Dear MozDev, WHAT Were You Thinking?

Excellent Download Manager Poo'ified.

Published on June 20, 2008 By andrew_ In Internet

So anyone active in the Stardock Community knows that I don't think that Firefox is the end all, be all of web browsers. In fact I think it's still way behind a browser like Opera. Opera just isn't as popular. So I digress.

Anyhow, I dont use Firefox full time at home and I still do most of my browsing at home on IE6 (shush. I like it.) However while I'm hard at work on the Stardock family of websites, Firefox is my primary browser. I've come to love Maxthon for using the IE7 engine (most for testing and gmail) instead of the default IE7 install, which is horrible imho. And for evrything else that falls into normal browsing I use Firefox now primarily at work. For web development, even with the annoying bugs that come with it, Firebug is just the bees knees and nothing else matches it for IE or Opera.

Firefox 3 is realeased. Huzzah! Or not.

They've updated the js engine again. Sigh. Lot's of things work better. (Great!) And they've introduced some new oddities with scripts that used to work fine. (Damnit.) Now onto my BIGGEST gripe. What in the hell were the developers thinking when they 'updated' the download manager. HONESTLY. Firefox has always had one thing down pat - Developers who understood how to write decent code while maintaining a great look and feel and usability. Looks like we have a new hand in the pie, because the download manager is horrendous. What before didnt need an extension, now does. I've turned to 'DownloadThemAll' as a replacement for the download manager until they fix it back up, if ever. I loathe the default download manager so much that I'm going to resist putting Firefox 3 on my dev box until I absolutely have to.

Comments (Page 1)

Dark-Star

on Jun 20, 2008

Indeed. Seems like they touched things that need not be touched. They didn't actually make anything better. Kind of took a step backwards. :/

superman

on Jun 20, 2008

I have tried IE, Avant, Maxthon, Safari, Opera, The World & Firefox.
For me, Firefox is the best. It downloads fastest among browsers too.
But for downloading i use LeechGet.
Hehehe

Lantec

on Jun 20, 2008

If I wasn't always having page display/compatibility errors with Opera, I'd still be using it.

Ive' been using FF3 since the first RC and right now I'd have to say that from a strictly user standpoint that FF3 vs FF2 is faster. So far it's stable.........I'd also have to give them the edge in plugins/addons vs Opera. I don't like or use the new "smart" bookmarks or "most visited" additions.

Might have to test drive the current Opera release to see if they've improved compatibility......

Philly0381

on Jun 20, 2008

Ah choice, do I put on the white or black socks today.

I'm not a power user or programmer or developer, so looking at other browers is well not high on the list. I use IE7 and when IE8 comes out will probably get that. I know, I'm so easy to satify, sorry.

WeatherBound

on Jun 20, 2008

OK, Right now I use IE7, must say not really sure why I stooped using Firefox.
I have used firefox for a year and some. When firefox 3 came out I used it just for a couple of days and from there it is all for the most part been IE7. When I do use firefox i use Firefox2.
I guess I will need to try firefox3 and figure out why i don't use it.I must of thought the same thing that they took a step Backwards.
When it comes to change. Changes are good usually.
But in Firefox3 I think Andrew is correct. What were they Thinking

zakai1369

on Jun 20, 2008

because the download manager is horrendous.

qrush

on Jun 20, 2008

I find the searching to be vastly useful, and if you need to see the download location, just right click any file. Firefox 3 was an attempt to make a 'native' feel for each browser inside of each OS. My theory is that they made this window uniform for all versions so users could easily switch between the browsers on different OS's and know where things were.

If this is really bothering you, perhaps bring it up to the Mozilla developers themselves on their mailing list or irc.mozilla.org. This is what open source software is all about, feedback and getting users' opinions heard.

erathoniel

on Jun 20, 2008

I use a download taskbar addition, both with FF3 and FF2, and I have no complaints.

SirSmiley

on Jun 20, 2008

I've never cared for that feature and always used DownloadThemAll but, I'm on Dial Up.

Hands down Opera is the fastest browser out there. As for straight browser downloading IE7 and Opera both beat FF2 and FF3 on my box.

Krepta

on Jun 20, 2008

I think Mozilla wants to get people more comfortable with keyboard commands. Space to open a selection, delete to remove. You can also double click them for opening...

Omega-X

on Jun 20, 2008

Sounds like the Opera bias talking.

andrew_

on Jun 20, 2008

I find the searching to be vastly useful, and if you need to see the download location, just right click any file.

Sure, great, they put info in another spot. That's cool. But zero points for removing functionality in favor of a harder-to-find implementation. I think it's great they put a search tool in there. But guess what? Files are downloaded to my machine which *gasp* has a search utility. I think they were trying to be too much like Apple and MS (xerox machine) by placing the damn search in every.effing.place.they.could.

Firefox 3 was an attempt to make a 'native' feel for each browser inside of each OS. My theory is that they made this window uniform for all versions so users could easily switch between the browsers on different OS's and know where things were.

Yeah, it sure looks like your typical linux dev UI mess, I'll give you that. Massive font sizes (comparitively) and UI elements that are both out of place and don't make sense. Regardless of the reason, it's an ungodly mess of a UI design choice. I would have more faith in you to put together a better looking UI than I would the mozdev team at this point.

If this is really bothering you, perhaps bring it up to the Mozilla developers themselves on their mailing list or irc.mozilla.org. This is what open source software is all about, feedback and getting users' opinions heard.

This is not in my job description. And you fail for using a fruity nick still, DoctorNick.

Kitkun

on Jun 20, 2008

Eh, I use Download Statusbar for normal stuff and DownThemAll for large numbers of files. I find that FF3 runs nearly 5X the speed of IE7 on my machine.

Leo the Lion

on Jun 20, 2008

I've been an 'IE7 guy'for sometime and found the memory leaks on FF2 a pain in the ass. I tried FF3 when it was in beta and it seemed like they had fixed the leaks but for some reason I just can't get used to or like the set up of FF3. I've given up and gone back to my trusty IE7. To be honest, I think it is just a case of using something for such a long time that anything else seems strange and rather alien

PurrBall

on Jun 20, 2008

To delete a file just hit the Delete key on your keyboard. To open something try hitting Return.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!