Update: Firefox 3 Download Day Back On Track

Firefox 3 hit a speed bump on Download Day. For more than two hours, GetFirefox.com was flooded with users hopeful to download the latest version of Mozilla's open source browser. Unfortunately, the company wasn't prepared for the influx of potential downloaders looking for the application and the site crashed.

Writing to ChannelWeb in an email, Mike Schroepfer, vice president of engineering for Mozilla, stated that the servers were overwhelmed.

"We've had a huge influx of requests so the systems are in fact overloaded," Schroepfer wrote. "The Ops team is working right now to bring up more capacity."

Twitter users lamented the fact that they'd have to wait to download Firefox 3 and be a part of Download Day, where Mozilla hoped to set a Guinness World Record for the most software downloaded in a single day.

After an early afternoon hiccup, it looks like Firefox 3 will continue its march toward the record books.

By 4 p.m. EST, GetFirefox.com was up and running again. At first blush, it seemed that only the site was working, while downloads were slow. An initial attempt to download the software froze at 46 percent. A subsequent attempt downloaded the software quickly and without incident.

SpreadFirefox.com, the site that got the word out about Download Day Whether or not Mozilla will succeed in its attempt to set a World Record is not clear.

In an email exchange with Jamie Panas, press and marketing assistant for Guinness World Records, noted that there are several variables that will determine whether or not a record has been set.

"The time depends on whether or not they have a Guinness World Record judge at the event," Panas wrote. "A judge would potentially be able to verify the record on the spot, (if all guidelines were followed accordingly). A judge is not mandatory though, they can mail in their evidence to our records management team. Usually, the review process could take 4-6 weeks for our team to assess all evidence."

Panas goes on to note that would-be record setters can expedite the process by accessing FastReview, which will provide results in about three days.

Mozilla is hoping to eclipse the number of downloads Firefox 2 received and set the World Record at 5 million downloads.

For the time being, however, Firefox 3 devotees can access GetFirefox.com, download the software and help set the record.

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