Spread Firefox

[esnetsc]

Our first campaign (1 million downloads in 10 days) was a smashing success.

Time for our second campaign: over the next 10 days, let's register another 10,000 users for Spread Firefox.

Doubling the number of registered users on sfx will allow us to reach out to exponentially more people for future campaigns and will become an important resource to tap into as we continue to spread Firefox.

So roll up your sleeves, bust open your contact list, and tell all your friends about Spread Firefox!

To give you an extra reason to spread the word, click on the "my account" link in the toolbar at the top of the left-hand column and you'll see a new area called "User Referral Credit". Make sure to use the URL in that box when you're inviting friends to sign up. You'll get 2 points each time one of your friends registers from the page found at your link. And, yeah, if you have 5 different email accounts, you could probably cheat and get 10 points for nothing. But that wouldn't do much to help Spread Firefox, now would it?

--Bart, on behalf of the sfx team

http://www.spreadfirefox.com/

Let's help them out guy's. Thank's

They are at 7,586 Downloads and 0 day left.
You can see the Progress bar (http://www.spreadfirefox.com/progress_meter/image.php?campaign=two) here.

[+Daemon+]

been running it, got 5 people here at work running it

[esnetsc]

been running it, got 5 people here at work running it

Cool v1.0 PR

[geeksRus]

i like Firefox...but this guy has some legitimate points:

Firefox has a grassroots marketing campaign underway where they’re trying to get bloggers to add a Firefox button to their blogs. Asa Dotzler recently sent me an email asking me to participate.

We noticed and appreciate your repeated recommendations for Firefox at your weblog and we were hoping that you would further help get the word out by adding a small Firefox button to your blog. The image is hosted at mozilla.org and the code to add it is some very simple HTML. We depend on word of mouth (or of blog) and we appreciate your helping to spread the word with positive blog posts. If you’re interested in helping with this effort, you can find the buttons at http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/buttons.html.

Actually, I don’t think I ever have recommended Firefox. I use it and do talk about it on occasion, but I think the browser has some way to go before I’d recommend it to the general population. Something as simple as upgrading from one version to another needs to be seamless and not break things before I’d suggest that everyone use Firefox. I understand why at this stage of Firefox development upgrades sometimes need to break things, but it’s still not okay to the average user.

Aggressively marketing Firefox before it is a completely stable product is dangerous. You’re running the risk of having people trying it out and being put off by the bugs, never again to return.

Other problems with the browser include…

It doesn’t entirely act like a native application on all platforms.
Popup blocking is sometimes over-aggressive. Popups launched from a positive user action (like clicking a link) should ALWAYS work. This is a tough one to get right, I know. And don’t tell me about the whitelist. The average user isn’t going to add lots of entries to the whitelist.
No “Go” buttons next to the address bar and search bar by default. Many, many users need a button to click. They don’t know that just hitting enter will do the trick. The Address bar and search fields are also too similar. “Why do I have two fields and which one do I type ‘yahoo.com’ into so I can start using the Internet?” Yes, I know you can add the button, but if I need a button, there’s no way I’m going to be able to figure out how to do THAT.
The launch problem in Windows ME needs to be solved. Yes, Windows ME sucks, but lots of people use it, and getting an error message every time they click a URL shortcut in the OS is bad. Error messages are scary to the average user.
Firefox right now is very good for an experienced net user, but is not at all ready for the average person. If you plan on targeting the general public, you need to understand the general public.

Most Web users don’t know what a browser is. That blue E they click on the desktop isn’t a browser, it’s “The Internet.” Or maybe it’s “Yahoo” if that’s what their home page is set to. Tell them to download a new browser and they don’t understand what you mean. I put Firefox on my wife’s computer and removed the IE link. She asked why she didn’t have My Yahoo on the computer anymore. My wife’s not stupid — to her the IE logo is how she got to the Web. Without that, she didn’t know how to get to My Yahoo.

