Firefox's crossroads: Cutting-edge or mainstream?
Summary
Mozilla has built the Firefox browser from a largely unsuccessful remnant of the Netscape era of the 1990s into the browser that nearly a quarter of people on the Web use. Now the challenges are different.
Topics
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--John Lilly wants it both ways.
Working at Mozilla Corporation since 2005 and as chief executive since early 2008, he helped oversee a remarkable achievement. Mozilla has built the Firefox browser from a largely unsuccessful remnant of the Netscape era of the 1990s into the browser that nearly a quarter of people on the Web use. Now the challenges are different.
First, for new growth, Mozilla must make its open-source browser appeal to an even more mainstream crowd, one that's more interested in working and playing online than in sticking it to Microsoft or being part of a cause. Second, it's got to keep the loyalty of the technically savvy early adopters and Web developers that Google now has been courting with its Chrome browser.
The world changed for Mozilla when Chrome burst onto the scene in 2008. Mozilla didn't see itself as complacent, but Chrome was a wake-up call that "clarified some of our priorities," Lilly said, including snappy performance.
For more, read "Firefox's crossroads: Cutting-edge or mainstream?" from CNET News.
Talkback Most Recent of 11 Talkback(s)
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Chrome burst onto the scene?
More like tiptoed in and took a seat in the corner. The only thing Chrome brings to the table is a little bit more speed. They have to do better than that!
jdakula21st Oct 2009 -
Just a little bit more speed, eh?
When Chrome launched no other browser could touch the javascript performance.
Other things we hadn't seen: Tabs up top. While you might say it's aesthetic, there's a reason other browsers are following suit. Lets also not forget per-tab processes. No other browser was attempting to alleviate the symptoms of a single-threaded web. Chrome changed that. Per-tab processes also allowed Chrome to be the first browser to reclaim system resources when a tab was closed. Then there's incognito mode, anti-phishing, and Chrome apps.
Of course, you've forgotten that Google either had most of these things first or approached them in radically new ways because they open sourced the whole thing and other browsers (smartly) were quick to integrate the best features of Chrome.
ericesque21st Oct 2009 -
Wrong
at least in these:
"Other things we hadn't seen: Tabs up top"
Opera had this before. You could hide the menu bar and have exactly what you say.
"Lets also not forget per-tab processes. No other browser was attempting to alleviate the symptoms of a single-threaded web"
A version of IE8 (Beta 2 I think, not sure) had a similar feature (not implemented exactly like in Chrome) and was made available to the general public little before the launch of Chrome.
"incognito mode"
Safari had private browsing way before Chrome
"anti-phishing"
Present in Firefox (and IE and Opera) before that. Heck, Firefox even used the blacklist used by Google before Chrome even existed.
markbn21st Oct 2009 -
Please re-read my post then insert foot in mouth
particularly this part:
"...or approached them in radically new ways..."
Thanks.ericesque21st Oct 2009 -
There is no radical way in which those features
were different from the ones in other browsers that I mentioned. Unless you can point it out ...markbn21st Oct 2009 -
You don't really have much clue, do you?
What radical ways? Enumerate them, o craftful onene. Don't expect people to go wow at your generic statement that says nada.
Chrome has done nothing new. While getting privy to Mozilla, Google basically saw an opportunity in the browser market and went for it.
With a browser offering that has NO features, and has font issues that belong in COBOL era. When they have features, let's compare an apple to an apple.
Until then, stfu and go use your IE5.
Cyberpundit23rd Oct 2009 -
It's tiresome...
...the way that Firefox fanboys insist on defending the indefensible. How quickly the upstart challenger turns into the complacent incumbent. Don't they see the obvious comparison with Microsoft? The fact is that Firefox devs ignored speed and memory use for a long time, and have often preferred to defend ideological positions rather than do what is in the interests of users. Being better than IE is good, but not good enough. You have to keep raising your game.
LordLiverpool22nd Oct 2009 -
IE8 had per-tab processes before Chrome was even announced
Go look it up. I've posted the links before, I'm not going to the trouble this time.
sagec25th Oct 2009 -
Chrome with features will be slow too
Chrome is like a naked tribal. When it comes into civilization and puts on clothes, it'll look pretty much like other browsers. Safari is a contender, but same thing -- where are the plugins that work for FREE on Windows too?Cyberpundit23rd Oct 2009 -
Chrome brought something else
Brings Google spyware to a browser. That, we really need!
jorjitop27th Oct 2009 -
What Am I Doing Wrong Then?
Chrome FLIES on my dual core 1.73GHZ 2GB RAM Ubuntu 9.10 machine. Ive done nothing special other than install it.
Ive tried every browser going but I have never seen anything work this fast. No problems with flash either. If Google OS is this good say goodbye to Microsoft AND Ubuntu's marketshare.
cpt_slog@...28th Oct 2009
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