Mozilla Plans to Drop Version Numbers from Firefox
Perhaps it is just me, but does Mozilla have odd ideas these days?
The latest twist from the Firefox maker: hide the version numbers of the browser.
Product manager Asa Dotzler argues that there is no need for a version number anymore. What counts is the fact that a user knows when the browser checked for an update and that the browser is up to date. No need to confuse him with any additional information.
I can't say that I agree with Dotzler and would say that dropping the version number from the About window would confuse Firefox users, especially during a rapid release cycle. So, if you are waiting for a certain feature that is supposed to arrive in a certain version how would you know that your browser is already supporting it - since those automated updates don't always become available right away for everybody? Dotzler says you can simply consult the hidden about:support window, but I find this to be rather silly. Especially developers and IT manager need to know the version number and making it more difficult for them to find the version numbers is an unnecessary move.
There was no information which version of Firefox will be dropping the version number first.
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seems strange to me. I like to see at-a-glance what version I'm running now and again. those who aren't interested probably wouldn't know where to look!
Well that's fudging stupid.
If there is a bug with just one version (which there often is) then it's nice to be able to search "version 3.1.2" or something and it comes up with how to fix it.
What about all the programs that have random versions that don't work well on a virtual machine or with certain drivers!? It's sometimes very important to know what version you have.
It's stuff like this that means I'll never use FireFox over Chrome or even IE
In all fairness, at the speed Google are updating Chrome, traditional versioning is also next to useless.
Well, unless you have an issue and can say "it happened after installing 13.0.782.112". It's *always* going to be helpful to be able to find out what version you're using.
That "No need to confuse him with additional information" is why I don't like my iphone.
I like the additional information, why remove it.
Truth is, those of us posting here are the ones that care about version numbers. How many average PC users know which browser version they are running? Or any version of software, for that matter?
I thought this is a pretty stupid idea, and while it actually is, I still had to check which version I'm running. Seems to be 5.01, guess that's the newest one. Guess I don't really mind either way.
And we then ask why corporate IT departments hate Firefox…
Account system vender, "our software works with the version that was current on Wednesday last week".
Personal system vender "out software was tested with the version that was current on 1st Jan, you will not get any support with any other version".
It manger, let’s use IE, as both systems are surported with version 7 of IE and Microsoft lets us CONTROL the version our users have on THE COMPANIE'S comuters.
Truth is, those of us posting here are the ones that care about version numbers. How many average PC users know which browser version they are running? Or any version of software, for that matter?
The average user won't go to tools > about or something and then look for their version number. It's not like it's a large watermark in the corner of the browser.
^Fully agreed. That, in my view, is exactly why Google started using invisible updating for Chrome. The user never checks what the version is and doesn't care, unless he runs dev builds.
I think Mozilla are doing this to get past the corporate resistance to rapid update cycles.
I agree with comments above its stupid, Opera recently updated itself to a new version which went nuts on my PC and was unusable. If i didn't know what the version numbers were i wouldn't have been able to roll back to the one that worked now would I. I guess they could include a Roll back feature ?
Being able to roll back, or download archives versions and then keep them there (disable auto-update) is very important. Sometimes the smallest bug can cause huge issues with certain setups or software.