You’d be shocked how many people don’t understand what a URL is and what the address bar is for. When they need to go to a site, they close the browser, re-open it so they get the MSN or Yahoo home page, and enter the URL into the search box. How about integrating the address bar and the search field? If what I entered isn’t a URL, pass it to Google.

It’s time to stop thinking like developers and start thinking like users. For evidence that the Firefox team thinks like developers you don’t need to go any farther than the Firefox home page. Let’s look over that page and put ourselves into the user’s shoes…

Firefox 0.9 is the award winning preview of Mozilla’s next generation browser.

What’s a preview? Does that mean I can’t use it. Is it like a demonstration or something? And what’s a next-generation browser? I thought this thing was supposed to help me use the Internet.

View more than one web page in a single window

You have to be a serious power user to appreciate that feature. Many people only have a single window open all the time anyway. If they need another window, they close the first one.

Firefox keeps your computer safe from malicious spyware by not loading harmful ActiveX controls.

What’s an activeX control? What’s spyware? All I want is to stop getting all those stupid programs I didn’t ask for.

Firefox is the most customizable browser on the planet.

There’s that browser word again. What is it? And why would I customize it? Does that mean that this won’t work when I get it? I’m going to have to work on it to get it working?

Use the adaptive search system to allow you to search an infinite number of engines.

Why are they talking about engines here? I though this was something for my internet, not my car.

The new Easy Transition system imports all of your settings - Favorites, passwords and other data from Internet Explorer and other browsers.

I don’t know what that means. Maybe if I get this thing, the way I use the Internet is going to change. All I want is a way to use the Internet without getting all that junk. I don’t want to have to change my passwords and stuff to do that.

Firefox comes with a standard set of developer tools including a powerful JavaScript and CSS error/warning console, and an optional Document Inspector that gives unheard of insight into how your pages work.

Uh-oh, now I know why I didn’t understand all that stuff. This thing’s something that programmers use.

[TripleRLtd]

Long "rant" there Geeks.
BTW:
We have our own user here "spreading the word" rather well. Goes by the name of imaeditedbysuwolu.

[+Daemon+]

ive always been using mozilla, but firefox has some nice userfriendly features, kinda wierd to get used to from mozilla, but its really nice and fast

[Titchski]

Chalk another one up for Firefox, Thunderbird (mail) and Sunbird (calendar).

Best Slackware browser since Lynx :thumbs:

[imaeditedbysowulo]

i like Firefox...but this guy has some legitimate points:

Firefox has a grassroots marketing campaign underway where they’re trying to get bloggers to add a Firefox button to their blogs. Asa Dotzler recently sent me an email asking me to participate.

We noticed and appreciate your repeated recommendations for Firefox at your weblog and we were hoping that you would further help get the word out by adding a small Firefox button to your blog. The image is hosted at mozilla.org and the code to add it is some very simple HTML. We depend on word of mouth (or of blog) and we appreciate your helping to spread the word with positive blog posts. If you’re interested in helping with this effort, you can find the buttons at http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/buttons.html.

Actually, I don’t think I ever have recommended Firefox. I use it and do talk about it on occasion, but I think the browser has some way to go before I’d recommend it to the general population. Something as simple as upgrading from one version to another needs to be seamless and not break things before I’d suggest that everyone use Firefox. I understand why at this stage of Firefox development upgrades sometimes need to break things, but it’s still not okay to the average user.

Aggressively marketing Firefox before it is a completely stable product is dangerous. You’re running the risk of having people trying it out and being put off by the bugs, never again to return.

Other problems with the browser include…

It doesn’t entirely act like a native application on all platforms.
Popup blocking is sometimes over-aggressive. Popups launched from a positive user action (like clicking a link) should ALWAYS work. This is a tough one to get right, I know. And don’t tell me about the whitelist. The average user isn’t going to add lots of entries to the whitelist.
No “Go” buttons next to the address bar and search bar by default. Many, many users need a button to click. They don’t know that just hitting enter will do the trick. The Address bar and search fields are also too similar. “Why do I have two fields and which one do I type ‘yahoo.com’ into so I can start using the Internet?” Yes, I know you can add the button, but if I need a button, there’s no way I’m going to be able to figure out how to do THAT.
The launch problem in Windows ME needs to be solved. Yes, Windows ME sucks, but lots of people use it, and getting an error message every time they click a URL shortcut in the OS is bad. Error messages are scary to the average user.
Firefox right now is very good for an experienced net user, but is not at all ready for the average person. If you plan on targeting the general public, you need to understand the general public.

