Re: Why should ordinary user have to tweak the program after updating?

On 11/15/2011 5:01 PM, Desiree wrote:
> "Greywolf"<[email protected]>  wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>  From mozilla.support.thunderbird:
>>
>> On 14/11/2011 6:05 PM, Ron Hunter wrote:
>> [...]
>>> I have been using Firefox for as long as it has been in existence, even
>>> by its previous names, and the current versions are the most stable I
>>> have seen.  There are several things that users can do to assure
>>> stability.  First, make a new profile if you are having strange problems
>>> no one else seems to have.
>>> Second, disable all your extensions, and see if that gets rid of your
>>> instability.  If it does, then add them back 1/2 at a time, and find the
>>> culprit.
>>> Third, don't try to keep a FF session active for a month, or even a
>>> week.  This kind of software isn't designed for long-term continuous
>>> use.
>>> Fourth, make sure that if you use themes, and/or personas, they are
>>> designed for your version.
>>> Fifth,  Disable, or uninstall plugins you don't need, and USE.  This may
>>> include Java, WMV, etc., IF you don't use them.
>>> Sixth, make sure that you send crash reports to Mozilla.
>>> Seventh, keep your version CURRENT.
>>> Eighth, make sure that when you install a new version, your firewall
>>> recognizes it.
>> [...]
>> Ron, I know you mean well, and it's all excellent advice.
>>
>> However, the days of leaving it up to the user are long past. The average
>> naive user, who just wants to surf ans facebook and such isn't going to do
>> any of this stuff. And IMO (s)he shouldn't have to. Releasing updates that
>> require precautionary maintenance in order to work as they should is
>> something that's OK for hobbyists, but not for ordinary users.
>>
>> Cross-posted to mozilla.dev.usability, where I'm probably being ignored.
>> ;-(.
>>
>> HTH
>> Wolf K.
>
> Why would a browser NOT be designed to have a session active for a month? I
> know Fx is not but Opera is so why not Fx? Why would you think a user should
> be delighted to have to continuously open and close Fx? It takes time to
> reopen the last session when that session has 50-100 tabs. Fx should be
> stable enough, without excessive RAM usage and proper release of RAM when
> minimized to the task bar for long periods, to not need to be closed and
> reopened more than once a month.  With Opera, you never shut down because
> that shuts down Unite and then others cannot fetch files off your file
> server, etc.  Besides who wants to have to restart Fx frequently? That is an
> irritant that should not be a part of any browser. Opera properly releases
> RAM on minimization. I read yesterday that Memshrink team says part of the
> RAM problem with Fx is memory leakage from extensions but if the RAM problem
> can be solved then Fx should be stable enough to not require shutdown except
> when one is forced to reboot their computer which for desktop users might be
> once or twice a month (Microsoft Tuesdays).
>
>
I totally disagree with the idea that an application should be left 
running when not in use.  Loading FF on my system takes only a couple of 
seconds, and assures that I get a minimal system load each time I 
restart.  Most of the problems with FF RAM usage growing when minimized 
relate to extensions, or so I am told.  As for Opera, that is quite off 
topic, and if, as you say, it sets up a file server for sharing, would 
violate my ISP terms of service.  I reboot mostly when I do MS updates, 
but some programs still require a reboot when installing, or 
uninstalling, so keeping FF up all the time isn't likely if you do a lot 
of installing, and uninstalling.  As for the time to load 50-100 tabs, 
that is no longer an issue as they won't load until clicked on. 
Frankly, the idea of keeping 50-100 tabs open is just as unreasonable as 
keeping a FF session up for a month.  According to Testpilot runs, only 
3% of users ever use more than 10 tabs.  I normally use no more than 4 
or 5, and that is pretty rare.
Note that if your program releases RAM when minimized, then the restart 
of it will take almost as long as if it had been terminated, and will 
greatly increase the memory fragmentation, and overhead for memory 
management.