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from the I-use-Lynx,-you-insensitive-clod! dept.
Firefox Browser Use Drops As Mozilla's Worst Microsoft Edge Fears Come True
Back in April, we reported that the Edge browser is quickly gaining market share now that Microsoft has transitioned from the EdgeHTML engine to the more widely used Chromium engine (which also underpins Google's Chrome browser). At the time, Edge slipped into the second-place slot for desktop web browsers, with a 7.59 percent share of the market. This dropped Mozilla's Firefox – which has long been the second-place browser behind Chrome – into third place.
Now, at the start of August, we're getting some fresh numbers in for the desktop browser market, and things aren't looking good for Mozilla. Microsoft increased its share of the browser market from 8.07 percent in June to 8.46 percent in July. Likewise, Firefox fell from 7.58 percent to 7.27 percent according to NetMarketShare.
[...] As for Mozilla, the company wasn't too happy when Microsoft first announced that it was going to use Chromium for Edge way back in December 2018. Mozilla's Chris Beard at the time accused Microsoft of "giving up" by abandoning EdgeHTML in favor of Chromium. "Microsoft's decision gives Google more ability to single-handedly decide what possibilities are available to each one of us," said Beard at the time. "We compete with Google because the health of the internet and online life depend on competition and choice."
[...] Microsoft developer Kenneth Auchenberg fought back the following January, writing, "Thought: It's time for Mozilla to get down from their philosophical ivory tower. The web is dominated by Chromium, if they really *cared* about the web they would be contributing instead of building a parallel universe that's used by less than 5 percent."
Is the browser monoculture inevitable or will Firefox hang in there?
Previously:
Mozilla Teases Chromium-Based Firefox, Then Pulls Back
Firefox Tops Microsoft Browser Market Share for First Time
Netmarketshare Claims Mozilla Firefox Usage Drops Below Ten Percent
Microsoft Intercepting Firefox, Chrome Installation on Windows 10 Insider Build
Microsoft Reportedly Building a Chromium-Based Web Browser to Replace Edge, and "Windows Lite" OS
Mozilla CEO Warns Microsoft's Switch to Chromium Will Give More Control of the Web to Google
Microsoft Employee Sparks Outrage by Suggesting Firefox Switch Browser Engine to Chromium
Mozilla Was "Outfoxed" by Google
Microsoft Edge Shares Privacy-Busting Telemetry, Research Alleges
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 04 2020, @09:00AM (4 children)
Mozilla did wrong not with newer versions, problems started even in 4.0.
Since version 4, it looks like Mozilla changed their target - while in previous versions it was mostly for mid-range and power users who know that changing settings usually leads to some effects, in next ones they decided to be another AOL or Chrome - a non-configurable tool for everyone. While there were browsers for everyone, there was IE, Opera and emerging Chrome.
So, this is OK for marketing purposes - customer must not know too much and the ad must be accepted right now, not after reading documentation. The problem is that it's just not Mozilla's way.
I remember that it started when they donated their Apple buildfarm, then there was some financing scandal, and then the thing fell apart. In earlier versions most addons just worked from the download, even if made for previous version. Now every release addons must be updated. So it's not just "for users, by users" who needed a fix for some problem so solved it, but by companies who have money to invest in constant programmer's work. And companies have business plans to fulfill by any cost, also user's trust - company will just emerge as another one, while Mozilla will not.
Next, removal of options. Usually phasing out should be made by moving something to "as an option". Not moving it then to about:config, then as addon, and then abandoning this addon. So instead of things which could be customized, expanded and adapted, they made another Chromium clone. Integration of spyware add-ons which stores user's content with shady conditions was another step towards being Chrome and make power users jump on forks.
Mozilla discouraged their biggest target users group and there were better options for other groups...
So... what they expected?
I think it's another open source initiative ran by clerks from some foundation. Someone did a thing 5 years ago in totally different goal and conditions, it must then work for us.
(Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Tuesday August 04 2020, @01:55PM
It's hard to get it right - that sweet spot where you attract fanbois with all the geeky features, while still being accessible to noobs. In the heady 0s there was google, linux, mozilla, but I can't think of any outfit that gets it right nowadays, except maybe GNU/Linux (and that is going the way of systemd). Maybe some of the open social media protocols we occasionally hear about will hit threshold and make it big?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 04 2020, @07:20PM (2 children)
You can still customize firefox. You put your most of your non-ui customization settings into the user.js file:
~/.mozilla/firefox/default.profile$ wc -l user.js
878 user.js
And, you can make the UI look just about any way you like too:
~/.mozilla/firefox/default.profile$ wc -l chrome/userChrome.css
325 chrome/userChrome.css
So, for "power users" the knobs, and switches are still available. Both of these files have been around forever, and continue to be supported.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 04 2020, @07:45PM
Oh really. Can you make the tabs vertical? And don't tell me about hiding horizontal tab bar and installing an extension that replicates it in the vertical format.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 05 2020, @07:03AM
userChrome.css has to be enabled as "legacy" in about:config
so get your butt cheeks nice and lubed for when they ram a giant fist deep in there and rip it out after the next upgrade