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Firefox Hits 50 Million Downloads

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

April 29, 2005, 8:25 PM

Mozilla announced Friday that its Firefox Web browser had reached the 50 million download mark, less than six months after its official launch last November. The news comes just a day after research firm OneStat.com released its latest figures showing that Mozilla browsers are still gaining market share, although at a slower rate.

To celebrate the milestone, Spread Firefox, the promotions arm of the Mozilla Foundation, gave out commemorative medallions to selected users who sent in their stories of how they promoted the upstart browser.

The stories ranged from a 82-year-old Florida man who sent in a pictures of cookies he used to celebrate his birthday, to an 11-year-old boy who temporarily tattooed the Firefox logo to his forehead after seeing reports of people selling parts of their bodies on eBay to be tatooed with corporate logos.

"Thanks to the hundreds of you who have regaled us with your heartwarming and often hilarious tales of spreading Firefox," developer Blake Ross wrote on the Spread Firefox Web site. He invited people to keep sending in their stories to a special e-mail address, as the group would continue to award the remaining prizes.

Ross also said that they had tracked which Spread Firefox affilate had sent the group its 50 millionth download and were in the process of contacting her. The group declined to indentify the gift, but called it "the biggest yet" and promised to reveal the winner next week.

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By zridling

posted May 2, 2005 - 12:12 AM

So 82-year old are baking cookies and 11-year old are getting tattooed to promote a browser? This is a joke right, or are people really that stupid? I'm a NetCaptor man, but use FF when it feels good.

Score: 0

By Stefu

edited May 2, 2005 - 5:02 PM

Who knows there are a lot of crazy people in the world.. A Firefox tatoo may atract attention ;)

Score: 0

By Pipewrench

posted May 1, 2005 - 11:45 AM

Firefox is teh bomb.

Somebody set us up the bomb.

Score: 0

By Mystiqq

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 4:59 PM

Ive found that without the current extension system, Firefox would have not much more to offer than IE. I use several very must have extensions that make whole browsing a lot easier.

Also im using FF "out of spite", if you will. IE has been sitting on its *** for too many years. Suddenly it started showing signs of life in the development when Firefox emerged.

IE 7 and tabbed browsing, anyone?

Microsoft can only blame them selfs for complete lack of interest in developing the most used browser in the universe. I doubt funds were the issue when deciding if they should have people designing and thinking better ways to make IE better.

Score: 0

By nerc0ne

posted May 3, 2005 - 12:34 AM

Mystiqq, I agree with you 150%, Microsoft has been asleep for too long on IE... since they knew that they had the edge. That's why i'm glad that firefox has come in to give a buzz and a competition. Competition is always good for us. But I can say that firefox it's not as good as many claims.. Hopefully they'll keep the competition so they don't let Microsoft rest and they keep bringing updates and new versions of IE... but then again we'll have to wait for Longhorn for it's new technology on IE...

Score: 0

By paps

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 12:57 PM

If everyone thinks that every download from their computer bloats the counter, then it doesn't make sense for firefox to be at only 50 million. Think about how many people worldwide use the internet, and if you believe that it's only 5 million people downloading it 10X over, something tells me the number would have been much higher by now.

I'm not one to defend or believe any statistics, and I'm sure there is some bloating, but whatever, I like the browser and still use IE for the active-x websites. What should impress people more is the timing of this article and the other one describing Mozilla's market share slowing up... Pretty coincidental?

Score: 0

By LinuxIsTheft

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 9:31 PM

25 million for FF 1.0
15 million for FF 1.01
10 million for FF 1.02
? million for FF 1.03
? million for FF 1.04
???,000 for FF 1.05

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted May 3, 2005 - 10:53 AM

Not add to that all the folks whove gotten it on CD...

That'd be myself and those who've gotten it from me. I've alo been using the update feature, since it started working (1.01?) which doesn't count towards the "bloat" to which you are referring.

