Re: Removing Firefox Version Number

This is a cop-out.  Asa, you spend pages - paragraphs explaining your position from an "off-topic" perspective, but whenever someone hits the nail on the head you dismiss them and send them on their way, or flat out ignore them.

This subject is ENTIRELY RELEVANT.

Removing the Firefox Version Number empowers the clearly arrogant and self-interested developers and managers at Mozilla to patently ignore the responsibilities placed on them when such numbers exist.

Namely:  

  (a) distinguishing between SECURITY PATCHES, which inherently increase security and reliability, and FEATURE ADDITIONS, which inherently induce insecurity and instability.

It is a patent disservice and an abdication of responsibility to fail to recognize the above.  You make the case that if you are on a version that is not patched then you are insecure and need to upgrade - but it is hubris to say that a new version with new features is any more fundamentally secure, you may be right at times - but not always.

Don't want to observe "tabbed" window OS standard because you want to innovate, fine!  But unless you have reinvented the nature of software development (in which case we would KNOW since you are open source) then, well... it is a bad idea.


  (b) keeping the public and press apprised in a way that is not confusing, alienating, or otherwise misinformed.  

Complaining that journalists and people behave in a certain way and the web has certain idiosyncrasies which contradict your vision (as an organization) so you will just ignore them does not address the inherent responsibility you hold.

It may be time for Mozilla to lose any not-for-profit mentality and give up any illusions you still have that you adhere to the Mozilla mission if you are going to start dictating to the public how we are to use and communicate about your product.

Maybe some of us have picked up on the underlying issues, Asa.  You need to stop being so dismissive and consider just what EXACTLY it is that you are advocating (not your current perception - but the impact on reality).

IMHO, of course.