Firefox hits add-ons downloads high

OPEN SOURCE web browser outfit Mozilla is celebrating the fact that two billion add-ons for its flagship Firefox browser have been downloaded by users.

Although some firms would see this as a suggestion that their original product is lacking, it's good news for the non-profit Mozilla Foundation, which for some reason has elected to compare the widgets to cupcakes.

Next to an image released to accompany the celebratory pages the firm says, "If you have a cupcake for every Firefox Add-on download, you'd have two billion cupcakes." So, in that case you'd probably be Belgian.

In a blog post, which thankfully steers clear of food comparisons, Mozilla's Julie Shin Choi said, "[This] feat was made possible by the huge community of people like you who use Firefox Add-ons as well as the thousands of developers who make the add-ons you use. Over the years, we remained dedicated to building features and products that make Firefox the world's most customisable Web browser for consumers and developers."

Back in November 2008, Mozilla announced that it had hit the 1 billion number, and reckoned that it might take another three years to make 2 billion. It didn't. It took much less time, thanks in no small part to the fact that Mozilla offers all sorts of weird, wonderful and even pointless add-ons from the developer community.

"With your help, we've gotten to 2 billion in half that time!", wrote Choi. "With more than 150 million add-ons in use every day, we know that the next billion add-on downloads will be here before we know it."

Mozilla has created a collection of some of the best available add-ons, which has the title, "Best of 2 Billion Firefox Add-ons". Snappy.

Choi, who we learn is in marketing, which explains a lot, added, "Check it out! We're pretty sure you'll find some add-ons that become an important part of making your journey through the Web easier, more productive or more fun." µ