FireFox Beta Survey Tests

[Winapp2.ini]

I dont know how many of you do the user studies in the new firefox betas, but one I just filled out foreshadowed some things I'm not sure how I feel about. It seemed to pertain a lot to paying for firefox addons and whether or not it would be acceptable to mandate it. I dont know if that'll be an implementation, but I find it somewhat worrying.

 

Anyone else have thoughts?

[Anomaly]

I dont know how many of you do the user studies in the new firefox betas, but one I just filled out foreshadowed some things I'm not sure how I feel about. It seemed to pertain a lot to paying for firefox addons and whether or not it would be acceptable to mandate it. I dont know if that'll be an implementation, but I find it somewhat worrying.

 

Anyone else have thoughts?

 

I have posted before on here about app stores and where they would lead and this is just the beginning. You can thank the Mac crowd for this crap. You will be paying out your arse for everything in the near future. Right now it's apps stores for apps on smart phones. There is also the iPad which has a locked down OS and you have to use the app store to put anything on. There is talk of Mac OS X going the same way (I will dump it so fast if it does). Google Chrome is in the process of opening an app store as I type this. it should up and running very soon and the addon site will be shut down. So I'm not surprised to hear Firefox might pull the same garbage. I will dump it if it does. That's the only way to fight this. The worse thing to do is make it a huge success like the iPhone users did. Unfortunately there are far too many ignorant computer users out there and they are jumping on this band wagon and they will damage us all in the process.

 

Here is the thread I started about it a while ago. Seems people didn't like my tone in the thread so they decided to disagree with me. Doesn't change the fact I was dead right and you are now seeing signs of what I was complaining about coming true. Get used to it because it's just the beginning.

[Winapp2.ini]

I cant see Mozilla, who has prided themselves on free and open software, mandating a cost for addons. I can see them adding it as an addition, but not a replacement.

[Hachuu]

Honestly i don't know how i fell about it. ON the iphone i like the idea because games shouldn't be free, it takes time and determination and money. But on the other hand when they have apps that do simple things that are 1-2 dollars is bull. I can learn the programming language and make an app myself if they are going to charge me. To me it depends on whats its on like browser or iPhone and what type of app or addon it is. I mean a freaking addon is not an game or a complex application, i mean dam i heard googles addons are written in Html and css, if so then i wouldn't pay for any thing, i mean ill just make it myself it will take just a time depending on the addon. Its a touchy subject.

 

I took the survey and i noticed that to, and i was a little worried when i saw it, but for an addon, not sure that sounds like a rip off, then again what addon. Addons like x-marks take time and money to make and keep alive, buts thats the only one i could think off, they already get donations.It can go both ways be a sharing community or pay for everything because well they took their time to make it, simple or not.

 

look at the apps on the iphone the developer don't get paid much and they are always getting screwed over by apple, maybe it will turn into a money game for Firefox, taking 10% or more on all the addons sold. Firefox is in my opinion the top because of its mature and stable addons and if i have to pay for them then I'll switch browsers. Hey i've been looking for a reason to switch this might be it.

 

Sorry for the long Post, i got a little crazy, once you start you cant stop lol

[Anomaly]

I cant see Mozilla, who has prided themselves on free and open software, mandating a cost for addons. I can see them adding it as an addition, but not a replacement.

Not mandate a cost for addons but force you to install them through a addon site and only that site and many will not be free. Even the iPhone/iPad app store has some free apps. Apple doesn't force the app developers to charge a fee but they make it impossible to install apps from anywhere else unless you hack the device and this makes it easy for the developers to charge you for the app. Blackberry has an app store, MS is looking at it for their mobile platform, Google Chrome browser is going to open an app store very soon and it will be set up to let the developers charge you for the apps. This is the way it's going to go. The ignorant computer user doesn't seem to mind being nickel and dimed to death for the "convenience" of going to one site and getting their apps. You think Mozilla is going to sit back and miss the opportunity when everyone else will be doing it. Time for everyone to jump to Linux because I can see MS and Mac locking down their OS and forcing you to install programs from an app store only. Mac is definitely headed there.

[Andavari]

There's only one whose name I won't mention that I'd even be willing to pay to use if it were at a reasonable enough fee, but even it is completely replaceable as an old well known alternative solution which is already built into all Windows versions. Very illusive I know, but I don't want to give the addon developer a clue to start charging for it.

[Anomaly]

There's only one whose name I won't mention that I'd even be willing to pay to use if it were at a reasonable enough fee, but even it is completely replaceable as an old well known alternative solution which is already built into all Windows versions. Very illusive I know, but I don't want to give the addon developer a clue to start charging for it.

Could you imagine a world where you paid for every program you put on the computer? Not only that but you paid for every addon to those programs? Now do this for multiple machines. This is a night mare scenario that software developers would love to see come true. Apple and their CEO Adolf Jobs would love for this to happen and are trying very hard to accomplish and are unfortunately succeeding. Once this guy locks down OS X and you are forced to install programs from an app store like the iPhone/iPad/iPodtouch already are and the fanboys suck this up it's all over from there. The flood gates will open and you will have app stores coming out your ears. Mozilla is putting out feelers with this beta survey. They are planning something.

 

I know this sounds alarmist but I would never have though that people would tolerate a locked down OS and being forced to install through one site called an app store but they have tolerated it and in fact embraced it. The implications from this are very scary.

Edited August 25, 2010 by DennisD