ITWales.com

Firefox 3 released to public

The newest version of the Firefox open-source internet browser was downloaded more than eight million times in the 24 hours after it was released, developer Mozilla has revealed.

Firefox is the most popular alternative to the web browsers packaged with different operating systems, and the free browser is used by many companies and individuals around the world.

With the third iteration, Mozilla focused on enhancing security aspects of the application and reducing its use of system resources, as well as redesigning the interface.

As of 18:00 GMT on June 18th 2008, 24 hours after its release, Firefox 3 had been downloaded 8.2 million times from individuals in over 200 countries. At its peak, the browser was downloaded by over 17,000 people a minute at its peak.

Mozilla is hoping to have set a world record for most software downloads in a 24-hour period. However, as no previous record exists, Guinness World Records must first certify the category, a process which could take up to one week.

Firefox is the second most popular web browser in the world, and is developed by an open-source community consisting of thousands of people, mostly volunteers, who collectively develop and test the free product.

ADNFCR-8000061-ID-18647382-ADNFCR