Is Firefox Doomed?

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
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It’s a double whammy for Firefox. Not only has the browser been usurped by Chrome as the number two browser behind Internet Explorer, but the partnership with Google is about to expire after a three year run. The deal with Google netted Firefox about 84% of Firefox’s revenue and the likelihood of Google renewing the contract seems remote.

The value once inherent in being the default search engine in Firefox has declined as Google's tentacles have extended into the browser and mobile spaces and Firefox's growth has slowed.
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about time. havent used FF in over 4 years. Strictly Chrome and IE.
 
I wouldnt think so. It does look like Chrome is going to last as the 2nd most used browser but I doubt seriously if Firefox will fold. I mean, Opera is still hanging around and theyve got a minuscule share of the market. Plus, Firefox has a boat load of loyal users that wont be changing simply because of a search engine change. I say theyll be alright.
 
Sorry to say it, but FF has been illiterate and unable to read the writing on the wall. Chrome is a great browser and I feel IE has really redeemed itself. That being said I've gone from strictly FF to mainly IE, some Chrome and barely use FF at all. I will say FF still does render some Java apps nicely.
 
The day Chrome has better APB support, supports HTTPS anywhere, and stops giving me search results based on my geo location, the day I leave FF, as of right now, I prefer IE to Chrome.
 
Just a quick observation:
Prop up FF with support
Learn FF strengths and weaknesses
Build similar system
Gain significant market share
End support of FF
 
armand45 said:
The day Chrome has better APB support, supports HTTPS anywhere, and stops giving me search results based on my geo location, the day I leave FF, as of right now, I prefer IE to Chrome.
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uhmmm... APB=Ad Block Plus, sorry about the typo.
 
How many people who use Chrome actually made a conscious decision to do so? It pulls every borderline-malware tactic to install itself onto people's computers these days. How much crap is it bundled with?

The thing that is significant about firefox is that the people who use it aren't generally just using whatever browser that came on their computer (IE) or some browser they got tricked into installing (Chrome) but a browser that they actually decided to seek out because they wanted a better alternative.
 
armand45 said:
The day Chrome has better APB support, supports HTTPS anywhere, and stops giving me search results based on my geo location, the day I leave FF, as of right now, I prefer IE to Chrome.
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Pretty much the same thoughts I have. Chrome will never support the things needed for complete ad blocking, because Google lives off advertising.

So, it's FF for me.
 
armand45 said:
uhmmm... APB=Ad Block Plus, sorry about the typo.
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Google is an advertising company. The reason their ABP support sucks is obvious. With Chrome you can expect that the only features you will be allowed to use are features that Google approves of.
 
Why would people use Chrome now? It's not faster anymore and it uses more memory. It's not especially stable either and has nonexistent crash recovery. And on all the other points it has always been worse.
I've been using Chromium for some heavy websites in the past but with the new Firefox releases I get both usability (of pentadactyl mostly) and speed.
 
Seems like they update Firefox every other month or so. It's on what, Firefox 8 now?

3.6 > all.
 
I'm a firefox guy but I worry about their longevity. I've got a buddy who works there who has offered me a position in the past but I just don't see the long term unless they changed something.

Great place to work though, especially if you dig a multiplatform environment.
 
I made a conscious decision to use IE9. Maybe it's the word fragmentation that scares me. I don't like the idea of different brands/titles/whatever running in my PC. I prefer sticking with one, and a sprinkle of other brands.
 
GotNoRice said:
Google is an advertising company. The reason their ABP support sucks is obvious. With Chrome you can expect that the only features you will be allowed to use are features that Google approves of.
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Exactly. This is the main reason I refuse to use Chrome. Every streaming site I've used Chrome on always let one or two ads through, it absolutely irked me.
 
I switched for FF to Chrome about a year ago and havent looked back.
 
