25 000 000 Firefox downloads

[silence]

http://www.spreadfirefox.com/

i am proud to be a part of that team there.....installed 2 more yesterday and 1 today on customers computers....

 

[Diplo]

Yes, but I've downloaded at least 3 or 4 different builds of FireFox both at work and at home, accounting for 8 separate downloads, and yet don't regularly use it (I still prefer Opera). The only stats that count are how many unique people regularly use FireFox as their main browser, not how many times it's been downloaded.

 

[London Geezer]

The thing is that u have to pay for Opera, which really bugs me cause Firefox is amazing and free. Doesn't really give me much of a choice, or a reason to pay for a browser.

 

[Diplo]

Well, you can use a completely free version of Opera that has TINY google text ads at the top of the toolbar (about 1cm high) - apart from that it's indentical to the paid-for version.

The only reason I paid for Opera was to support a small, innovative software company and not because the ads were intrusive (because you never notice them). Given the amount of time I spend using a browser (which is a lot given it's my job) then Opera is probably the best value software I've ever bought. If you think £20 is "unaffordable" then you shouldn't be using a computer - it's a trivial amount given the amount of time most people spend using a browser (especially people with 10,000 posts on one forum ).

However, it's a personal choice - if people prefer FireFox (which is also excellent) then that's up to them. What I can't understand, though, is people who use IE out of preference - that is perverse as it's so antiquated and such a security liability.

 

[silence]

Yes, but I've downloaded at least 3 or 4 different builds of FireFox both at work and at home, accounting for 8 separate downloads, and yet don't regularly use it (I still prefer Opera). The only stats that count are how many unique people regularly use FireFox as their main browser, not how many times it's been downloaded.

its number of FF 1.0 downloads...not all builds before.
or i missunderstood you....

 

[London Geezer]

it's a trivial amount given the amount of time most people spend using a browser (especially people with 10,000 posts on one forum ).

Bitch.

By the way i post mainly from work, and here it's either IE or nothing, since i can't install anything without Admin Password.
I tried Opera and to be honest i just love Firefox, it's gonna be hard for me to find a browser that offers me more and is an incentive to get used to a different way to browse the net.

 

[swaaye]

it's a trivial amount given the amount of time most people spend using a browser (especially people with 10,000 posts on one forum ).

Bitch.

By the way i post mainly from work, and here it's either IE or nothing, since i can't install anything without Admin Password.
I tried Opera and to be honest i just love Firefox, it's gonna be hard for me to find a browser that offers me more and is an incentive to get used to a different way to browse the net.

Why install it? Firefox runs fine from just it's little folder without any installation! I used to use programs in labs at school by doing that.

 

[cristic]

it's a trivial amount given the amount of time most people spend using a browser (especially people with 10,000 posts on one forum ).

Bitch.

By the way i post mainly from work, and here it's either IE or nothing, since i can't install anything without Admin Password.
I tried Opera and to be honest i just love Firefox, it's gonna be hard for me to find a browser that offers me more and is an incentive to get used to a different way to browse the net.

Why install it? Firefox runs fine from just it's little folder without any installation! I used to use programs in labs at school by doing that.

Swaaye is right, download this, unzip, run the exe inside.
I also had to do this stunt, since I now work in a similar environment (IE or nothing). :|

 

[silence]

hehehe....my friend did same thing with UT and MOHA on work, they didnt allow installing anything, but you could burn installed game on CD and copy it on comp and play without any problems.....now they have 6 comps with UT and MOHA and they are doing big fat 0 on their job, while some admins think they owned them by not allowing anything to be installed....and these guys arent even some comp freaks, they were just bored to death on work....


so i guess if UT or MOHA can work like that....FF should also.....

 

[ANova]

Oh god. I simply don't understand this zealot following for Firefox. So what if it's been downloaded 25 million times; what, people can't download it more then once?

What I can't understand, though, is people who use IE out of preference - that is perverse as it's so antiquated and such a security liability.

How so? I prefer IE because it's the fastest (Opera is about as fast though still slower in start up time), has a cleaner interface and all websites work fine with it. Don't visit porn sites, install an AV and you've got nothing to worry about.

