Mozilla: We are sticking with Firefox version numbers after all

Two weeks ago, Mozilla's Asa Dotzler confirmed that the company would begin hiding the version number of Firefox in the "Help-> About" window dialog.

If you wanted to check the version number, you would have to head over to the about:support page.

This week, however, the company has reversed course and says they will keep the current system in place:

There are no plans to adjust the version number. It will remain in its current place in the About window, and we are going to continue with the current numbering scheme.

The whole episode was blamed on a "miscommunication inside of the [user experience] team."

Earlier this year, Mozilla announced it would be moving to a more Chrome-like release schedule, and has since moved from Firefox 4 to Firefox 7 nightly (Aurora) in just 6 months.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 28 Aug 2011 16:00

hikaricor

Quote:"miscommunication inside of the [user experience] team." IE: Asa Dotzler is a god damn retard.

28.8.2011 16:05 #1

nonoitall

I'm glad they decided to keep it in place.

me on the Dragon Ball Encyclopedia
me on YouTube

28.8.2011 17:04 #2

slackdast

god they are stupid.

Why am I not using the latest version of firefox? because some plugins don't work with the latest version. In fact, VMWare stuff needs older firefox versions to run correctly (well, at least last I checked, they might of updated since then).

It's just weird, how computers have always been about version numbers (software, etc) and yet suddenly, firefox wanted to changed 50 years of computing history to be different.

28.8.2011 19:04 #3

hikaricor

Honestly, I've rarely come across addons that don't work with the latest version of FF. Sure a few months ago nothing worked, but now that's no longer the case. You may just need to install the Addon Compatibility Reporter to get them to work. That said, it's quite sad that I need half a dozen addons for the specific purpose of making 9.01a work like it should but hasn't since prior to 4.x.

28.8.2011 19:36 #4

i1der

people still use firefox?

29.8.2011 00:20 #5

hikaricor

Until something better comes along we do.

29.8.2011 03:16 #6

xtago

After reading the real post I didn't think this would go through.

It seemed like it was Asa Dotzler's idea and was simply saying it should be tried in a beta.

And the media have picked it up as this will be happening next week for sure.

29.8.2011 05:35 #7

LordRuss

I have always been under the understanding that version numbers (at least the significant ones) were used to allude to MAJOR changes in one's software/hardware.

Although we aren't talking about AMD/Intel playing games with the mHz ratings of processors, they (like other manufacturers) still kept in check with realistic numbering systems to inference major hardware & architectural changes. Now we have Apple & FF changing major version numbers for nothing more than service pack updates.

Is this a new marketing scheme? Some kind of new business model that a college graduate schmuck has come up with thinking it will produce more sales? Not that I'm that much of a traditionalist, but shouldn't some standards remain? If I may use an electronics analogy, we can't just up & trade the red wire for the black one just because we thought it would cosmetically look better in our new gadget.

I suppose I'm saying, if a couple of companies are doing this now, how many are going to follow suit & then confuse the hell out of everyone?

http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

29.8.2011 13:32 #8

nonoitall

Technically this isn't really about their rapid release cycle (though that was cited as justification). It's about where the user has to go to find the version number.

me on the Dragon Ball Encyclopedia
me on YouTube

29.8.2011 20:55 #9

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