Firefox Version Numbers Are Here to Stay, Mozilla Says

Much the way Mozilla was recently forced to gybe back in June in response to outcry against its apparent disregard for business users, so the maker of the popular Firefox browser this week announced that its debatable idea of touring the software's version number wouldn't be happening after all.

For those who incomprehensible it, the unconventional suggestion was for Firefox to stop providing a version number in its "Active" dialog box. Instead, beginning in some upcoming version, the Nearly windowpane would instead say something like, "Firefox checked for updates 20 transactions ago; you are running the latest release."

Although cram full version info would still have been forthcoming in Firefox's Help section, many reacted strongly against the idea.

'There Was a Miscommunication'

"I think the reason this debate became so emotional is that close to people want to alter node side software to behave similar the Web (where the user has no control over version), and some people merely aren't comfortable therewith model," wrote Alex Faaborg, a principal designer on the Firefox team up, on the Mozilla developers' usability meeting place last weekend.

Firefox Product Manager Asa Dotzler was the one WHO in the first place voiced the idea on the forum, but in point of fact, it hadn't til now been decided upon, Faaborg noticeable.

"On that point was a miscommunication inside of the UX team up, and Asa to his citation, adamantly defended us," he explained. "I really apprize Asa giving us the assurance and deferring to our decisiveness, merely in that case we didn't bear the design sized out enough ahead of time and we basically set him functioning."

Many own attacks were plainly directed at Dotzler in the lag, prompting Faaborg to post an open call for that critics "attack things non people."

Late in the week, Faaborg addicted one more than fourth dimension that "there are no plans to aline the version number. It will stay on in its current spot in the well-nig window, and we are going to continue with the actual numbering system."

'The Fourth Release of 2020'

I thought the whole original controversy was a second of a tempest in a teapot, as I noted when I covered it earlier this month, particularly given that the information would still deliver been available, and that Google's Chrome does something similar.

Still, I can see that some would take such a exchange as a loss of control concluded what is ease, after all, desktop software. Among all the discussion this past week, Faaborg actually proposes a many time-based numbering scheme for versions–referring to them as "the quaternary release of 2020," e.g.–and that seems like IT could be a good via media down the road.

It reminds me, in point of fact, of the way Ubuntu Linux versions are numbered 11.04 for an April 2011 release and 11.10 for an October 2011 firing, for example.

'We Sometimes Create Confusion'

In any causa, added to the ongoing controversy over Firefox's newborn fast secrete cycle per second, this latest uproar underscores the importance of clear communication when victimization an open and collaborative work approach the way Mozilla does.

As Faaborg notes in the Mozilla developers' useableness meeting place, "an attribute of working only in the open is that we sometimes create significant confusion as we talk about design work that is in progress. However the silver lining is that there is ne'er a shortage of feedback."

Ultimately, I would add, the open approach will also lead to a product that's closer to what users actually want.