Filed under: Internet, Mozilla, Browsers
Mozilla Firefox breaks non-existent world record - nobody cares
Remember, that whole Firefox download day thing that we got so amped up about? Us too.Remember when their servers screwed the pooch for most of "Download Day"? Us too.
How about that vulnerability that affected all 8 zillion of us who downloaded version 3? Yep, we remember that too.
Now you can put all those rough memories behind and sleep easy. Today, Mozilla "officially" announced setting the record, with 8,002,530 downloads on the release day of Firefox 3. It's fair to point out that, nothing was broken here... this was a new record, hence "setting" and not "breaking".
Will you remember Mozilla set the Guinness World Record for the most software downloads in 24 hours on June 18th, 2008? Neither will we.
But congrats on still being #2 Firefox. Let us know when that changes and we'll jump around and party like it's 2035!
So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.
Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.
The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
harmx said 8:39PM on 7-02-2008
Think your missing the point here Drew.
It's just marketing, nothing more, nothing less. I wouldn't get so upset by it.
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Drew Olanoff said 8:58PM on 7-02-2008
I understand the point, that's why I was overly blase about it :)
Rocketboy said 8:52AM on 7-03-2008
Wow, you, and everyone else who gave you a '+' didn't get it worse then you claim that Drew didn't get it.
Or, Oh Noes! Someone spoke bad of your beloved FireFox!
Here, why don't you stand over here with the Apple Fanboys.
Rid said 9:42AM on 7-03-2008
"It's just marketing, nothing more, nothing less. I wouldn't get so upset by it."
When you consider that Download Squad has now talked about Firefox's Download Day about eight times, and six of those in some remarkably PR-like way, there is plenty to be upset about.
Even Drew Olanoff, who seems now to recognize this as just another PR stunt, has covered it in a more positive light twice before, even saying they were going to 'break' a record (though the fact he didn't seem to know what the record was should have prompted some research). He did include plenty of links on where to sign up and encouragement on why to do it, though.
It must be nice when 'independent' blogs whose writers 'don't deal with advertising' manage to put as much effort as any given PR firm to covering a corporations newest browser update, and nice to be seen as the lovable 'little guy' despite making something like $67 million last year in ad sales. And hey, if they continue moving their 'make default browser' confirmation box to unorthodox places, defaulting it to yes, and defaulting the nag screen to 'always pop up' (IE doesn't even do all these things), well, they might just take that number 1 spot. The question is will everyone still love them as the little guy by then?
And yes, I use Firefox alongside Opera.
peegee said 8:51PM on 7-02-2008
Who cares! Even with all add-ins disabled, FF3 keeps crashing everytime. I am back to IE7 (gasp!)
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Applehater said 8:54PM on 7-02-2008
Wow, this guy has a clear bias against Firefox... Nothing good about the new release, according to this guy Mozilla probably stomps on kittens and punts puppies from roof tops.
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MDW said 9:11PM on 7-02-2008
In terms of a marketing tactic, I'd argue that it was wildly successful.
In terms of writing a pithy "article" with the clear intent of driving traffic by bashing a popular piece of software, I'd say you're mildly successful.
I wonder if anyone will remember this article tomorrow?
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Grant Robertson said 10:37PM on 7-02-2008
Ouch! Jebus, Firefox lovers are touchy! Actually, we were kicking around the Firefox press release we were sent on our Download Squad team mailing list and, our general consensus was; Nice try but, is the Guinness book really relevant anymore? Gone are the days of twin fat guys riding tiny motor scooters and that guy with fingernails longer than Howard Hughes.. The Book just doesn't have its former glory anymore.
We're pretty pro Firefox at Download Squad.. in fact, we're pro any browser that makes things better (we've been relatively strong supporters of Opera, too). If this post says anything -- and, it really doesn't -- it's that as much as we love Firefox.. we don't love it for world records and craptastic attempts at marketing stunts, we love it for being a damn good browser.
MDW said 12:05AM on 7-03-2008
Not touchy, per se - I'm not a Firefox zealot, I use it, but I also use IE, Opera, Netscape, K-Meleon and a few others for testing purposes and various tasks - it's just that the column seemed pointless in terms of being something that would appeal to your readership as a whole.
The thought behind my original post was that even if it wasn't "breaking" a record - it was very good marketing tactic, and honestly, something to be proud of. A web savvy blog like Download Squad shouldn't completely miss the point of the operation. The developers worked hard at building a top notch program, that they give away, and found an unbelievably clever way to get the word out to people they may not have reached otherwise. Honestly, if you guys want to write an article on Firefox - take a different tact that may be helpful to your readers, such as how they were able to get 8 mil+ downloads in a day using a flawless online and traditional media marketing campaign, or maybe how they were able to overcome their bandwidth and server load issues to ultimately make it happen...
Just a thought
johnm said 9:19PM on 7-02-2008
First of all the 'vulnerability' also affected Firefox 2, it was just announced during the Firefox 3 release to get more press. Second, the code or really any significant details about it were not released so nobody was really affected. Not to mention all browsers have security issues. Do you think you're safer using IE than Firefox? You make it sound like you got a virus when you downloaded FF3. The last post about this issue was equally if not more misleading and just wrong.
The world record idea was a great marketing idea which helped spread the word about Firefox. Setting the record wasn't really the main goal.
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Master Bruce said 9:21PM on 7-02-2008
Wow, quite the bitterly slanted post.
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ranova said 9:24PM on 7-02-2008
wow, is this site pro-ie7 or somesh*t? stupid story, stupid comments.
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whiskey said 9:39PM on 7-02-2008
Jul 2nd 2008 8:00PM, tell me, would anybody (even Drew here) remember this post? Nah!
IE7 is the thing that's making people look around for a better alternative (just like Vista).
Will anybody remember i made this comment? Nah!
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Drew Olanoff said 9:43PM on 7-02-2008
I will remember you...will you remember me? Oh wait, that's a Sarah Mclachlan song :)
[green]Applelover said 9:38PM on 7-02-2008
After reading this article (while printing out my customized Download Day certificate™) I was so put off by the author's wanton anger that I decided to let you know. Harmx is 123.2 percent correct!
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chris scott said 12:59AM on 7-03-2008
oh wow, what an ass! I mean i love download squad but what is up with this post?! the author clearly has a problem... and maybe not just with firefox. It's great that you love ie7 but there is a reason why firefox has a huge following and you don't have to be an ass about it.
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Drew Olanoff said 9:42PM on 7-02-2008
I was being dramatic in response to their "dramatic news" that really isn't all that dramatic or exciting. Choice rules.
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? said 9:50PM on 7-02-2008
Well at least you managed to make some mediocre news on downloadsquad (which is typically amazing) likely turn into your most commented story in the past two months.
Isn't hate great?
Jake said 9:50PM on 7-02-2008
A little bitter here, huh Drew?
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julian said 11:24PM on 7-02-2008
I agree... and i want my minute back