Microsoft Skeptical of Firefox's 1 Billion Downloads Claim
Microsoft Skeptical of Firefox's 1 Billion Downloads Claim
Posted 08/17/2009 at 12:07pm
| by Andy Salisbury
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While most of us have heard Mozilla’s claim that Firefox has had 1 billion downloads, some at Microsoft aren’t so sure. According to Amy Barzdukas, a general manager at Microsoft in charge of Internet Explorer, the milestone made for some “interesting math.”
“It's an interesting number and I have not seen the math [but] how many internet connected users are there? 1.1 billion, 1.5 billion, something in that area,” said Barzdukas. Mozilla’s one billion figure includes every single update and all downloads since Firefox’s initial 2004 launch.
Do you think the folks at Mozilla are telling the truth, or fudging the numbers? Let us know in the comments.
Image Credit: Mozilla
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jayleew
September 09, 2009 at 11:18am
Let me put it this way...up until Firefox 3.5, I was on IE 6.0 I was a diehard IE user, and didn't see anything wrong with the browser. I had tried IE 7.0, and found it to be very slow just panning results in a Google search. IE 8.0 is much better.
My point is though that I have had years of IE usage and finally I switched both my computers at home to Firefox. Not just trial like with Google Chrome, but do or die, make it my default browser kind of move. And I am so happy with all the features and speed. Although the constant updates is annoying, so I shut that off.
I think others are soon to follow, and so the numbers maybe be askew, but they still make the statement that needs to be made about Firefox's market share.
UltraTron
August 24, 2009 at 6:19am
I'm sure the IE8 team dearly wish it was so.
I am also quite sure Amy "Bazookas" Barzdukas is a secret Firefox user :)
ready4war
August 23, 2009 at 10:56am
I kinda like IE being on my computer but its kinda harsh on my computers Intel Celeron M 900MHz but still I can use it as long there isnt any otherprograms. And somethings weird on my netbook............................ it runs faster when i do Mulitple display mode Hmmmmm.
gendoikari1
August 23, 2009 at 9:17am
I'd use anything browser other than IE, except Safari. If I have to use IE (thankfully the computers at my school come with Firefox), so be it. If I have to use Safari, well, no thank you.
To0nces
August 23, 2009 at 6:52am
Does it really matter whether Firefox's download numbers are accurate? IE is still a terrible browser. Perhaps MS should worry about making it up to standards instead of worrying about Firefox's download claims.
whiplash55
August 22, 2009 at 10:53pm
But they are exagerating big time on this.
IE is still top dog, larging because of enterprise.
jihnn
August 20, 2009 at 9:23am
remember when mcdonalds claimed on their arches that they had served 30 billion hamburgers!!!!!!!
how many kangaroos is that ?
ms has to protect their market share, there is money to be made
mps725
August 19, 2009 at 3:32am
A software company claims something... their opposition is skeptical of the claim. Something new that never happens in business.
0.o
vistageek
August 18, 2009 at 10:37pm
I don't think that is right. This should only include unique downloads. ie to count after reinstall. And no updates. I would like to see the number of active users of firefox. That would be a better benchmark.
Wingzero_x
August 23, 2009 at 8:27pm
Good point, I ditched Firefox, and went back to Opera! Yet I have downloaded it hundreds of times myself, and have recommended to people.
And does Camino count?
blackbelt_jones
August 18, 2009 at 10:10pm
With my penchant for Linux distro-hopping, live CDs, and upgrades, I've probably downloaded it a couple hundred times myself. One things certain, the objections raised by the MS spokesperson are pretty fatuous.
Zazubovich
August 18, 2009 at 5:29pm
I put it on every computer I own, every computer at work, and I weasel other people into trying it so I don't have to fix their borked machines so often. I just fixed a groovy touch screen HP because the owner put Itunes on it and it had a hissy with the Vista 64 security, and in the process of trying to make it work the girl downloaded some spammy sleazeware computer "fixing' software thanks to IE. Oh well, Microsoft's failures equal cookies in my jar.
MeTo
August 18, 2009 at 7:24am
I think the number is right. After all if Microsoft did not put IE in the OS and made you download it they would probably have ten billion downloads.
MleB
August 18, 2009 at 6:39am
The bigger concern for Microsoft is not the number of downloads, but the fact that, despite IE is in, by default, every single copy of the OS, people are choosing to take the time (and valuable computer resources) to install Firefox, Chrome, Opera, et al as an alternative. And this when access to the internet is often a significant reason many have a computer.
IE continues to win in usage by virtue of ennui - 'Its already there, I'll use it" rather than features. By getting all whiney about other's marketing, it only underlines how much work is to be done on their own product.
