Mozilla On Browser Ballot Glitch: Millions Of Firefox Downloads Lost

By | November 1, 2012 | 11 Comments

Mozilla On Browser Ballot Glitch: Millions Of Firefox Downloads LostMoments after sending the delicious cake to Microsoft’s IE team, Harvey Anderson, the Vice President of Business Affairs at Mozilla, has published a blog post, which investigated the consequences of the browser ballot glitch.

According to Harvey, Firefox downloads saw a decrease of 63% to as low as 20,000 per day and increased by 150% to 50,000 per day after the fix was issued.

In addition to that, he claims that Mozilla lost 6-9 million Firefox downloads during the 15 month period.

Speaking of the market share, ComputerWorld says that, “from March 2011 until June 2012, Firefox lost 7.5 percentage points of share in Europe”, “an average monthly decline of nearly half a point. In the 16 months prior, Firefox lost just 2.3 percentage points, an average of 0.14 point.”

EU is yet to fine Microsoft.

[Via: Lockshot]


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Vygantas is a former web designer whose projects are used by companies such as AMD, NVIDIA and departed Westood Studios. Being passionate about software, Vygantas began his journalism carrier back in 2007 when he founded FavBrowser.com. Having said that, he is also an adrenaline junkie who enjoys good books, fitness activities and Forex trading.

  • Mehran

    The statistics does not matter, since I use IceDragon, many use similar projects like Waterfox, … but they are still FF, although it does not count. BTW, I’ve been surfing the net for so many years, and I know well what a good browser is.
    I love FF

    • Przemysław Lib

      I wouldn’t be so sure.

      Stat counters can put straight derivatives of FF (Waterfox) into “FF” category. And you can always check market split into engines.

      • Mehran

        You should bear in mind that updating system of FF has improved, then it’s not such a big deal that users don’t download the whole package like before

        • Przemysław Lib

          ? Who’s talking about download-based stats?

          • Mehran

            It’s what all the text is about!

          • Przemysław Lib

            Ok. You are right.

        • Przemysław Lib

          Yes it have. However, after MS instantiated ballot screen, FF downloads went up! Its mean that significant portion of EU downloads went from just that screen. Lack of that traffic therefore is a fact.

  • Tiago Sá

    I can’t believe they are blaming their low market share on Microsoft. Sure it played a part, but it certainly was more due to them halfassing most of the features they implemented, and them focusing more on chromification than on relevant stuff that still TODAY hasn’t seen the light of day and was scheduled (and then dropped) for Firefox 4…

    Today, Firefox 16 or whatever, is still largely the same browser Firefox 3 was, apart from a few things extensions were doing back then, and stability, performance and standards…

    • Przemysław Lib

      FF downloads went down when MS stopped delivering ballot screen, and went up again when MS repaired mistake.

      Strong correlation I would say.

  • Boray

    I think the whole idea of a ballot screen is quite silly. It’s declaring the users as idiots. Seems Mozilla wants the idiots for users then…

    • Przemysław Lib

      Its matter of ease of use.

      In order to install FF on Win7 you NEED to turn on IE. THAT is wired.

      Win8 have its own app center. On Win8 ballot screen would be silly.

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