Most Web users don’t know what a browser is. That blue E they click on the desktop isn’t a browser, it’s “The Internet.” Or maybe it’s “Yahoo” if that’s what their home page is set to. Tell them to download a new browser and they don’t understand what you mean. I put Firefox on my wife’s computer and removed the IE link. She asked why she didn’t have My Yahoo on the computer anymore. My wife’s not stupid — to her the IE logo is how she got to the Web. Without that, she didn’t know how to get to My Yahoo.

You’d be shocked how many people don’t understand what a URL is and what the address bar is for. When they need to go to a site, they close the browser, re-open it so they get the MSN or Yahoo home page, and enter the URL into the search box. How about integrating the address bar and the search field? If what I entered isn’t a URL, pass it to Google.

It’s time to stop thinking like developers and start thinking like users. For evidence that the Firefox team thinks like developers you don’t need to go any farther than the Firefox home page. Let’s look over that page and put ourselves into the user’s shoes…

Firefox 0.9 is the award winning preview of Mozilla’s next generation browser.

What’s a preview? Does that mean I can’t use it. Is it like a demonstration or something? And what’s a next-generation browser? I thought this thing was supposed to help me use the Internet.

View more than one web page in a single window

You have to be a serious power user to appreciate that feature. Many people only have a single window open all the time anyway. If they need another window, they close the first one.

Firefox keeps your computer safe from malicious spyware by not loading harmful ActiveX controls.

What’s an activeX control? What’s spyware? All I want is to stop getting all those stupid programs I didn’t ask for.

Firefox is the most customizable browser on the planet.

There’s that browser word again. What is it? And why would I customize it? Does that mean that this won’t work when I get it? I’m going to have to work on it to get it working?

Use the adaptive search system to allow you to search an infinite number of engines.

Why are they talking about engines here? I though this was something for my internet, not my car.

The new Easy Transition system imports all of your settings - Favorites, passwords and other data from Internet Explorer and other browsers.

I don’t know what that means. Maybe if I get this thing, the way I use the Internet is going to change. All I want is a way to use the Internet without getting all that junk. I don’t want to have to change my passwords and stuff to do that.

Firefox comes with a standard set of developer tools including a powerful JavaScript and CSS error/warning console, and an optional Document Inspector that gives unheard of insight into how your pages work.

Uh-oh, now I know why I didn’t understand all that stuff. This thing’s something that programmers use.


All very good points and I agree that they need to make certain points more stupidproof.

However, I think most people are intelligent enough to figure out there way around and get to the pages they really need to get to with Firefox. I put it on a complete moron's computer and he didn't even notice the difference except the icon was a different color. That and I didn't have to come over the next week to remove all the spyware from his PC. First week all summer I haven't had to mess with his PC.

I guess my point is that as long as the PC is not rendered completely unusable, which IE has been known to have a part in causing, the complete idiots of computers can deal with a different browser. The trick is that you don't tell them it's a different browser, you tell them that an update has come out which removes some of the things they were used to having, but that the end result is that they will see you (the technician) a lot less often and their computer won't end up completely hosed twice a year.

It's up to technicians to spread the word and help the idiots of the world with their computers. Sadly it seems most techs would rather keep the business coming in than do a permanent fix. That's what I've noticed in my experiences anyhow.

[Darksteel]

I switched to Firefox about a month ago, and my only big beef is that I want middle click to just pull up my scroll icon. I don't want a page in a new tab and I don't want a page in a new window. I don't want it to do ANYTHING but let me scroll.

Since we're on the subject...anyone know how to make that happen?