 

[silence]

How so? I prefer IE because it's the fastest (Opera is about as fast though still slower in start up time), has a cleaner interface and all websites work fine with it. Don't visit porn sites, install an AV and you've got nothing to worry about.

http://www.theregister.com/2004/09/24/jpeg_exploit_toolkit/

To be at risk, users have to open a JPEG file modified to trigger the flaw using either IE or Outlook. They also need to be unpatched. Unfortunately there's plenty of scope for both conditions to be met and the gene pool of potential victims is huge.

maybe cause of things like this?....and there are more holes in IE then in swiss cheese.....


btw, i have seen comps with 400+ spyware related problems and those people never visited porn sites......

 

[Diplo]

How so? I prefer IE because it's the fastest (Opera is about as fast though still slower in start up time), has a cleaner interface and all websites work fine with it.

IE will always be faster to load, but only because most of it's preloaded on Windows startup.

As for speed this is 90% dependent on your ISP and only 10% on your browser. However, Opera is far more configurable than IE when it comes to network connections (you can configure how many HTTP connections you have to a server and how many maximum) and it implements HTTP pipelining better than IE. Opera is also much faster at JavaScript than IE. Try the speed tests at http://efficacy.net/experiments/speed_test/index2.html On my PC I got following scores (lower being better):

IE 6.0.2900 :    34.25 seconds
Opera 7.54u2 : 13.75 seconds
FireFox 1.0 :     304.656 seconds (!!!!!)

Also, Opera renders content as it's downloaded, unlike IE (whose rendering engine can't render the contents of a table until the final closing tag), meaning you see stuff on the page quicker with Opera. You can also quickly toggle images on/off/cached with Opera to further speed up pages. It's also much easier to open multiple tabs in Opera, or open a link in a new tab whilst reading another tab.

As regarding IE having a "cleaner interface" - well, you can make Opera's interface as clean or cluttered as you like. Opera is fully skinnable and every menu item is configurable, so you can make it look like you want. Opera also has a true full-screen mode without any toolbars, which you can't get much cleaner. Opera also supports configurable keys and mouse-gestures, so you don't even need toolbars to navigate with. Every action can be mapped to any key (or combination of keys) or mouse gesture. IE simply doesn't have that flexibility.

However, your choice

 

[ANova]

IE is fine for someone that knows what they are doing and knows how to set it up properly.

Yes, for the average user, Opera is better. I, on the other hand, still prefer IE. And yes, I've tried all the various browsers.

As far as skinnable and mouse gestures, I don't have a use for that stuff. I'm sure you could find plugins for IE that add similar functionality as well.

 

[silence]

IE is fine for someone that knows what they are doing and knows how to set it up properly.

Yes, for the average user, Opera is better. I, on the other hand, still prefer IE. And yes, I've tried all the various browsers.

As far as skinnable and mouse gestures, I don't have a use for that stuff. I'm sure you could find plugins for IE that add similar functionality as well.

or Firefox, cause that where the problem is..average users.
i didnt have pop-up problems or spyware problems or anything like that long ago while i was still on IE...simply cause i knew whats wrong and i had software running to plug the holes....

but average user has no clue about Active-X controls that allow shit to install on their comps, average user doesnt follow tech formus where new exploits and way to patch things are discussed.....average user is THE ONE with problem.

thats why all the zeal around Firefox.....Opera is great browser, but they failed at marketing its adventages, OTOH Firefox got large community to push it into mainstream media and tell people there IS alternative to collecting spyware and other shit while surfing....

just this week i helped 3 of my clients (i own small web design company) with their comps, these comps are used on work, by women... i doubt there was much pr0n surfing, but even if it was....they were so infected that i had to run AdAware, SpyBot and Avast to clean them.....

offcourse i installed Firefox there and told about it.....

other BIG problem is that Outlook Express that most of average users use _SHARE_ common elements with IE which makes it even worse.....


using Firefox/Opera and Thunderbird/Eudora/something else is exactlly the best option for average user......
they are the ones that have no idea what kind of shit they can pick up just by surfing the net....and just dont tell that BS "if you dont surf pr0n you wont get spyware"...its everywhere.....

 

[ANova]

and just dont tell that BS "if you dont surf pr0n you wont get spyware"...its everywhere.....

All I'm saying is it's better to use a bit of discretion. Some random site with an IP address or www.leetness.com is questionable, cnn.com is not.

Like I said, IE can be configured to be perfectly safe. As alternate browsers like Opera and Firefox start to become more popular you'll start to see hackers targetting them more often as well; spyware is already starting to show up that affects Firefox.

