around the neck of any web developer who wants to take advantage of advanced CSS capabilities simply because it's huge market share demands that all pages work with it's deficient CSS rendering.<br /><br />In the historical context though IE 4 was as much of a step above Netscape 4 as Firefox is above IE 6. Let's just hope that MS not only makes the necessary improvements to IE but that they also push it to enough people that we can retire all the old hacks required to make web pages work with the current version of IE.

[ralph spoilsport]

Jesse, you are so right

Jesse, you are so right. IE6 is a web standards nightmare. The sooner it is gone, the better. But lets not fool ourselves into believing Microsoft will support web standards in IE7 any better than they do now. As long as IE is bundled with Windows, it will be the dominate browser. Microsoft's objective is nothing more than dominance. They only give lip service to others.

[David Arbogast]

All they can say is "STANDARDS!!"

&lt;&lt;IE6 is single-handedly holding back the <br />proliferation of standardized web code...&gt;&gt;<br /><br />In other words... 90% of the worlds computer users are resisting standards that are working in 5%-10% of the worlds computers. So the 90% should be shut down and replaced with something better.<br /><br />How is this logical? This "standards" argument is making me weary. Some small group of people gets together and designs specifications they deem to be "standards" and the rest of the world must adapt and comply? Why? 90% of the world has an effective solution. How is it good to disrupt a 90% population for the principles of a single small organization?

[pcabellor]

It's 250,000 downloads a day

Umm 25 million/100 days = 250,000 downloads a day.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Good for You!

Simple math, but just not close to the cold hard fact.

[pcabellor]

It's 250,000 downloads a day

Umm 25 million/100 days = 250,000 downloads a day.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Good for You!

Simple math, but just not close to the cold hard fact.

[smwvc]

How Much They Paying You?

I got a free Gmail account for hyping Firefox, I wonder how much CNet gets for doing it on an everyday basis? "Look Out,Microsoft" "Challenging The Dominance" Give me a break.

Good for you

GMail accounts aren't hard to come by. Whoopdee doo.

[Jonathan]

So what's it like being petty?

Narrow minded, and generally an ***?<br /><br />Only such a person would dismiss such a accomplishment as 25 million downloads and simply focus on WAHHHH They are reporting on FireFox. WAHHHHHHH. Grow up.

[ivand67]

What a fool!

Listen IE user, if they want to promote Firefox, that's up to them. And it's not like they're really telling anyone to download the browser - it's just facts.<br /><br />But anyone with half a brain has already stopped using IE and has Firefox, Opera, or another decent browser, so it makes sense that technology advocates at CNet would tell people to switch to another browser from IE.<br /><br />Microsoft = MicroEvil.

That isn't fair....

You are not being fair. If you like Microsoft or not or if you like Firefox or not it doesn't matter. What does is that this open source browser is denting a major companies control of a very important part of the online world. If this isn't news then nothing is.<br /><br />Robert

[smwvc]

How Much They Paying You?

I got a free Gmail account for hyping Firefox, I wonder how much CNet gets for doing it on an everyday basis? "Look Out,Microsoft" "Challenging The Dominance" Give me a break.

Good for you

GMail accounts aren't hard to come by. Whoopdee doo.

[Jonathan]

So what's it like being petty?

Narrow minded, and generally an ***?<br /><br />Only such a person would dismiss such a accomplishment as 25 million downloads and simply focus on WAHHHH They are reporting on FireFox. WAHHHHHHH. Grow up.

[ivand67]

What a fool!

Listen IE user, if they want to promote Firefox, that's up to them. And it's not like they're really telling anyone to download the browser - it's just facts.<br /><br />But anyone with half a brain has already stopped using IE and has Firefox, Opera, or another decent browser, so it makes sense that technology advocates at CNet would tell people to switch to another browser from IE.<br /><br />Microsoft = MicroEvil.

That isn't fair....

You are not being fair. If you like Microsoft or not or if you like Firefox or not it doesn't matter. What does is that this open source browser is denting a major companies control of a very important part of the online world. If this isn't news then nothing is.<br /><br />Robert

[saleen351]

Still spyware free since the day I used FF.08

Come June, new release of FF and it's only going to get better. For the guy who posted about this being nonsense, just know this, without FF, there would be no IE7...<br /><br />have a nice day<br />www.getfirefox.com

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Really?