BDS23 said:
I made a conscious decision to use IE9. Maybe it's the word fragmentation that scares me. I don't like the idea of different brands/titles/whatever running in my PC. I prefer sticking with one, and a sprinkle of other brands.
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Malware writers love you.
 
Im with some of the others, until Chrome gets better ad block support, noscript, and a download manager extension I wont even think of leaving ff
 
Dumb article is dumb. Google will not give up 25% of the browser market. The deal will be resigned.
 
GotNoRice said:
How many people who use Chrome actually made a conscious decision to do so? It pulls every borderline-malware tactic to install itself onto people's computers these days. How much crap is it bundled with?

The thing that is significant about firefox is that the people who use it aren't generally just using whatever browser that came on their computer (IE) or some browser they got tricked into installing (Chrome) but a browser that they actually decided to seek out because they wanted a better alternative.
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this is a primary reason i refuse to use chrome and the majority of anything else that google puts out.

That said I have issues with firefox as well, even when they trim the fat of their really bloated variations...they manage to break something or other (8 seems to be shitting all over flash and some pdf integration for me). I've been using it since its first iteration and while i'll keep it around it needs to get some things cleaned up.

As it is i find myself using IE9 more and more and it may become my primary browser.
 
Ive heard that before about Chrome but it doesnt on mine. It didnt show up on my or my wife's computer until I downloaded and installed it there.

How is Google forcing or tricking users into installing Chrome on their computer?
 
GotNoRice said:
How many people who use Chrome actually made a conscious decision to do so? It pulls every borderline-malware tactic to install itself onto people's computers these days. How much crap is it bundled with?

The thing that is significant about firefox is that the people who use it aren't generally just using whatever browser that came on their computer (IE) or some browser they got tricked into installing (Chrome) but a browser that they actually decided to seek out because they wanted a better alternative.
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This a 1000 times. Chrome came as bloat ware on my new laptop and it wouldn't even uninstall properly. Had to manually remove it...
 
I'm not giving up my Firefox Sync. I use Nightly 64-bit and I like it much better than Chrome.
 
FF was once better than IE, chrome beats both...

but not FF is a slow lumbering piece of shit...Even IE 8 is better than FF now.
 
FF has really become bloated and slow from my experience. Time for a complete overhaul.
 
I recently tried Chrome and am very pleased with its speed and sleek look. After several years of using FF a ton and a little of Opera, Chrome is my browser of choice.
 
I switched from IE to Firefox, because Firefox was the much better alternative back in the day. These days, Firefox still works, and I haven't really seen a benefit of switching to another browser, so I'll just stick with FF.
 
Still using firefox. No plans on switching. Chrome doesn't offer anything better.
 
never used chrome, only use FF + noscript & i'm not changing those habits until someone can prove another browser is more secure
 
Absolutely not switching unless Chrome is overwhelmingly better than Firefox. As much as I love Google now, they're starting to worry me. They way the browser is tightly controlled and inflexible is just another reason.
 
SLiGuy said:
Seems like they update Firefox every other month or so. It's on what, Firefox 8 now?

3.6 > all.
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Pretty much my view, having tried all the way to FF7, I reverted back to 3.6. It was perfect, not sure why they need to reinvent themselves every month.
 
I don't understand some of the other arguments here against Chrome? It has Adblock Plus it has Crash Recovery its light weight and fast. I have both FF and Chrome and prefer Chrome. I don't live with 50 ad ons I just have an Avast add on and a simple ABP nothing else so I guess that plays into it aswell.
 
Stopped using FF after it was crashing so often it was actually getting in the way of just about anything I was doing on the internet. No plug-ins or anything, just vanilla FF.

Switched to Chrome (my wife had been using it and enjoyed it well enough) and I really haven't had any trouble since.
 
Firefox can trace its lineage back over 15 years ago to Netscape, while browser popularity will come and go, I think Firefox has the staying power to last much longer. I still prefer it to any other browser, and have since my Netscape days in the mid 90's.
 
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