Firefox 3 downloads merit Guinness World Record

Firefox is now officially in the record books for receiving the most downloads from a Web site with a 24-hour period.

Having mobilised the worldwide open-source community behind the third version of its popular browser, the Firefox project was rewarded on Wednesday when Guinness World Records accepted that the 8,002,530 downloads of Firefox on 'Download Day' in June constituted a world record.

"As the arbiter and recorder of the world's amazing facts, Guinness World Records is pleased to add Mozilla's achievement to our archives," Gareth Deaves, records manager at Guinness Worlds Records, said in a statement. "Mobilising over eight million Internet users within 24 hours is an extremely impressive accomplishment, and we would like to congratulate the Mozilla community for their hard work and dedication."

Paul Kim, vice president of marketing at Mozilla, also paid tribute to the efforts of members of the community. "The enthusiasm and creativity of Firefox fans was instrumental in achieving this record," he said. "Our community members came together and not only spread the word but also took the initiative to help mobilise millions of people to demonstrate their belief that Firefox gives people the best possible online experience."

On the day that the Firefox project achieved the world record, the browser also reached its highest-ever market share: 6 per cent. Online metrics company Net Applications said market share of Firefox 3 peaked at 6.2 per cent of all browser usage at 5am EDT on 19 June -- less than 48 hours after release.