Firefox version numbers

Future direction here?
http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.planning/browse_thread/thread/2d0ae3c8e31a7b6f#

 

As I've always understood it, the main numbers 1,2,3 etc. represent a major revision to the software and the decimal numbers represent updates or "builds" to the existing platform. As long as they stick to this formula I see no problem, otherwise it could get confusing.

Firefox has had extensive revisions if you count all the builds. Four may seem like a low number but that doesn't mean it hasn't progressed.

I'm not really sure I like the direction Mozilla are heading. Setting deadlines for new releases every three months seems like a bad idea to me. Instead of focusing on genuine improvements, I'm afraid the focus is going to shift to getting new releases out just for the sake of a new release so they can say they're better than the other guys. Not to mention how this will effect extension development. Mozilla have always had frequent updates so I really can't see why the need for deadlines.

I'm just gonna watch this and see how it all plays out. I've grown to respect Mozilla but we'll see what happens. I'm using 3.6.16 and plan on doing so until it's more trouble than it's worth. Mozilla always says it's "strongly recommended" you update for stability and security reasons, but right now 3.6.16 is more stable than 4 was when I was using it, and I believe it'll be a viable browser for some time to come.

 

I think they're changing release cycle to be on a par with Chrome; the developers behind that browser seem to produce updates more frequently and with major builds i.e. going up one integer rather than incrementally.