Administrator DKT27 Posted August 16, 2011 Administrator Share Posted August 16, 2011 A great collective gasp issued from tuned-in Firefox fans when Mozilla announced that it was switching to a Chrome-like release schedule for its browser. The goal was to make Firefox more adaptable and to keep pace — though not with Chrome specifically, but rather with the rapidly-evolving web.One side effect of a rapid release schedule is skyrocketing version numbers, something both Google and Mozilla want users to ignore. But that's a tricky proposition when users have been raised on slowly-climbing digits trailing the names of their favorite apps. Rather than cling to traditional versioning ideas, companies are now pushing channels — constantly updated snapshots of the different development stages of a program. Both Chrome and Firefox now offer stable, beta, and bleeding-edge versions to suit a user's wants.Mozilla, though, wants to make sure that version numbers are buried deep with its browser where only developers, enthusiasts, and sniffing code can call them up. Over on Bugzilla, the always outspoken Asa Dotzler has posted Bug 678775 to get the ball rolling. As Dotzler states, it's just another step in a process that is already "well under way."The bug has sparked some rather intense discussion — more than you might expect for something as seemingly minor as hiding the version number on the About Firefox window. Functionally, the window is "about" letting you know whether or not an update is available and to download that update if one is available but hasn't been pulled down automatically. While the version number is displayed, it's certainly not a critical element. The proposed tweak would remove the number and instead display a line about when the last update was applied and whether or not your install is current.But suppose you had to call for assistance with a critically important web app like online banking or webmail. Where would you turn to look up version information if the support analyst asked you to do so? Firefox also offers the about:support page which provides much more detailed version information for troubleshooting purposes.While that means you can still find the version number when you need to, it flies in the face of what's long been accepted as a standard practice. As developer Dave Garrett points out, Help > About is where just about every program under the sun shows its version number. Mozilla has never been afraid to blaze trails and it certainly doesn't have to follow suit, but the change is still a somewhat curious one for a foundation that is all about standards. View: Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyo Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 :frusty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anuraag Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 :frusty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudboy Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 :frusty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grouchysmurf Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 :frusty: :ph34r: :nono: :badmood: :fear: :rant: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndoe Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 henceforth there shall be version numbers like 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 etc. based on how many gigabytes of memory firefox chews up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R0H1T Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Well how about firefox 2011/2012 just like what the AV & most other software vendors do ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace_Angel Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Why not stay with the old versioning thingy like Mozilla used to do. There is no point in trying to release new versions like google is releasing every few weeks for its chrome browser. The reason that chrome got so much attention is not because the version; it's because it had sleek browser that ran javascript at great speeds.Plus google has lots more resources than mozilla. So they can put more features in less time and use a different version number.Mozilla has to realise the harm they are doing to both their browser reputation and user base, since with every new rapid release, many extensions no longer work. And I believe that's why users like mozilla so much... plenty of extensions and addon (that work!).Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator DKT27 Posted August 16, 2011 Author Administrator Share Posted August 16, 2011 Why not stay with the old versioning thingy like Mozilla used to do. There is no point in trying to release new versions like google is releasing every few weeks for its chrome browser. The reason that chrome got so much attention is not because the version; it's because it had sleek browser that ran javascript at great speeds.Plus google has lots more resources than mozilla. So they can put more features in less time and use a different version number.Mozilla has to realise the harm they are doing to both their browser reputation and user base, since with every new rapid release, many extensions no longer work. And I believe that's why users like mozilla so much... plenty of extensions and addon (that work!).Peace.Mozilla's javascript engine is actually the fastest in the world. It's the rest that's lagging. :)Well, lets see what jetpack addons is going to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator DKT27 Posted August 16, 2011 Author Administrator Share Posted August 16, 2011 Mozilla plans to hide Firefox version numbersAsa Dotzler, Mozilla's community coordinator for Firefox, has announced that, in the future, users will not be shown what version of Firefox they are running. Instead, the browser will say when it checked for updates last, and if the browser was up to date when that check was made. This would mean users would, when connected to the internet, typically see "You are running the latest version". More detailed information would be available for troubleshooting purposes by entering about:support in the