And while they're at it, they need to look at why, despite 'free' trials of Office on every new computer these days, people are opting to use other products - both at home and the office. Another case of a once-de facto product now playing second (or third or fourth) banana....
Nikiaf
August 18, 2009 at 6:01am
the number probably is right, but does it only include unique downloads? because i know that i've downloaded firefox quite a few times after various reformats and the like.
Doc Driza
August 18, 2009 at 3:52am
These numbers are totaly legit no matter which way you look at it. If you want to look at the people that re-install OS's a lot and keep downlaoding FF then i can see where they get 1 bil. If you want to count every update, add-on, and everytime someone does a complete reinstall, that works took. If its the latter, then WTF does MS have to worry about there are a crap load of updates for IE, (cuz it sucks) so they should be well over 1 bil downloads.
Yusonice
August 18, 2009 at 1:50am
stupid microsoft wont admit defeat. their browsers just suck and they wont admit it. Even if those figures arnt real, does it matter? they should do something to improve IE
Hutif
August 17, 2009 at 9:32pm
My family of 4 has 7 computers over 2 internet hookups (one at work.) I have firefox on all of them and I've downloaded the new versions at least once on all of them. 1 billion is a pretty huge number, but I think comments by their competition aren't the most credible source to rely on. Maybe these number are unrealistic, I'm not sure.
Eno75
August 17, 2009 at 7:47pm
I think it's legit if it includes every upgrade... and it's a respectable figure-
Sure, there might only be 1.5 billion users on the internet- but I'm low end and on my own have 3 computers nevermind my portable USB sticks... x how many patches and upgrades? Yeah... I think it's interesting math too- that some dude from Microsoft would scrutinize someone ELSE'S numbers.
I think if you included all of microsoft's upgrades and patches you'd probably have a billion served between 10 computer users- 8 of whom would have likely already moved over to MAC or Linux.
Eno
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.
Invader_Zim
August 18, 2009 at 3:10am
Dude just come out and say it already; 'I'm a fan of FireFox.' No it isn't legit, since they are trying to make it look like people have downloaded the browser 1bil times, which is ridiculous. If we're going per downloaded stuff, such as updates and what not, then IE along with MS are at THE very top, your point? Oh thats right, you're probably an anti-MS zealot. Everything MS does is damn evil, isn't it? Perhaps you might want to try gizmodo.com. Those Apple fanboys there will welcome you with open arms, and spread out asscheeks.
I'm a Psychonaut traversing hyper-soace from the comforts of my own home - Consciouness.
philippecote3
August 17, 2009 at 6:19pm
What company wouldn't be upset that their program isn't the most popular?
jesse_n_sf
August 17, 2009 at 5:55pm
Have you guys actually thought that 3rd party software for IE has something to do with slowing down IE? Sometimes I think that some free 3rd party IE apps were purposely made poorly....well you know the rest. When I disabled the Java addon I was amazed at the speed increase. hummmm, mabe someone is out to bring MS's market share down.
Ace of Spades
August 17, 2009 at 5:46pm
Microsoft is just jealous that IE and them are getting their asses handed to them by Mozilla in the web Browser competition. They're also jealous that they are losing the console war to Sony and Nintendo.
JohnP
August 17, 2009 at 3:52pm
Lets see, 1,000,000,000 firefox, 50,000,000 botnet computers, 3,000,000 folks who have been phished, 20,000,000 different PC viruses, and on and on. Who makes up these numbers? Symantec, Firefox, and anyone else who uses FUD to promote their products.
DO NOT believe any of these BS numbers...
Muerte
August 18, 2009 at 6:54am
That doesn't mean the numbers are true. Most market research firms are not federally funded so that means their interest is skewed towards whoever is footing the bill.
Common sense/logic tends to refute these numbers.
I wouldn't have counted updates as valid since the browser is already installed so its not a new user. And for this to be relevant in any way is that it counts the number of unique users.
mattman059
August 18, 2009 at 12:05pm
You misunderstand the article then. It's not 1Billion USERS, it's 1 Billion DOWNLOADS. I can sit here all day and download FF as many times as i want. case in point.
Doing some quick math...
It takes me roughly 1 minute to download FF 3.5
24 hours = 1,440 minutes in a day.
So theoretically I could program a bot, to download FF 1,440 times a day thus adding 1440 to their total downloaded.
raiseyohands
August 17, 2009 at 2:14pm
The claim that Mozilla has been downloaded 1 billion times is extremely plausible. How many updates has there been for Mozilla? Also, people like me do fresh installs of their OS frequently and consequently need to download Mozilla again. Microsoft just don't want to admit that IE is going to lose it's browser crown to Mozilla. Microsoft has failed me with Vista, Xbox 360 RROD, and IE. Whats the next flop?