Score: 0

By PKKid

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 12:07 PM

I downloaded firefox about 5 times. Every time i use it for a day and un-install it because I really think it is not that great a browser. Not to mention to upgrade to a new version of firefox is a new download count, which makes the stat bogus. Firefox doesn't show the css styles for links which is rather annoying. It takes about 10 full secods to start up for the first time, which IE never took. I simply use a wrapper for IE (Maxthon) and find it quite ok.

Score: 0

By kaniz

posted May 2, 2005 - 9:09 AM

Actually, the 50,000,000 counter is probably low. They dont include downloads from places like Tucows, Download.com, etc. It also doesnt include downloads from sources like aptget, rpmdrake, etc (Linux distros that have it included).

They are only counting downloads that people get directly from their server, and not from any other source, so most likely its over 50mill.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted May 2, 2005 - 12:01 AM

The reason Firefox takes longer to load than IE, is due to the fact that IE is integrated into the OS, and thus is practically already running when you boot your PC. Firefox has to load from scratch, so takes a little longer.

In addition, does IE offer ad-blocking? Even pop-up blocking (without SP2)? Download managers? Advanced cookie controls? Not to mention things like tabbed-browsing, 90% less spyware infections (average-joe-type user), etc .

Use IE if you like. I couldn't imagine going back to it again!

Score: 0

By Grandpas

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 5:36 PM

If you don't like it why downloading it 5times?
"first time ... this browser is bad
later, second time ... really bad
again later, third time ... very very bad"
More than three time ... I think that the bad is not the browser but the user.

Score: 0

By RobertM

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 1:03 PM

You've admitted to using the IE rendering engine, so let's not complain about Firefox and CSS, OK? :)

Seriously, if it wasn't doing something as simple as link styles, there's something wrong. With the page. Either that, or they're using IE-only code or something. (What pages are they, by the way?)

Score: 0

By Metshrine

edited Apr 30, 2005 - 3:14 PM

God forbid your beloved browser not be able to handle something! Or have a *Gasp* flaw *gasp*!!

Score: 0

By olly_ts

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 4:02 PM

No, RobertM's point was that Firefox can handle (lots) more CSS syntaxes that IE. IE, for the most part, can only handle the most basic types of CSS and supports hardly any CSS 3.

So PKKid's comment that he uses IE "because of CSS" is totally and utterly senseless :)

I develop web pages and wherever a CSS-decorated link appears differently between IE and Firefox, 99.99% of the time it's because a flat-out flaw in IE's CSS handling, so you end up having to write a workaround that displays the same in both.

Fair point about the number of downloads though. Though I've always thought it's fair to assume that the number of people who download the setup files say 5 times cancels out people like me who download it once and install it on 5 PCs ;)

Score: 0

By jrepin

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 10:12 AM

First of all congatulations and a big thanks to developers, artists and everyone else who make it possible for us to use this awsome browsers. Firefox is simply the best. Fast, secure and a lot of very nice modern features. Extensions and themes are also a great thing. I don't even use anything else for browsing. Well from time to time I check out Opera which is also quite OK. Ie doesn't even come close to these two browsers.

Score: 0

By DigiBrian

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 9:56 AM

personally I downloaded it 12 times already. but congratulations Mozilla looks like the fox is here to stay.

Score: 0

By Mastertech

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 7:15 AM

It may not be what people think.

http://poptech.blogspot....-update-conspiracy.html

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted May 3, 2005 - 11:03 AM

Uh...

Tucows, Download.com...etc. None of these are added into the downloads from Mozilla. The actual number is probably much higher than 50 mil.

Score: 0

By Bh420

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 9:05 AM

give it up that guy is a jackball its still 50 million downloads if people didnt like it they wouldnt update it. nuff said

Score: 0

By roj

edited Apr 30, 2005 - 10:11 AM

...unless of course they downloaded it, tried it and tossed it. There are a LOT of browser users out there. Some of these downloads will be repeats to see how the browser is doing. Some will be referrerals who may or may not like it and either keep using it or toss it. Some will be updates.

The most that can be said about this statistic of rather dubious informational value is that the browser is getting a lot of trials. Whether those trials remain users is anyone's guess.