I think you just FORGET or fail to realize there are spywares for FireFox as well. Mind to do a google search on FireFox and Spyware? :)

[Ubber geek]

without FF

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.analogstereo.com/daihatsu_fourtrak_owners_manual.htm" target="_newWindow">http://www.analogstereo.com/daihatsu_fourtrak_owners_manual.htm</a>

[saleen351]

Still spyware free since the day I used FF.08

Come June, new release of FF and it's only going to get better. For the guy who posted about this being nonsense, just know this, without FF, there would be no IE7...<br /><br />have a nice day<br />www.getfirefox.com

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Really?

I think you just FORGET or fail to realize there are spywares for FireFox as well. Mind to do a google search on FireFox and Spyware? :)

[Ubber geek]

without FF

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.analogstereo.com/daihatsu_fourtrak_owners_manual.htm" target="_newWindow">http://www.analogstereo.com/daihatsu_fourtrak_owners_manual.htm</a>

[System Tyrant]

How many of those are redownloads

I really like Firefox. So much so that I am forcing everyone at my office to use it at work. However, how many of those 25 million downloads are redownloads? I can personally account for at least 15 times for redownloading it to put on the same computer.

[Not Bugged]

Download counts are only one measure

But download counts do show a continuing interest. I am however very much interested in seeing if the market share for IE continues to drop, personally I'd like to see Firefox increase to at least 25% of the market so that IE can no longer totally dominate the web.

[Jonathan]

It all works out in the end.

I'm pretty sure it evens out in the end. Most of my friends keep a copy on a thumb drive and distribute it from there. I keep a copy on my iPod. Installing FF on habitual adware systems at work is done from one copy on a shared drive and so on and so forth. Also keep in mind that that 25 million is being tracked from mozilla's servers. I don't believe that they are tracking mirrors, download.com, users who never upgraded from the prerelease or .x releases. So in actuality the numbers could be WELL over 25 million. Par of me thinks tack on another million to a million and a half but that is purely a guess.

I downloaded it...

used it once... never launched it again. I'm sure there are lots of people just like me.

[System Tyrant]

How many of those are redownloads

I really like Firefox. So much so that I am forcing everyone at my office to use it at work. However, how many of those 25 million downloads are redownloads? I can personally account for at least 15 times for redownloading it to put on the same computer.

[Not Bugged]

Download counts are only one measure

But download counts do show a continuing interest. I am however very much interested in seeing if the market share for IE continues to drop, personally I'd like to see Firefox increase to at least 25% of the market so that IE can no longer totally dominate the web.

[Jonathan]

It all works out in the end.

I'm pretty sure it evens out in the end. Most of my friends keep a copy on a thumb drive and distribute it from there. I keep a copy on my iPod. Installing FF on habitual adware systems at work is done from one copy on a shared drive and so on and so forth. Also keep in mind that that 25 million is being tracked from mozilla's servers. I don't believe that they are tracking mirrors, download.com, users who never upgraded from the prerelease or .x releases. So in actuality the numbers could be WELL over 25 million. Par of me thinks tack on another million to a million and a half but that is purely a guess.

I downloaded it...

used it once... never launched it again. I'm sure there are lots of people just like me.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Who Cares about # of Downloads?

I can download FireFox, use it for a few days, and then uninstall them. Furthermore, how does Mozilla determine the numbers? And who knows whether Mozilla is just making up numbers or not :)

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Who Cares about # of Downloads?

I can download FireFox, use it for a few days, and then uninstall them. Furthermore, how does Mozilla determine the numbers? And who knows whether Mozilla is just making up numbers or not :)

We will see . . .

If Firefox ever gets to the point where it is even HALF as popular as Internet Explorer... it will witness first-hand just how difficult it is to keep the software secure. OF COURSE it is more secure right now.. you know why? Because not enough people use Firefox right now for any evil-doers to care enough to exploit security holes. ANY program that gains a significant level of popularity becomes the target of hackers. And if Firefox wants to continue the "na na na nuh boo boo... we don't have any security issues" game... hackers will make it a point to prove them wrong. And I promise you the hackers will win that battle. Microsoft has always been good at playing their trump card at the right time.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Only Idiots will Believe

FireFox is spyware-free forever. Wait and see how many spywares come out and attack FireFox users in the near future, and I can't wait to see how Mozilla can claim their products is "secure". Ha!

[unknown unknown]

Reply

There is a very simple solution, if you don't like Firefox don't use it. Unlike IE, Firefox is being forced on your computer.

[David Arbogast]

furthermore...

Furthermore, if FireFox ever becomes half as popular as IE, it will be interesting to see if "volunteer programmers" and "donations" can keep up with the demands placed on the product.

We will see . . .

