Firefox 6

[aimeeandbeatles]

I'm about to tell Firefox to quit updating itself since this is getting quite ridiculous. I won't be suppressed if there was Firefox 11 by the time Christmas rolls around.

I don't understand this post. Do you meant "surprised"?

 

[innonimatu]

In this case, it's nothing more than an attempt to counter the incorrect perception that browsers such as IE 9 are far more advanced than Firefox was at version 5. I think Mozilla actually has plans to be all the way up to Firefox 8.0 by the end of the year.

Well, they're doing it in a totally ridiculous way. Would have been far better if they had just jumped versions.

 

[Mise]

Or just dropped the whole version number thing altogether. Chrome is just Chrome.

 

[Zelig]

Or just dropped the whole version number thing altogether. Chrome is just Chrome.

My Chrome is 13.0.782.215.

(Although Chrome is one of the few programs I have where I don't track the version.)

 

[innonimatu]

Or just dropped the whole version number thing altogether. Chrome is just Chrome.

I hate Google!

Version numbers serve a purpose, damn it! To know what works and what doesn't, to document that, and to report and find bugs on what does not work. No version numbers may be fine for those who just want the walled garden experience of ijunk and other disposable electronics, but it should have no place on PC software.

 

[Mise]

Like Zelig said, it still has version numbers, so that developers, testers and Enterprise IT support guys can keep track of stuff. It just doesn't use the version number to advertise its product to end users. To me, that's the best of both worlds.

 

[Sadan01]

It still doesn't really mean anything as Google still update the version number of Chrome for little things like changing an icon or adding one small feature.

I guess Mozilla's crime is that they're blatantly using the version number whereas Google isn't doing this actively. However in practice they're both doing the same thing when it comes to features - they're updating both browsers with tiny little updates but calling them brand-new versions.

If Microsoft wasn't a lumbering behemoth when it comes to creating new applications, I'm sure we'd see them do the same thing with Internet Explorer as well. After all, Microsoft cannot stand not being part of the "cool crowd".

 

[deanej]

The reason why Microsoft is a "lumbering behemoth" is because they actually care about only incrementing the version number for major releases. Which is as it should be. Decimal version numbers exist for a reason.

I also wouldn't say Firefox is doing the same thing as Chrome. Firefox releases a new version every six weeks. Chrome releases a new version every six MONTHS. Big difference. Btw, IE releases a new version every year - at least they're supposed to, the first version on this schedule was IE9 so we'll see how they do (IE10 is in development already).

 

[Sadan01]

The reason why Microsoft is a "lumbering behemoth" is because they actually care about only incrementing the version number for major releases. Which is as it should be. Decimal version numbers exist for a reason.

Actually, my comment was in reference to different teams looking after different aspects of their products and when they "cross-over" there tends to be quite a bit of in-fighting for design methods. However, I do agree with your statement regarding versioning and as it should be.

I also wouldn't say Firefox is doing the same thing as Chrome. Firefox releases a new version every six weeks. Chrome releases a new version every six MONTHS. Big difference. Btw, IE releases a new version every year - at least they're supposed to, the first version on this schedule was IE9 so we'll see how they do (IE10 is in development already).

Actually, Google now release a new version of Chrome every 6-8 weeks. Check wikipedia's article on the release dates here. So I can say that Google is practically doing the same thing as Mozilla but aren't as blatant and obvious about it.

You would have no argument from me regarding how unworkable Mozilla's new practice of releasing a new version every few months is though, especially for enterprise environments that require testing to be done of software before it goes into the production environment.

 

[deanej]

Actually, Google now release a new version of Chrome every 6-8 weeks.

Looks like when they switched over is when everybody stopped paying attention.