Community keeps spreading Firefox

 The growing popularity of the Firefox web browser is an excellent example of community media at work.

The latest version – Firefox 3 – was apparently downloaded  more than eight million times in the 24 hours after its release – possibly a world record.

This huge rush of downloads is additional evidence of the popularity of the open source browser, which continues to gain ground on Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.  The previous version of Firefox was downloaded just 1.6 million times in the 24 hours after its launch.

A web survey last December found that the Oceania region, including Australia, had the highest percentage of Firefox users in the world.

Open source code ideology – a principle that encourages community participation in software development – is an excellent example of community media at work.

As well as people getting together to design a browser that meets their needs, Firefox is also promoted by a volunteer group called “Spread Firefox’, which encourages greater use of the software.

Ian