If Firefox ever gets to the point where it is even HALF as popular as Internet Explorer... it will witness first-hand just how difficult it is to keep the software secure. OF COURSE it is more secure right now.. you know why? Because not enough people use Firefox right now for any evil-doers to care enough to exploit security holes. ANY program that gains a significant level of popularity becomes the target of hackers. And if Firefox wants to continue the "na na na nuh boo boo... we don't have any security issues" game... hackers will make it a point to prove them wrong. And I promise you the hackers will win that battle. Microsoft has always been good at playing their trump card at the right time.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

Only Idiots will Believe

FireFox is spyware-free forever. Wait and see how many spywares come out and attack FireFox users in the near future, and I can't wait to see how Mozilla can claim their products is "secure". Ha!

[unknown unknown]

Reply

There is a very simple solution, if you don't like Firefox don't use it. Unlike IE, Firefox is being forced on your computer.

[David Arbogast]

furthermore...

Furthermore, if FireFox ever becomes half as popular as IE, it will be interesting to see if "volunteer programmers" and "donations" can keep up with the demands placed on the product.

[effrazier]

Just because they have downloaded it

Does not mean they are still using it. I'm Not!

[unknown unknown]

Reply

"Does not mean they are still using it."<br /><br />The article didn't say anything about people still using the browser just that it was downloaded 25 Million times. Though several sites have reported significate increases in people visiting their sites with Firefox (Google being one of them). <br /><br />"I'm Not!"<br /><br />Good for you.

[System Tyrant]

What do you use?

I would like to know what all the non firefox users are using?<br /><br />I have used IE, Netscape, Opera, Mozilla, and Firefox. I have taken the time to learn each one. I don't use IE because of the potential for security risk, lack of any real standards support, and blatent neglect of IE. I don't use Netscape, Opera, or Mozilla because they do more than I really need. To me Firefox was a godsend. I figure spyware and other assorted security problems will show up with Firefox one of these days, but they will probably have less impact on Firefox than those that have hit IE.<br /><br />I have come to the conclusion that most of the people here are just trying to inflame sides. This reminds me of when Windows over came DOS back in the day. People don't really make any good arguments one way or the other. They just resort to name calling and BS. <br /><br />I really like it when people say they downloaded a non IE browser and then say how bad it was. I think, if they did at all, downloaded it with the intention of putting it down. This reminds me of a computer store that is hung up on Microsoft. They are very blatent about their dislike of anything non-Microsoft. Then they tell me they tried Linux and how crappy it was. You know what though, they never tried to learn how to use it. They just downloaded it installed it and then bashed it.

[effrazier]

Just because they have downloaded it

Does not mean they are still using it. I'm Not!

[unknown unknown]

Reply

"Does not mean they are still using it."<br /><br />The article didn't say anything about people still using the browser just that it was downloaded 25 Million times. Though several sites have reported significate increases in people visiting their sites with Firefox (Google being one of them). <br /><br />"I'm Not!"<br /><br />Good for you.

[System Tyrant]

What do you use?

I would like to know what all the non firefox users are using?<br /><br />I have used IE, Netscape, Opera, Mozilla, and Firefox. I have taken the time to learn each one. I don't use IE because of the potential for security risk, lack of any real standards support, and blatent neglect of IE. I don't use Netscape, Opera, or Mozilla because they do more than I really need. To me Firefox was a godsend. I figure spyware and other assorted security problems will show up with Firefox one of these days, but they will probably have less impact on Firefox than those that have hit IE.<br /><br />I have come to the conclusion that most of the people here are just trying to inflame sides. This reminds me of when Windows over came DOS back in the day. People don't really make any good arguments one way or the other. They just resort to name calling and BS. <br /><br />I really like it when people say they downloaded a non IE browser and then say how bad it was. I think, if they did at all, downloaded it with the intention of putting it down. This reminds me of a computer store that is hung up on Microsoft. They are very blatent about their dislike of anything non-Microsoft. Then they tell me they tried Linux and how crappy it was. You know what though, they never tried to learn how to use it. They just downloaded it installed it and then bashed it.

[unknown unknown]

A reason to support alternatives.

Even if you don't like Firefox etc any thing that gets other companies to improve their products and compete with each other is good for end-users. Microsoft has announced a new version of IE, possibly as and attempt to curb the switch to Firefox which has been driven, at least in part, by the lack of any serious development on IE.

[unknown unknown]

A reason to support alternatives.

Even if you don't like Firefox etc any thing that gets other companies to improve their products and compete with each other is good for end-users. Microsoft has announced a new version of IE, possibly as and attempt to curb the switch to Firefox which has been driven, at least in part, by the lack of any serious development on IE.