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Firefox to hit 1 billion downloads Friday


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#1
Broni

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http://www.computerw...ownloads_Friday

The Firefox Web browser is fast approaching its billionth download and is likely to hit that milestone some time on Friday.

Mozilla has a Web site (http://www.spreadfir...com/news_events) and a Twitter feed where people can keep track of the total. On Thursday afternoon, the feed showed more than 999,180,000 downloads, with about 15 more happening each second.

Mozilla said initially that it expected to hit the billion mark some time over the weekend. An hour later, as the news trickled out and the pace of downloads increased, Mozilla revised its estimate to Friday. An enthusiast Web site with a "Firefox Download Guesstimator" predicts it will reach a billion on Friday at noon GMT.

The figure includes all versions of Firefox since the first release in 2004. If a single user downloaded multiple copies for different computers, they are each counted in the total. And if a user goes to the Web site to download an update to an existing version, instead of waiting for the automatic download, that is counted as well. Automatic updates are not included in the total.

So the figure does not mean that 1 billion people are using Firefox. Still, it's a significant achievement for a piece of software that was unknown to most of the world just a few years ago, and one that has had to compete with Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which ships free with every Windows PC.

Figures from earlier this month showed Firefox having just under a third of the global browser market, at 31 percent. Internet Explorer led the field with 60 percent, while Safari, Chrome and Opera each had less than 5 percent, according to Statcounter.

Firefox is stronger in Europe, where it has 40 percent of the market to IE's 47 percent. In Asia, Firefox has 23 percent to IE's 72 percent. In Antarctica, Statcounter says, the browsers are neck and neck.

Mozilla plans to launch a Web site Monday, at www.onebillionplusyou.com, where it will provide more information on the achievement.
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#2
Ferrari

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Figures from earlier this month showed Firefox having just under a third of the global browser market, at 31 percent. Internet Explorer led the field with 60 percent, while Safari, Chrome and Opera each had less than 5 percent, according to Statcounter.

Wow, impressive.

In Antarctica, Statcounter says, the browsers are neck and neck.

:)

I like how you post things like this Broni, keep it up. :)
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#3
mpascal

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That's pretty amazing that Firefox is holding a third of the global market. I never thought that it would be that high, I was thinking more like 15-20%. Good to see people moving over.
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#4
Broni

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It very depends on who is talking.
Wikipedia actually compares several reports: http://en.wikipedia....of_web_browsers

Posted Image

This site: http://www.w3schools...wsers_stats.asp, which:

W3Schools is a website for people with an interest for web technologies. These people are more interested in using alternative browsers than the average user. The average user tends to use Internet Explorer, since it comes preinstalled with Windows. Most do not seek out other browsers.

reports FF usage at 47.3%.
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#5
mpascal

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Different surveys will always come with different results, but on average it looks like about 22-25% of people use Firefox. I think most average users don't even know about Firefox, they just know that to get on the internet they click the IE symbol. And those who do know about it simply don't upgrade because they don't know of any benefits or they don't see the point.

Either way I'm glad to see that Firefox is slowly stealing the market share. Down with IE! :)

-mp
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#6
Ferrari

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mpascal,

I agree. It always amazes me that programs that are free, and in many cases Better, are not more popular. I gave it some thought some time ago, and the only thing I really could come with is that most people just automatically assume that since they have not heard of it, and that it is free, it must not be that good. Or, must be so different, they don't want to put the effort into learning how the program works.

When in all actuality, many of these programs are better and ALMOST COPYRIGHT Similarly laid out. The three big ones that come to mind are Firefox(Internet), Thunderbird(Email, like Outlook), and Openoffice(Like Word, Excel, etc.) And there are many more like Anti-Viruses. How in the world are people still going to their local electronics stores and purchasing McAfee, and Norton???? It's hard to understand.

For others that may be viewing this forum now, and in the future. My computer doesn't have one single paid program on it, not one. And it can do everything everyone elses computer can do. I will admit, in some cases a paid program is better. A good example of this is with Video Editing, but you would have to be pretty into editing to care or notice that difference.

Link to the Free Software Topic. CLICK HERE Free Anti-Viruses and Anti-Spyware CLICK HERE
i.e. Browser, Email, Office Programs, PDF Reader Foxit Reader, Burning programs, audio editing, Media Players, video editors, System Maintenance programs like ATF Cleaner, MyDefrag, aka JKDefrag, Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Malware, IceChat IRC Chat Program, Google Picasa <---Awesome, Benchmarking programs, system analysis PC Wizard, and the list goes on and on.

Edited by Ferrari, 03 August 2009 - 06:07 PM.

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#7
Chopin

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:) :) Go fx! :)
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#8
mpascal

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I agree with Ferrari completely.

When it comes to development, you almost have to buy software - AutoCAD, Photoshop, and Acid Music Studio are prime examples of this. However when it comes to basic computer programs such as anti virus, internet, and email, free programs are essentially just as good as programs you have to pay for. I run primarily run Ubuntu Linux on my laptop, and I also have not paid for a single program on my PC.
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#9
Broni

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You have to realize, that an average computer user is not addicted to the puter like you guys :)
Mostly email, and porn (guys)....hehehe
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#10
Ferrari

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You have to realize, that an average computer user is not addicted to the puter like you guys
Mostly email, and porn (guys)....hehehe

I thought someone had been monitoring my activity. Now I know why you had me supposedly download Everest the other day Broni! I'm telling...

:)
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#11
Broni

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No comment :)
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