WindowsXP
August 17, 2009 at 2:05pm
Pretty much, except for the fact extreme casuals or technophobes tend to stay away from anything but IE.
Sadly, its been a year since ive converted to FF.
:o
periodhyphenund...
August 17, 2009 at 1:49pm
Those Numbers are as Reliable as any Microsoft has ever produced!
nmanguy
August 17, 2009 at 1:32pm
I've downloaded Firefox at least 100 times. I downloaded every new release for all of my PCs, virtual machines, friend's PCs, portable apps etc.
Chocolate
August 17, 2009 at 8:38pm
Yah, same here. The first thing I do after I install windows is download Firefox, and Ive done that A LOT of times.
Hoboparade
August 17, 2009 at 1:50pm
"If you aren't cheating you aren't trying" just a little knowledge I picked up in college (apparently I failed grammar)
jtrpop
August 17, 2009 at 1:19pm
Card stacking is a propaganda technique that seeks to manipulate audience perception of an issue by
emphasizing one side and repressing another, for example by creating
media events that emphasize a certain view, by using one-sided
testimonial, or by making sure critics are not heard. Often used in
persuasive speeches.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_stacking
mattman059
August 17, 2009 at 12:51pm
Well lets see...1 Billion unique downloads from unique people on unique IP addresses..surely not
I know i have downloaded firefox everytime i build a computer (including my own) and i have lived in 3 states where I have had 9 different computers so that accounts for some of the downloads..I've probably downloaded firefox atleast 50-100 times for different reasons (updates, reinstall windows, pc build, etc) so if you take 10 million people downloading it atleast 100 times over the course of 5 years then thats your 1 Billion downloads
so theoretically they could have 1 Billion downloads..just probably not totally unique.
I Jedi
August 17, 2009 at 12:55pm
That's because the downloads are not based on unique IPs. Hell, 1 billion people? That's like the entire online community all over the world using Firefox. No, sir, Microsoft is right to claim that they are not unique.
GAMER456
August 17, 2009 at 1:47pm
Actually, Microsoft never said anything about the downloads being unique. They're simply stating that firefox was probably not downloaded that many times, not that it was probably not downloaded by 1 billion people
mattman059
August 17, 2009 at 3:03pm
heck it's only 200 million downloads per year...thats feasible for software that people generally like using, and has gained popularity increasingly throughout it's 5 year existance, I can see how MS would say it was unbelieveable because it is...its a stageringly huge number..but i can believe it's existance.
jechaucer
August 17, 2009 at 12:44pm
I don't think the number is real. While I use firefox and so do all my computer cronies, most of the "lay" people I think are still using IE. Most of the people I work with are all using IE. I find most older folks are using IE. The older folks, most, don't have a clue to the difference. Most, don't know how to download and install. I'm not saying all older folks. Come on, ask yourself, what browser does your mother use?
Stinky Fartface
August 17, 2009 at 12:29pm
I thinkMicrosoft's claims are likely but it doesn't really matter. It still sounds like sour grapes.
I am curious though. How did Firefox come to that number? Sounds like an opportunity for some investigative journalism.
vulchan
August 17, 2009 at 12:27pm
I can easily believe that there have been one billion downloads, while I do not think that they have one billion users. I myself have probably downloaded over 50 firefox executables on various computers over time, and many other people probably do the same (how else would mom & dad browse with the speed and security of firefox?)
ehcarleton
August 17, 2009 at 12:44pm
I could not agree more. I know I have downloaded it well over 50 times. I setup all the machines in my house, different jobs I have had, friends and family's machines, and on a bunch of virtual machines. I would susspect I have downloaded well over 100 times.
WFUJay
August 17, 2009 at 12:36pm
I myself have probably downloaded roughly 50 firefox executables for various reasons (on clients/friends/family members pc's and my own reformats & installs). I was thinking the exact same thing you were and when you look at it from this perspective it's very easy to believe.
Dearnhardt3
August 17, 2009 at 12:25pm
I think microsoft is pissed off because firefox has gotten so many downloads
QUINTIX256
August 17, 2009 at 12:18pm
You could say it is no less valid than AMD's half of a billion claim, but then again none of us recieve new AMD cpus automatically.
You can have your recession. I'm not participating.
schmitty6633
August 17, 2009 at 12:18pm
I think MS should just stfu. They just know that Firefox is better and want to find some way to say something bad about them. I dont care how many downloads there have been but the fact MS is jelous of Firefox.
Agree?
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