Firefox To Drop Version Numbers Entirely

[arkhi]

Wait.. what's the latest stable version? I just updated to FF4! D:<


*nvm... checks FF website*

 

[MilesAhead]

btw mentioning stability. I'm surprised how solid Chromium is. I just updated my snapshot today to 15.0.854.0 and it's as solid, if not more so, as any "final" version of other browsers. I cheat. I pick the snapshot with the empty change log.

 

[lehnerus2000]

A long series of stupid decisions

This is just like when they changed their web page layout a couple of years ago.
I find it next to impossible to find anything on it, unless I know the EXACT name of the Add-on I am looking for.

Recently they took away the "Release Notes" link in the "Help" menu (so you can't find out what changes the latest update makes).
It's next to impossible to find the info on their website.

I blame Smart Phone and Tablet users.

Here's something I posted on ZDNet:

I have noticed a trend recently (amongst almost every software maker) of removing as much info as possible from their products.
"Need to know basis and you don't need to know."

I assume that this is to cater to the Smart Phone/Tablet market.
Instead of producing a product to suit that market, they modify desktop software which reduces its functionality.

IE9
Despite the large amount of "real estate" it uses (with the toolbars on) it has almost no controls and there are very limited options for rearranging the UI.
FF4 (and later)
"One Button to rule them all" approach.
FF8
Doesn't show the protocols in the "Awesome bar" (another cringe worthy name) any more.
Email Programs
A couple that I use don't even display email addresses!
I guess email addresses are too difficult for Smart Phone/Tablet users to understand.

That's weird.
Actually I can see the protocols now (I'm using W7 and FF8a at the moment).
It must be FF6 in Ubuntu that doesn't show them.
Maybe my PC glitched.

Additional
It's not FF6 in Ubuntu.
It was those updates for FF8a that caused the protocols to vanish (the ones I had to uninstall).

 

[fseal]

Awsome Bar

Hmm, does Safari have a "Genius Bar"?

 

[Borg 386]

I was wondering what was going on when after the update I went to check/confirm the update & instead of a version number, it said in it's place "You are currently on the release update channel".

 

[Airbot]

This hasn't been put in use yet. Probably see it in version 9 or something.

"You are currently on the release update channel" has been there for a while now since they implemented channels. I'm sure if you go and check again it will show you the version number still.

 

[Borg 386]

Nope, just updated on the 16th & had a look just now, it's still there...

Might be a diff of what they show tween the 32/64 bit version perhaps. Not that I'm worried.....

 

[darkfriday]

I just updated to FF 9.0a1. So its still listing the version number as of 8/18/2011.

 

[pjhutch]

How about build numbers? So current release is say 6000, next release is 6001 etc

 

[JaidynM]

Jesus. I do hope they're kidding.

 

[MilesAhead]

Jesus. I do hope they're kidding.

Could be any easy way to generate buzz. You know, the there's no such thing as bad publicity ploy.

 

[JaidynM]

Jesus. I do hope they're kidding.

Could be any easy way to generate buzz. You know, the there's no such thing as bad publicity ploy.

To be honest, they're getting enough publicity as it is.

 

[preiius]

I still remember the day I switched from IE/Maxthon to FF3. It was a revelation - speed, addons and customisation.

Now it feels sluggish compared to chrome, IE9 even. Getting addons to work with each new version. Customisation, now that I made it just the way I like it, there is nothing to customise, lol!

 

[Klaw117]

What exactly is the point of version numbers anyway? I'm not really for or against this, but I'm wondering why others are so against this.

 

[Commodore Pet]

Maybe they should try Roman Numerals for version numbers that would really confuse people

Nightly ixai instead of 9.0a1

 

[MilesAhead]

Maybe they should try Roman Numerals for version numbers that would really confuse people

Nightly ixai instead of 9.0a1

It worked for Hollywood! Before I can figure out the Ms Vs Ls and Xs on those old black and white films it shifts to the next screen of credits. Unless it's an easy one like MCML.

 

[preiius]

Klaw, nobody will lift an eyelid if the new versions every minute did not break addons, look at chrome. Isn't addons the main selling point of firefox? Mozilla has done a fine job at alienating the community, blaming bitching users and lazy addon developers. Moving to accelerated release cycle did not actually help.

 

[mach04]

It will be difficult to know when to update the software if the version number isn't showing.

 

[prospero]

I used to be a big fan of Firefox, but with subsequent releases it seemed to get slower and more bloated.
My first choice is Google Chrome, and I use IE9, Opera, FF5 and Safari to test web design.

 

[dmex]

My feelings of Mozilla's decision are best summed up by this image: