Mozilla phancies doing a Phorm

Noreen · May 19, 2008, 18:37:20

QuoteThe Phorm bug is spreading. The idea of collecting a user's browsing history and flogging that data doesn't just appeal to ISPs. The Mozilla Foundation, the people behind the Firefox browser, want some of that action too.................

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/19/firefox_data_snoop/

Rik · May 19, 2008, 18:39:29

QuoteCryptome puts it more succinctly - "Firefox Ponders Suicide".

Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

ST Driver · May 19, 2008, 19:03:55

Quote from: Rik on May 19, 2008, 18:39:29
Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

to some place nice and hot?

Rik · May 19, 2008, 19:07:27

Somewhere musical at a guess.

Sebby · May 19, 2008, 19:13:45

Quote from: Rik on May 19, 2008, 18:39:29
Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

Same here. IE isn't that bad...

I think Opera's a serious alternative.

Ray · May 19, 2008, 19:15:44

Quote from: Rik on May 19, 2008, 18:39:29
Couldn't agree more. If they go ahead, I'll be gone...

Me also.

Rik · May 19, 2008, 19:18:56

Quote from: Sebby on May 19, 2008, 19:13:45
I think Opera's a serious alternative.

And musical.

Sebby · May 19, 2008, 19:19:32

Simon · May 19, 2008, 20:35:17

That's quite worrying! Opera might be a feasible alternative, but last I heard, it was getting more bloated than Firefox. Hope IE8's good!

Lance · May 19, 2008, 21:22:41

Well, IE7 was a step in the right direction, so IE8 should be almost there!

Dazbobaby · May 22, 2008, 05:37:44

what's more amazing are the people who use firefox are tech savvy people. Thats a loss of almost all users world wide if they do go ahead.

Tacitus · May 22, 2008, 08:33:10

Quote from: Lance on May 19, 2008, 21:22:41
Well, IE7 was a step in the right direction, so IE8 should be almost there!

We've been hearing this, "...next version is the one which will fix everything and even make the tea..." from MS since the days of DOS3. I'm surprised anyone still believes them.

madasahatter · May 22, 2008, 09:10:46

Quote from: Dazbobaby on May 22, 2008, 05:37:44
what's more amazing are the people who use firefox are tech savvy people. Thats a loss of almost all users world wide if they do go ahead.

Yeah - but how many of those users actually give mozilla any money, so how much of a loss would they actually be?

Rik · May 22, 2008, 10:58:35

In which case, why do they produce it in the first place? Mozilla are not without money...

madasahatter · May 22, 2008, 11:03:03

Quote from: Rik on May 22, 2008, 10:58:35
In which case, why do they produce it in the first place? Mozilla are not without money...

That's true Rik, and obviously there is the cachet of being able to say that your product is ised by X thousand or X million users, but I was just trying to say that Mozilla wouldn't actually lose anything if a load of peeps stopped using FF since they are not really gaining anything from all those users in the first place.

Rik · May 22, 2008, 11:15:27

Well, the gain from the Google clicks of course, and from the merchandise. If FF was abandoned, then I think they could have major problems. Simple answer, to me, is that they invite donation or sell it.

Simon · May 22, 2008, 11:22:55

I wonder if this will affect SeaMonkey? As it's now independent from Mozilla, I would hope not, which would make it a very viable alternative to Firefox.

Rik · May 22, 2008, 11:25:22

What it says on the website would give me pause for thought, Simon:

SeaMonkey and the SeaMonkey logo are registered trademarks of the Mozilla Foundation.

Portions of this content are © 1998–2008 by individual mozilla.org contributors; content available under a Creative Commons license

Simon · May 22, 2008, 11:28:44

I think the actual suite is being developed independently, Rik, but still carries the Mozilla badge. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Rik · May 22, 2008, 11:30:00

I guess it's a 'watch this space'...

Simon · May 22, 2008, 11:30:41

Indeed.

scook94 · May 22, 2008, 20:33:31

Good reading on this here...

http://john.jubjubs.net/2008/05/13/mozilla-firefox-data/

"Rudiger, Tom, tekonaut, nobody plans to make this spyware, I tried to make it clear that we'd only do this by figuring out a way to be very very opt-in, the data would be open to everyone, and not personal in any way. That's why we're talking about it in the very early stages as we explore the space.

I hear your concerns; take them very seriously. Feedback is what we're after."

Simon · May 22, 2008, 21:12:09

Seems that the general feeling is that they can take a running jump if they introduce tracking data. I'm not even sure I would trust a 'very very opt-in' system, as how does one know for certain that you haven't been 'opted-in' without your knowledge?

scook94 · May 22, 2008, 21:50:44

the first line of defence...?

http://www.dephormation.org.uk/

madasahatter · May 23, 2008, 06:32:06

Quote from: Simon on May 22, 2008, 21:12:09
Seems that the general feeling is that they can take a running jump if they introduce tracking data. I'm not even sure I would trust a 'very very opt-in' system, as how does one know for certain that you haven't been 'opted-in' without your knowledge?

I'm sure that I wouldn't trust it Simon - it'd be back to Opera for me before you could say hoobygalooby

madasahatter · May 23, 2008, 06:33:25

Quote from: scook94 on May 22, 2008, 21:50:44
the first line of defence...?

http://www.dephormation.org.uk/

Still doesn't stop them collecting your data though - just kind of muddies the waters.

Inactive · May 23, 2008, 10:37:06

Quote from: Lance on May 19, 2008, 21:22:41
Well, IE7 was a step in the right direction, so IE8 should be almost there!

Not for me it wasn't, I still use IE6 when not using FF or Opera, I think IE7 was a retrograde move.

madasahatter · May 23, 2008, 10:40:51

Don't you miss the multi tabbed browsing In? I certainly do on the odd time I use IE6 now

Rik · May 23, 2008, 10:41:42

Quote from: madasahatter on May 23, 2008, 06:32:06
I'm sure that I wouldn't trust it Simon - it'd be back to Opera for me before you could say hoobygalooby

Same here.

Inactive · May 23, 2008, 10:47:04

Quote from: madasahatter on May 23, 2008, 10:40:51
Don't you miss the multi tabbed browsing In? I certainly do on the odd time I use IE6 now

I don't miss anything about IE7 to be honest Mad, I just could not get on with it, I rarely use IE anyway, only when FF or Opera will not function.

LesD · May 23, 2008, 15:52:02

Quote from: Inactive on May 23, 2008, 10:37:06
Not for me it wasn't, I still use IE6 when not using FF or Opera, I think IE7 was a retrograde move.

This mystifies me!

If you stick the "File Edit View Favorites Tools Help" bar back at the top of IE7 in essence it is IE6 with tabs.
Then you can ignore the fancy Star and that Star with a Plus over it and carry on as normal.

I never understood the fuss about tabs. I had them for years with IE6 (and still do at work). Just open up a numbers of instances of IE6 and the "tabs" appear on the Taskbar and if your get too many they just stack up nice and vertically in a pick menu. It is all a matter of what you get used to and become familiar and comfortable with, along with personal likes and dislikes mixed in along the way in my humble opinion.
Everyone to his own preference, as they say it is a good job we are not all the same.

Inactive · May 23, 2008, 16:10:13

I suppose my main reason for not getting on with IE7 is the fact that nothing at the top of it is/was where I expected it to be, so I couldn't be bothered with it.

IE6 does what I need on the rare occasion that I use it.

LesD · May 23, 2008, 16:35:08

Quote from: Inactive on May 23, 2008, 16:10:13
I suppose my main reason for not getting on with IE7 is the fact that nothing at the top of it is/was where I expected it to be,

Right click in space to the right of the tabs and tick Menu Bar and back comes that bit at the top that you expected to see. QED

I did not like IE7 to begin with until I fixed the top but now I switch between IE7 at home and IE6 at work seamlessly.

Never having bothered with any of the others, other than Netscape on the old UNIX boxes at work, I have never missed them. The little flirtation I had with Firefox when I tried Ubuntu Linux the other day left me wondering what all the fuss was about if I am honest.

Rik · May 23, 2008, 16:38:45

Much of Firefox's strength comes from the addons, Les, which allow a user to make it their own ideal browser, at least, imo.

LesD · May 23, 2008, 16:50:20

Quote from: Rik on May 23, 2008, 16:38:45
Much of Firefox's strength comes from the addons, Les, which allow a user to make it their own ideal browser, at least, imo.

Ah I see. Who makes the addons? Are they secure?

Inactive · May 23, 2008, 16:52:26

Quote from: LesD on May 23, 2008, 16:35:08
Right click in space to the right of the tabs and tick Menu Bar and back comes that bit at the top that you expected to see. QED

Thanks Les, but to be honest, I far prefer Firefox, I only ever use IE if I am forced to use it, so IE6 does all that I need, if Microsoft cannot put the basic functions where I expect to find them, then stuff their browser.

Rik · May 23, 2008, 16:53:47

Quote from: LesD on May 23, 2008, 16:50:20
Ah I see. Who makes the addons? Are they secure?

They come from the same open source community as the browser, most seem to be vetted by Mozilla.

madasahatter · May 23, 2008, 22:04:57

Quote from: Inactive on May 23, 2008, 16:52:26
if Microsoft cannot put the basic functions where I expect to find them, then stuff their browser.

your attitude does you credit Sir - damn those MS peeps

Inactive · May 24, 2008, 00:33:45

Quote from: madasahatter on May 23, 2008, 22:04:57
your attitude does you credit Sir - damn those MS peeps

Gary · May 24, 2008, 09:25:18

Opera the browser that does not work on my banking site, and a few others without more twists and turns than a rattle snake after its prey is also getting to be bloatware, if Mozilla go this way I'll go back to IE7 on Vista in protected mode, stuff masking sites to fit and having my browsing looked at by FF. This will just mean MS own the browser market once more

Inactive · May 24, 2008, 09:35:32

Change banks Gary..

Opera works OK with my bank.