URL field or selecting "Help/Troubleshooting information". The move is part of a project within Mozilla to "phase out version numbers". Participants in the Bugzilla discussion had little enthusiasm for the proposal. One critic said "This is a REALLY dumb, stupid, idiotic idea!", a comment to which Dotzler responded by threatening to remove the participant's Bugzilla posting privileges. Add-on developer Dave Garrett said of the About window "Even my mother knows this is where you look up what version of a program you're using. You're going up against established UX that spans much time and across OSes". Dotzler responded in a newsgroup posting saying "after thinking about it, we concluded that most people don't need to know what version number they're using and what they actually want to know is whether or not they're running the latest version". One comment on Bugzilla pointed out that people don't know the version number of Facebook or Twitter applications but others noted that those were centrally administered and updated web applications, not locally installed applications. Some also observed that Chrome, the originator of rapid release schedules for browsers, still displays its version number in the About box. The debate continues. View: Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyo Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Dotzler responded in a newsgroup posting saying "after thinking about it, we concluded that most people don't need to know what version number they're using and what they actually want to know is whether or not they're running the latest version". I'm going crazy! Every developer/publisher out there tries to build for the mentally challenged! Simplify, simplify, simplify seems to be the chief principle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grouchysmurf Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Hey, I have an idea, shhhh, kinda crazy,..get close, I'll whisper it......Stop Rapid ReleaseReally, Mozilla folks, gimme a break. What is it you are hoping to gain?Hall passes? Upfront parking?I like my FireFox, please stop trying to break it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxhedroom Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I'm on 3.6.18...and that's where I'm staying until all this silliness dies down. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leland Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 It is already hard to keep your extensions working and now this will add another layer of complication. Do they enjoy shooting themselves in the foot? Why not a version like 2011.8 to show the year and month of release. However I don't think this will help with extensions.Why is it Chrome keeps updating so quickly yet never seems to break their extensions? I wish Mozilla could have this sort of foresight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator DKT27 Posted August 17, 2011 Author Administrator Share Posted August 17, 2011 It is already hard to keep your extensions working and now this will add another layer of complication. Do they enjoy shooting themselves in the foot? Why not a version like 2011.8 to show the year and month of release. However I don't think this will help with extensions.Why is it Chrome keeps updating so quickly yet never seems to break their extensions? I wish Mozilla could have this sort of foresight...Mozilla is already working on it. Jetpack addons. It's developement on RC or something, should release in couple of months. After that you'll see many compatible addons. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator DKT27 Posted August 18, 2011 Author Administrator Share Posted August 18, 2011 Mozilla says version number removal is a long term goalMozilla has told The INQUIRER that removing version numbers from the Firefox About display is a long-term goal. Asa Dotzler, director of the Firefox product at Mozilla was the chap who started the thread on Bugzilla that mentioned removal of Firefox version numbers from the About screen. That post generated heated debate, with suggestions that it is simply change for change's sake and it could confuse users trying to look up version numbers in order to troubleshoot problems. Dotzler told The INQUIRER, "There's been some discussion around removing version numbers from the Firefox 'About' window. Our goal is to avoid confusion and make sure users always have the most current version of Firefox. While that's the long term goal, this change isn't happening overnight. Right now, the version number is available in the Help-Troubleshooting menu." Yesterday Mozilla released Firefox 6, which displays its version number in both the About box and the Troubleshooting menu. As Dotzler said, it's likely that Mozilla will make the change slowly, though with its rapid release scheme that could be just six weeks until it hits a production release. There has been concern that Mozilla's rapid release schedule for Firefox could deter enterprise adoption. Asked what Mozilla was doing about this, a spokesperson pointed us towards the Enterprise Working Group that the outfit set up, adding, "The Enterprise Working Group is a step to continue the dialogue with enterprise IT departments, Firefox developers and other stakeholders for solutions that will work best for all parties. With the Enterprise Working Group we are looking to help enterprise organizations adapt to the quickly evolving Web. Mozilla's mission is to make the Web better for all users, including enterprise users and their customers." While people generally look unfavourably upon change, the fact is that Mozilla's rapid release schedule gets Firefox in the press far more often, and as long as it doesn't drop a clanger of a release, it should do just fine. And as for moving the location of the version number, it's likely that most Firefox users simply won't notice or care. View: Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyo Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Damage control statements :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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