[imaeditedbysowulo]

I switched to Firefox about a month ago, and my only big beef is that I want middle click to just pull up my scroll icon. I don't want a page in a new tab and I don't want a page in a new window. I don't want it to do ANYTHING but let me scroll.

Since we're on the subject...anyone know how to make that happen?


Excellent point. I didn't realize that was what was happening, but I've done that before. Hmmmmmm...

[TripleRLtd]

It's up to technicians to spread the word and help the idiots of the world with their computers. Sadly it seems most techs would rather keep the business coming in than do a permanent fix. That's what I've noticed in my experiences anyhow.I have to agree with everything you say here. (except calling users "idiots" of course) And, have you noticed the few threads about "malware" where some techs here talk about how much money it's making them? I don't know about that. But, I guess everyone is different. I would think that us techs would do everything in our limited power to provide a "limited risk" system to common users. Don't you?

[MobilePCPhysician]

As a home/business tech company, I'll make my money fixing ie, fixing malware, spyware, etc, or installing Firefox, Mozilla, and then time spent teaching, training, answering phone calls about that new button,"What does that do?"
That's the button right next to the one that says "help".

Unfortunately, the business customers that we have been able to put in Mozilla, Firefox, are way less than the ones in the home market.

If computers were guns, you'd read in the paper everyday, of thousands of people shooting themselves,,,,,,



Forty years from now, we will be the TV repairmen of the 80's, but I'll have made my riches and be dead...http://forums.windrivers.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[meatwad]

We usually go with Moz for home users, but most of us have T-bird and FF.

[Camaro80z]

All hail the power that is IE 4.0 ! It is without a doubt the greatest browser ever created! :thumbs:

[Tekboy]

While I have no particular preference between browsers for Windows these days, I do take exception to the way the person came in here going rah-rah- for some particular piece of software, and in effect, asking us to be spammers.

Be sure to pass this along to all your contacts indeed! :flame:

[Khazad]

i agree on most of your points, except that spyware has prety much become a household term. As for me i do set up firefox on any system i build/repair personally because the 30min it takes to train the users to use firefox saves me hours removing spyware/malware and in extreme cases repairing os'es. and in the end most people are impressed with how well firefox works once you getthe started.

[GreenGrime]

I am posting this using Firefox.

I have been using Netscape, Mozilla and now Firefox on and off throughout my career and have to say I like what they've done with this latest iteration.

The problem is, home users will not feel comfortable if they don't see exactly what their buddies see on screen. Even if it is the superior product, market adoption is going to be hard to do when a tech has to put back IE because "that's not what the Jones' have on their screen".

[Jeff the Brit]

I've been using Firefox since 0.7 on my personal box. I've installed it for many of my customers, especially the porn fans :) Once set up with Flash , Shockwave, Acrobat plugins and a bunch of useful extensions, it's simple enough for complete beginners to use.
Someone commented about the scroll wheel /button thing. That's one of my favourite features! ... to the point where I get annoyed if I have to use an IE machine. The tabs I love too. IE was a pain with multiple windows open, I've always surfed that way, read one while the others load in the background, hangover from dialup days.
About the only grouse I've got is that some extensions stop working when upgrading to a new version. It's a small price to pay for the freedom from crap installing itself without so much as a by your leave.

[WebHead]

I've been using it for about a month or two for personal use and really like it a lot. My spyware has been reduced to ZERO (not that I had that much before, but still). :cool:

[gizmo1_1]

Firefox has been great. Been using it for some time now. I make sure I install it on my new PCs that go out of the shop.

[Cleetus]

Been playing with it the past couple days. For the most part I am going away from it.

2 reasons

With XP IE in forum use, a simple back button press checks for new posts and clears the ones I have read. I like that feature a lot, doesn't do this with this program

Was at another forum and every page I got script errors, it went slow, and had problems. Switched back to IE, all was good and fast.

[TripleRLtd]

Ditto. Try Mozilla and do a copy and paste op. Prepare to use key combos instead of a simple right click.

[Darksteel]

Err...I never use right click anymore to begin with. Heck, I pride myself on days I get through work without using the mouse at all.