Asa Dotzler: Firefox and more

This is so lame. Since there was no pre-existing record, Firefox set the record just by having the number of downloads verified, not by beating any other piece of software. I suspect that many pieces of software have been downloaded more than 8 million times in 24 hours (e.g. OS security updates). And so this record is really meaningless.

Ben, you can try to rain on Mozilla's parade but it won't work, and the ~30M people that have downloaded Firefox 3 since its release demonstrates that.

Also, if you were being honest, instead of being a troll, you'd acknowledge that every record has a first or there wouldn't be any records to beat. Mozilla never said it was beating any existing record, it said it was setting a new record and one that will probably hold up quite well.

Also, OS security updates wouldn't count since they're not user-initiated downloads. When you can point me to another software project that's had 8M+ people show up to its download site and download a new piece of software by clicking a download link, then I'll pay more attention (and probably suggest that organization try to beat our official record with auditable results). Until then, take your negativity somewhere else.

- A

The only thing that was meaningless was Ben's pathetic attempt to disparage this incredible achievement. He "suspects" many pieces of software have been downloaded more than 8 million times in 24 hours BUT he has no evidence of this. In fact, there IS no evidence of this; it's all just Ben's fevered mind at work to try and put Firefox down. Must be an Opera fan-boy. Many of them have been scrambling recently to poo-poo Firefox's enormous popularity compared to their miserable user base.

Asa:

> Also, if you were being honest, instead of being a troll, you'd acknowledge that every record has a first

Of course you are right that every record has a first (though I strongly object to your suggestion that I am being dishonest). My point is that you are trying to make a news story by hyping this record. In my opinion, it is dishonest to do this without pointing out that the record did not previously exist. Without the small print, saying 'I'm the record holder' implies that you beat everybody else.

> Also, OS security updates wouldn't count since they're not user-initiated downloads.
> When you can point me to another software project that's had 8M+ people show
> up to its download site

I can't see the distinction between being automatically offered an update by Firefox (say, from RC1 to final) and being automatically offered an update by OS X (say, from 10.5.3 to 10.5.4).

> you can try to rain on Mozilla's parade

For the record, I'm an enthusiastic Firefox (and Safari) user, and I think Mozilla has done a great job of rejuvenating web standards and browser innovation. I'm very much pro-Mozilla. I just dislike the FUD and marketing spin that seems to dominate your blog. In my opinion, this kind of nonsense makes Firefox and Mozilla look bad.

Ben

>I can't see the distinction between being automatically offered an update by Firefox (say, from RC1 to final) and being automatically offered an update by OS X (say, from 10.5.3 to 10.5.4).

I'm fairly sure the only downloads that were counted were the ones where people went to getfirefox.com and actually downloaded them. For example Linux distros weren't counted.

So the difference is over 8 million users making a choice rather than over 8 million PCs just running the same update software.

Damian is right, automatic updates and Linux distros weren't counted.

Ben,

'I can't see the distinction between being automatically offered an update by Firefox (say, from RC1 to final) and being automatically offered an update by OS X (say, from 10.5.3 to 10.5.4)."

Idiot. Instead of being a troll (which you are), how about doing_some_reading and you'll find out that the only downloads that were counted as part of this record were ones where people had visited the firefox website, and actually clicked the download link.

Updates from the RC to final were not counted.

So your argument doesn't hold water.

Have you tried Opera?

Mr Lizard, thanks for responding to that inaccuracy. In the future, please try to avoid the name-calling. Thanks.

Ben, Mr Lizard is right (about the download part.) We did not count any automatic updates in this. The record was for people who went to our website and clicked the download link and completed the download. That's been verified by a third party and found suitable by Guinness and sufficiently "interesting" for them to include in the record books.