Now of course, "The Faithful" (clouds part, trumpets sound and the self-styled "Army of Light" marches forth) will do everything in their power to discredit this line of reasoning and that of course is where the entertainment starts. However, the fact remains that this line of reasoning can't be refuted because there's really no way to find out.

Best to note the anouncement for what it actually is:

An Exercise In PR.

Score: 0

By Metshrine

edited Apr 30, 2005 - 11:41 AM

Exactly, downloads doesnt necessarily mean USERS. Not bad mouthing firefox, but the stats are kinda tainted. Now, let the flaming against me begin!

Score: 0

By olly_ts

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 4:07 PM

IMO they release the updates not to hype the download number but to preserve Firefox's perceived distinction of being a "secure" browser. After all, they'd never get people to switch from IE if Firefox had as many unpatched exploits **as IE** :D

Agree that a tiny patcher to patch only the updated files would be *far* more sensible tho.

PS gotta admit the current system works - only 4 (YES, FOUR) known unpatched exploits for FF atm : good page to track it here
http://secunia.com/product/4227/

Score: 0

By roj

edited Apr 30, 2005 - 9:12 PM

I have to laugh at the whole "perceived" nonsense.

I have *NEVER* been hit with an IE exploit (I run Maxthon) and my job requires that I continuously visit "questionable" sites (I'm an IT Forensics analyst and part of my job is tracking and documenting inappropriate use of the Internet within my company as defined by company policy).

If anyone was going to get hit, it would be me.

In short, it's pretty much all hype, especially if you run an ad / popup blocker and anyone buying into the whole "secure" rubbish is basically being sold a wonderful bag of goods.

Score: 0

By GeorgeSantayana

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 10:05 PM

But Maxthon doesn't equal IE. Granted, it uses the IE rendering engine by default. (It can also use Gecko.)

In many ways, it's better than plain vanilla IE as far as security. It disables BHO automatically. Plus it uses its own implementation of SP2-like features, most likely sidestepping SP2's exploits, whatever they might be.

I tend to agree with you about the false bill of goods with FF, though. I wouldn't have prior to 2005; but, much to my dismay, what I predicted has come to pass. Selling FF on security has just proven to be tantamount to waving a red flag. Before all the hoopla of switching over to FF based on security reasons, I, for instance, never had a single ad popup. Not one. Now I seem to get atleast one a day. All the benefits of being an untargeted, obscure minority seem to be rapidly eroding.

Score: 0

By Stefu

edited Apr 30, 2005 - 6:33 AM

Using Firefox ase we speak ;)

Score: 0

By Maajid

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 3:18 AM

I've been using it since v0.3 and I can safely say that I'm delighted.

Score: 0

By iamtux

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 12:26 AM

Congrats Mozilla Foundation! I've been using Firefox since it was Firebird 0.7! Keep up the good work!

Score: 0

By Morsel

edited Apr 29, 2005 - 10:06 PM

I'm happy for them really. Firefox has been my default browser for almost a year now and I love it. Even Thunderbird mail client is beautiful too.

Score: 0

By oilman614

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 1:42 AM

Love the browser..If it wasn't for windows update, I wouldn't even use IE

Score: 0

By olly_ts

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 4:08 PM

lol. me too

Score: 0

By Ozieo

posted Apr 30, 2005 - 8:10 PM

me too.

Score: 0

By MrMojo

posted May 1, 2005 - 2:44 PM

ditto

Score: 0

By wes_517

posted May 2, 2005 - 3:37 PM

Personally i'm a big fan of the themes... put Noia on here and i like it so much more than the default tan color that i got hooked...

almost dropped it from looks when i first tried until some friends told me you can get themes so it looks nicer...

as far as exploits, i've never been hit with any from IE or firefox that i haven't outright asked for (knowing full well not to click, but just too curious and then spending the time to clean up...)

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted May 3, 2005 - 11:05 AM

:lol:

Welcome to the minority, my friend. Too few net users knwo what to expect when they click those lame, but all too enticing "shoot the monkey" banners...

Score: 0

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