Mozilla Puts Out Firefox 5.0 Web Browser

[smitty3268]

Actually the effect is already weaning off, all the Chrome and FF dick-waving is causing everyone to start ignoring major version announcements, even for software that does not follow that model.

When exactly has FF done this? I hardly heard anything about FF5, and the previous major version changes really have been pretty major.

[curaga]

When exactly has FF done this? I hardly heard anything about FF5, and the previous major version changes really have been pretty major.

Now? And FF6 in the next 3 months, FF7 in half a year...

[smitty3268]

Now? And FF6 in the next 3 months, FF7 in half a year...

As I said, I hardly heard anything about FF5, so I don't think you can call that dick-waving. And it couldn't be the reason everyone is already "starting to ignore major version announcements" like you said, seeing as how it only happened for the first time this week.

[curaga]

Maybe you misunderstood me. I meant the major-version-every-n-weeks-without-reason behavior, not PR flaunting.

[Ferdinand]

There WILL be a LOT of people who will take this update and be really disappointed that nothing has really changed.

I don't know a lot of people that run Firefox and care about the version number. You care if you have the newest features.

[movieman]

I don't know a lot of people that run Firefox and care about the version number. You care if you have the newest features.

They care when their addons break and they're forced to upgrade to a new version because Mozilla no longer releases security updates for the one they released three months ago. That's likely to be a significant hit for corporate use where they only want to use software they've tested... guess they'll be sticking to Firefox 3.6 or finding an alternative.

As far as I can see this is a seriously braindead move on Mozilla's part, merely to keep up with Chrome's version numbers.

[bwat47]

They care when their addons break and they're forced to upgrade to a new version because Mozilla no longer releases security updates for the one they released three months ago. That's likely to be a significant hit for corporate use where they only want to use software they've tested... guess they'll be sticking to Firefox 3.6 or finding an alternative.

As far as I can see this is a seriously braindead move on Mozilla's part, merely to keep up with Chrome's version numbers.

Mozilla isn't responsible for addon developors failing to update their extensions. And they rarely actually "break", usually just need version number bump.

Also the old firefox development model of releases filled with major changes is MORE likely to break stuff.

All these stupid hyperbolic arguments about mozilla's new release schedule is making me rage.

Firefox 4's development took WAY too long, and now they have a sane release schedule and people even bitch about that.

[movieman]

Mozilla isn't responsible for addon developors failing to update their extensions. And they rarely actually "break", usually just need version number bump.

Exactly. Mozilla forces the addons to tell it which versions they support. The addon developer has no idea whether it will work on Firefox-23, but they get blamed when Firefox increases the version number and the addons stop working.

Also the old firefox development model of releases filled with major changes is MORE likely to break stuff.

Which is exactly my point: you knew when major changes happened that might break things, so you could stick to the older version of the software and still get security updates until the new version had been proven to work.

Not any more.

All these stupid hyperbolic arguments about mozilla's new release schedule is making me rage.

Good for you. The rest of us actually care more about software usability than having a rapid increase in version numbers.

[smitty3268]

They care when their addons break and they're forced to upgrade to a new version because Mozilla no longer releases security updates for the one they released three months ago. That's likely to be a significant hit for corporate use where they only want to use software they've tested... guess they'll be sticking to Firefox 3.6 or finding an alternative.

As far as I can see this is a seriously braindead move on Mozilla's part, merely to keep up with Chrome's version numbers.

That's why FF5 adds the new Jetpack addon API. Use that and the upgrade problem should go away for extension developers.

Since when was there any corporate use of Firefox anyway? They've been complaining since the beginning that they couldn't use Firefox until someone put out an msi based installer and allowed them to centrally manage it, and Mozilla never seemed to care about that.

Anyway, you seem to be conflating 2 complaints here. 1 is that they are releasing more often. The other is that the version # is getting too big too fast.

Your first complaint is valid - but there's a good reason they are doing this. Otherwise you end up with a situation like FF 3 where you are 12 months behind the competition for most of the year, and only get caught up for a month or two when you release.

Your second complaint is stupid, who cares what the version # says. Would you really have been happier if they called it 4.1 instead of 5?

[DanL]

Since when was there any corporate use of Firefox anyway?

Linux/UNIX..