Relax, Mozilla's Keeping Version Numbers for Firefox
Mozilla has ended a controversy surrounding a sudden announcement that the browser maker would drop the version number from the About window.
Mozilla's Firefox product manager Asa Dotzler announced last week that the version number would be dropped and replaced with a note that the browser is up to date. (The version number would move to the troubleshooting window.) Dotzler argued that such a change would indicate that Firefox is changing into the direction of a web service such as MSN or Gmail - and no one is interested in what version of Gmail is currently running in their browser.
The result was a heated discussion in which Firefox users attacked developer staff in an exchange of online message posts. Many Firefox users apparently felt offended that Mozilla would simply remove such a feature and use vocabulary that was very much the opposite of what Mozilla preaches - and appeared to be arrogant at times (you can read the threads here).
Mozilla deleted the bug report that described the version number removal. Mozilla then announced that it no longer intends to remove the version number - a sign that Mozilla is listening to its users.
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Numbers are cool
So basically after the majority of their fanbase ripped them a new hole, they finally backed down.
Mozilla is desperately trying to become more like Google Chrome except that fact that Firefox users don't want Firefox to become more like Chrome else they would have already downloaded Chrome.
I don't care for this rapid release schedule since with every update to Firefox there comes the problem of plugins not working with the new version. Also stop with the moronic updating Major version numbers for minor upgrades. The major number should be changed only for major upgrades. If we keep this up we'll be on version 56 in a few years.
Mozilla, I understand you don't want to loose your user base to Chrome but the answer is not to become more like Chrome the answer is to become better than any other browser. That is what got you to were you are now. Let's see some more rendering speed improvements, lets see better hardware acceleration. I would love to see more security features. How about worrying about better standards compliance. Even better how about fixing this damned memory leak that has plagued Firefox since version 2. I can care less about most of the features I've seen lately I want to see more substantial upgrades.
In short, keep Firefox the way it was and let chrome be chrome
Mozilla is desperately trying to become more like Google Chrome except that fact that Firefox users don't want Firefox to become more like Chrome else they would have already downloaded Chrome.I don't care for this rapid release schedule since with every update to Firefox there comes the problem of plugins not working with the new version. Also stop with the moronic updating Major version numbers for minor upgrades. The major number should be changed only for major upgrades. If we keep this up we'll be on version 56 in a few years.Mozilla, I understand you don't want to loose your user base to Chrome but the answer is not to become more like Chrome the answer is to become better than any other browser. That is what got you to were you are now. Let's see some more rendering speed improvements, lets see better hardware acceleration. I would love to see more security features. How about worrying about better standards compliance. Even better how about fixing this damned memory leak that has plagued Firefox since version 2. I can care less about most of the features I've seen lately I want to see more substantial upgrades.In short, keep Firefox the way it was and let chrome be chrome
correct me if im wrong, but 7 has a 10% improvement in speed and 8 has close to 30% makeing it on par with current chrome.
those bige enough improvemnets on their own for you to call them real number increases?
7 and 8 have not been released yet (beta and alpha respectively) therefore I cannot comment at this point on those 2 versions.
7 beta is just as awful as 6 is, constantly crashes, hangs or eats CPU and memory like breafast cereal. The fact that they've had to put in buttons on about:memory to do the job of the browser and garbage collect/attemtp to reduce the memory footprint is mind-boggling. Just stop adding SHIT to the browser and FIX the bugs you keep creating adding crappy new features no one asked for.
7 beta is just as awful as 6 is, constantly crashes, hangs or eats CPU and memory like breafast cereal. The fact that they've had to put in buttons on about:memory to do the job of the browser and garbage collect/attemtp to reduce the memory footprint is mind-boggling. Just stop adding SHIT to the browser and FIX the bugs you keep creating adding crappy new features no one asked for.
Actually, 6 is a noticeable improvement. NEVER had FF crash on me on ANY machine, not even my 900 MHz netbook. Go fix up YOUR bugs - be they in your OS or hardware... And we DID ask for all those features; except the stupid default Chrome-like look.
Back to topic: phew. Dropping numbers would be stupid, especially since 5.1 reports that it's "up to date" all the time even though 6 is already out and I have to update it manually. Same $h!t in Ubuntu.
Wow..considering how deaf most computer software companies have become over the years now I will say that it is a relief to see Monzilla actually LISTENING to what the users want, instead of only caring about the last red cent of profit and self important arrogance. (google, M$, crApple)
There needs to be a huge change in the way these organizations handle user input, because over the past decade it often times seems as if they don't hear a word that customers/users utter!
Maybe the numbers are getting to big for the MoZilla brain?
Talking about browser speed is dumb. If your browser is slow, you either have crappy internet or a crappy computer. I use Firefox because it is the best, and I don't worry about milliseconds.
Mozilla, I understand you don't want to loose your user base to Chrome but the answer is not to become more like Chrome the answer is to become better than any other browser.
Can't agree more!
I really don't understand what they are trying to do. Why do they want to make "the best browser of all"? Firefox should be Firefox, otherwise what's the difference? I'm using Firefox because it suits me better than other browsers. If Firefox becomes like all other browsers (by design and function) then there will be no incentive for me to use Firefox any more.
So loyal users are getting betrayed by Mozilla who is trying to eat the entire cake instead of it's due portion. The only result of Mozilla's appetite for total dominance will be loads of shit on the other side which will fall onto loyal users.
Good one & I wish that I would of known about this thread,because I would of been another person that would of joined in this debate against Mozilla's move to remove the version number.
From 5.x onward (am on FF 7B2 now) everything has been rock solid, performance has improved considerably and yes the dreaded memory usage has come down a bit as well.
7 beta is just as awful as 6 is, constantly crashes, hangs or eats CPU and memory like breafast cereal. The fact that they've had to put in buttons on about:memory to do the job of the browser and garbage collect/attemtp to reduce the memory footprint is mind-boggling. Just stop adding SHIT to the browser and FIX the bugs you keep creating adding crappy new features no one asked for.
never used 7, went straight to 8, an it only crashes when i put it under a 500+tab load, and memory at that point is over 1.6gb
its more stable for me than 3.5 was.
Talking about browser speed is dumb. If your browser is slow, you either have crappy internet or a crappy computer. I use Firefox because it is the best, and I don't worry about milliseconds.
when you put it under an insane load like i do, you need to worry about speed quite a bit. however your point is valid...
the difference comes when it loads allot fast, it can seam slower on older versions, but not enough to realy call it out on.
I kept getting the message to upgrade mozilla firefox. This morning I made a huge mistake and clicked on "allow firefox to make changes to hard drive." Now it won't connect to the internet.
This happened a couple years ago, and I don't remember how I fixed it. Firefox is more trouble than it's worth.
I like Firefox and I can't see their idea of them changing just because chrome has come in. A lot of people like Firefox and its easy functional use. It did'nt take me too long to learn how use their browser and its functions. So I'm one of those long time users that reguarly keep in touch with Mozillas Firefox,although I do check out other browsers every now and again.
I go with cpu666d1,because his post makes sense.
"rapid release" is the opposite of do-it-right-the-first-time and it's the opposite of the time-tested reliable self-disciplined process of THOROUGH analysis and design BEFORE coding - i.e. THINK before you write code and release buggy crap to the general public. The "rapid release" attitude also gives them a huge excuse to continue to "change" the UI for no reason every 30 days (i.e. like google). It's absolute arrogance and a lack of professional discipline. I really, really hope mozilla releases something so buggy that it becomes the biggest software goof-up news of the century - to teach them a lesson about software complexity and arrogance.