Mozilla Firefox Turns Five 137.0

The Philippine Firefox Community Celebrates
Regnard Raquedan, leader of the Philippine Mozilla community, welcomed fervent members of the community at a small party yesterday to celebrate Firefox’s fifth birthday on November 9.

Globe Telecom through its innovation center GlobeLabs paid for the food and handed out some giveaways – flash drives and jackets. The enthusiasm of the young community -some of whom traveled from Letran College in Calamba, Laguna – completed the fun.

The Asian Institute of Management provided the venue for free. Professor ‘Raque,’ his Dad’s nickname but that is how I like to call him, added to his pro bono leadership by shelling out P4,000 of his own money for the huge tarpaulin behind him on the stage.

Mozilla Firefox shipped over T-shirts (limited edition in the Philippines), ID chains, baller IDs, and stickers.

Raque reported that Firefox has 50% share of browser growth in the Philippines. Firefox, an open-source browser, was created and is maintained by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation. While the growth of the market leader has plateaued, Firefox accounts for 80% of new downloads globally as Raque charted in his presentation. New directions in the future include web fonts, open videos and localization.

Localization, which is currently being studied, may involve a Filipino-language version as well as preferred domestic links at the home page or immediately behind it.

I have used Firefox as browser almost from its birth. I am a community member, not as a techie, but as lover of innovation and the openness and diversity from which it sprouts.

My loot for the day is a Firefox pin that I proudly fasten on my computer case.

Please click here for Raque’s take and Rochelle’s take of the party for Firefox’s fifth birthday.