 

[silence]

and just dont tell that BS "if you dont surf pr0n you wont get spyware"...its everywhere.....

All I'm saying is it's better to use a bit of discretion. Some random site with an IP address or www.leetness.com is questionable, cnn.com is not.

Like I said, IE can be configured to be perfectly safe. As alternate browsers like Opera and Firefox start to become more popular you'll start to see hackers targetting them more often as well; spyware is already starting to show up that affects Firefox.

ya....i noticed one....it tries to use Firefox to change IE starting page

so, your solution is to :
a) restrict average users to couple of sites that are what you call safe....
b) explain to every single Joe Sixpack about activeX and that stuff?


btw....i didnt pick that JPEG exploit just for fun, it was used in really different style, it wasnt used on pr0n sites, but on couple of major sites (it was never announced who was hit, but CNN is among suspicious ones) where JPEG's where changed so when u browse "secure" site (as you say) you are redirected (without you knowladge) to some server in Russia that would install trojan on your comp.....

and yes, i patched my Windows (even though i dont use IE or Outlook) the day i found out and the day M$ issued a patch.....
but how many average users did that?

there is no such thing like average user that is secure with IE.....simple. if you want to have security with IE you need at least 3-4 other programmes running and have technical knowladge about computers which average used doesnt have, thats why they are called average users.....

 

[ANova]

I never claimed IE to be good for average users, this whole debate was sparked by diplo's comment about how he doesn't think anyone should use IE. I like IE, I know how to use IE and I prefer IE, period.

Anyone that has a Firefox logo in their sig I consider a zealot. Anyone that has a logo of any company or product displayed anywhere is basically a hardcore fan that is usually very biased. Personal experience.

 

[silence]

I never claimed IE to be good for average users, this whole debate was sparked by diplo's comment about how he doesn't think anyone should use IE. I like IE, I know how to use IE and I prefer IE, period.

Anyone that has a Firefox logo in their sig I consider a zealot. Anyone that has a logo of any company or product displayed anywhere is basically a hardcore fan that is usually very biased. Personal experience.

acctually....i put that sig after flared discussion where someone was praising Opera so much and had Opera link in the sig, so i put this one for fun.
since my work forces me to use IE, i am no zealot for Firefox, i have to check every site we do in at least FF and IE.... so i know limitation of both, neither is perfect, and if you have enough knowladge (which most users dont have) you can surf safely with IE....not to mention many sites that are "IE only", so there are times when you have to use it....but carefully

just the other day i managed to get whole site working in IE using CSS only (no tables), but FF didnt render it as i expected it to.....so it was back to work from scratch...using tables....
unfortunatlly, as much as i like idea od tableless sites, cross-browser problems when using CSS only are sometimes too big, specially when u have deadline in 12 hours.


i would like all browser to follow standards. thats all.

as for safety, IE is major problem for average users that have no idea there is even thing called activeX and what it does....
when i scan my customer's comps and find 300,400,500+ spyware related problems they are usually in shock.... cause most of them dont surf pr0n or visit hacking sites or download all kind of shit.....

so yes, i tell them about Firefox and that is doesnt have this thing called activeX that allows most of spyware to be installed in the first place... and they usually agree that i install alternative browser on their comps....
and these are customers....people who use comps for work, not home computers....

if that's zeal, then ok, i am zealot. but i do what i think is best for my customers and they appreciate time and effort i put into helping them keeping their comps clean.



too many of them think "i have anti-virus" software (usually) so i wont get any problems.... they have no idea how many different types of malicious code is out there and how does it spread.....
i still think that IE + OE is worst combination for average user.

i recomend alternatives....in my case Firefox and Thunderbird, cause they are free, but i dont have problem if someone likes Opera or Eudora.... but with the latter you either take adds or you pay for product.


thats all. (i still think that 25+ mill DLs in 99 days is big thing that deserves a topic )
there you go.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Beyond3D Browser stats...

Jan:
MS Internet Explorer 58.2 %
Firefox 24.6 %

Feb (to date):
MS Internet Explorer 61.9 %
Firefox 25.2 %

 

[trinibwoy]

Hmmm didn't think firefox had such a strong following. Reasons I stick with IE:

1. At work we target IE when developing our web applications so no point in using firefox.
2. At home I have zero issues with popups/spyware on IE due to the points outlined by ANova above.