Firefox 3 and the WareBrowser
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It is about time for a rant over Firefox’s latest upgrade. After using FF 2 for some time, and growing to depend on it as many do, the latest version leaves alot to be desired in my view. 100 crashes and untold reboots later, finally I am about ready to switch to Flock, Safari or even . yes. IE. Switching browsers is a time consuming, mind numbing experience even for die hard Internet users, but “aggravation” is and always has been the number one cause for change on the Web.
Crash Without Actually Burning
Okay so what is the problem with a few crashes? Well, if it were just a few, then it would be no big deal. I know some will say; “You just have to visit the forums or the Mozilla this or that2, but beyond the cursory blocs and other safeguards, who the hell wants to redesign a browser every time they want to download or view something? The bottom line is - a browser is supposed to facilitate simple surfing and utilization of services - period. Crashing once at least per session is not the worst of it. having to reconfigure the browser and turn off every safety device and still be unable to download even the most prolific of tools is ludicrous.
Adobe Flash and the WareBrowser
To make this long story shorter, I should just get to the crux of this rant. I recently bought a new PC and on downloading FF I inappropriately assumed installing all plugins would be simple. Adobe Flash is one of them most popular add-ons int he world, one would think FF3 would just download and enable it. After about 2 hours of reading help docs and disabling all but the most rudimentary security functions, Adobe “anything” was still a no go with FF3. I know without a doubt there are thousands out there who went through this and that have the “answers” to this dilemma, b ut this is not the point. I WANT MY ADOBE - NOW. Instead, what I am confronted with is the web browser version of the WareRabbit rather than our quick witted fox friend. A carrot eating (memory), elusive, giant varmint of a tool that was once a foxy smart, friendly creature with flawless usability.
Just so everyone knows, I haven not used Internet Explorer in 3 years! Ironically, the installed version on the new PC downloaded the Adobe software instantly. This was no help for using FF3 to see my players on various blogs and sites however. In effect FF3 forced me to switch to IE, so imagine how many new users would dump Mozilla’s latest creation? Aside all the cool features of FF and its relative coolness, FF3 has had other problems as well. For one thing it is a memory hog of the first magnitude. I do not want to get into a technical debate over the stupid thing, because I already wasted too much time as it is just getting basic things back up and running.
Pooh Pooh’s For FF3 Users
Okay, it would be super if everyone would simply comment and leave their nightmare stories here. For one thing, I could engage people in a discussion, and also perhaps help Mozilla fix their FUBARRED new version. If you think it is just me griping, you should just check the links in this post. Any who want can gripe till the cows come home in comments. Personally, my view is FF “Fix it or be damned” to theMozilla development team. I hate IE and this really pisses me off. If Flock would listen to me and add the junk I need, I would already be using it as my browser of choice (please note, one of the things I asked them to fix was using FF at all). So, fair warning has been issued to FF and their uber engineers who seem to have cast the development to hell with over engineering. I know I can do a weekly rant over more than one bug.
Phil, I’m using FF 3.0.4 and I’m having all kinds of problems with it crashing, too. Prior to upgrading to this one, I had chosen to use NoAdobe then decided that it was too much of a hassle because it required that I sign into the website every time I wanted to use it. I then decided, “phooey on it.” And downloaded Adobe to the puter. Well, guess what? I ended up having to wipe the hard drive clean because the two, (Adobe and NoAdobe) didn’t want to play nice.
How that even happened is beyond me since NoAdobe is a website.
FF still crashes and at the weirdest times. I still have Adobe 9 installed but never even thought that it is the cause of FF’s crashes.
Are the crashes definitely linked to Adobe 9 and FF? Inquiring minds want to know, yanno.
Hi Ma,
I am not sure about the Adobe, as it seems to crash at weird times for me too. I was trying to install several Adobe elements and FF3 just did not like them I guess. I disabled and or enabled justn about everything FF has, finally it did allow me to install photoshop and flash.
Like most tools these days, the engineers in a good effort to supply more gadgets and fixes, have in effect over engineered the thing in my view. Like some TV remotes, after a while they engineer so many buttons that no one can find the channel changer or volume. Do we really need more browser add on’s?
Thanks for adding to the rant MA.
Always,
Phil
OMG, I’ve had FF3 crash on me so many times. It makes no sense. And don’t get me started on the AJAX issues…
Interesting. I haven’t had any issues like this with FF3. Although, if I did, I would probably be switching browsers.
Hey Kristen,
I know! FF2 was a superb browser and I seldom had issue with it. In point of fact, I would hardly complain about crashes. The moment I got disgusted and opened IE to download the Adobe stuff, I just snapped I guess.
If you are using one thing for a time, and get used to it, then it fails you miserable (over and over):::WELL need I say more. As an aside, one of my favorite Web 2.0 innovations is the Flock Browser.
If anyone cares, I switched over to it last night and it is beyond awesome in new features and somehow speed as well. I also got breaking news about Flock last night too, but cannot reveal it due to confidentiality. Suffice it to say that the other browsers and a few social networks will be looking behind themselves with a pained look on their face later today.
I do not even know why< I have not been using Flock all along. Probability because Shawn Hardin CEO of Flock - did not add my Stumble toolbar. in this latest offering, or one I might suggest to Shawn - we may not need the SU toolbar.
Thanks Kristen –
Always,
Phil
Hi Andrew,
I know my friend, many seem to have little or no issues with it. I do not have an answer on this one, but maybe someone at Mozilla can explain it.
Always,
Phil
FF 3 is painful to use. I am considering going back to IE.
Better send this before I crash.
cuzzy’s last blog post..25 reasons why Cuzoogle is thankful
FF3 can suck my proverbial testicles. I hate IE and I’ve been seriously contemplating scrapping Mozilla off my cpu for good. Such a disappointment. I slide past the accident that is Vista only to be taken down with Firefox.