Numbers can be very impressive. For example, FireFox recently hit the 50 million downloads mark. But what does that mean? How can we relate that number to the actual number of users? How do they count downloads?

Take me for example. I've installed FireFox both at home and work. So I count for two. But I've actually downloaded FireFox 8 times since its release, for every update there was (1.0, 1.0.1, 1.0.2 and 1.0.3), some through the automatic update, others from their web site. In any case, I'm sure both end-up being counted in that 50 million.

Jeremy has similar remarks concerning browser stats. Depending on the hosts, number of FireFox and IE users vary a lot. In some cases, the audience type explains it, but in other cases you just need to take numbers with a grain of salt.

Sure FireFox is gaining market shares. Sure FireFox has won me. I've also tried Opera 8, and it's a damn good browser, probably even better than FireFox, surely faster. But I can't stand the advertising banner, and why would I pay for no-ads Opera when I can find a free and almost as good alternative in FireFox?

I've paid for Trillian 1.0 Pro because at that time, there were no free runner-up. I've recently renewed for Trillian 3.x Pro because I just can't stand the ad banners in MSN Messenger, and didn't find something almost as good. Wrong. I did find a free alternative: Trillian Basic... but I couldn't live without a few features only in the pro version.

Tomorrow, I could convince myself I need Opera 8. Or IE 7 could win me back. By the way, I have downloaded Opera twice, to try it both at home and work. If one day they hit the 50 million downloads mark, you'll have to substract at least 2 from the actual number of users... Numbers are so volatile... Preferences are so fragile...