First Impressions of Firefox 3
The Reviews are Mixed: Firefox 3 Friend or Foe?
On June 17th, Mozilla released Firefox 3 browser; a browser with purported enhancements for “faster, safer web browsing”.
The Synopsis of Firefox 3 release:
Available today in approximately 50 languages, Firefox 3 is two to three times faster than its predecessor and offers more than 15,000 improvements, including the revolutionary smart location bar, malware protection, and extensive under the hood work to improve the speed and performance of the browser.
Three years of work and thousands of developers to produce the new browser. Many of us in the SEO/SEM/Search Marketing industry, as far as I can tell, have nothing but complaints about the browser thus far. The main issue: continually crashing. This browser, as far as I can surmise, doesn’t play nicely with Javascript or AJAX, and causes continual issues of crashing. Additionally, I’ve noticed that users are having trouble with Add-Ons, specifically the ones that we all can’t live without in order to do our daily work. Right there that’s a deal-breaker for me. In fact, it was such a deal breaker, that I downgraded back to Firefox 2 just so that I could continue to work at a decent pace with all my add-ons. And, it doesn’t seem that I’m alone.
Here are just a few choice conversations from the community:
But then there are folks that think Firefox 3 has been nothing but awesome thus far. I’ve seen comments like, “FF3 is smoother” and “I’ve had no problems with it thus far.” So, it appears to be a mixed bag at this point. 
Conclusion:
I’m waiting for a Firefox 3 update when they release some updates to play nicely with other web-standards like JS and AJAX, and when adding Add-ons doesn’t crash the entire browser. I would downgrade back to Firefox 2 until a new version is released. There’s been quite a backlash thus far, so I imagine that Mozilla been busy working on an update already. Downgrade as quickly as you can, and then upgrade when they release a new version.
A Conspiracy Theory: Secret Ad Serving Networks
Is There a Secret Society of Corporations Serving Us Ads Unknowingly?
Normally, I don’t do this. Normally, I keep all my zany theories of government, the NWO (New World Order), Roswell, and Kennedy to myself. That is, of course, unless you ask me about them. Then, you deserve what you get.
Last night, while at the Brewers game, a very trusted source (who will go unnamed to protect their identity) happened to mention to me that during a client meeting, his client mentioned this “secret society” that only the largest corporations are invited. And, that’s how you get in, through private invite only: it’s kind of like Fight Club:
The first rule of Fight Club is you DO NOT TALK about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is you DO NOT TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB!
At this point, I take a deep breath before continuing because the next few paragraphs of information are likely to (enter eerie music) … ruin lives, including my own.
Here’s what I know about this society (from my trusted source):
As I mentioned before, companies can only get in through private invite only. Once a company is “in”, they are then connected to a network of cloaked servers (somehow) that run parallel to the company’s servers. As most folks have their cookies set to ‘wide open’, so that we can partake in the magic of social networking and save our login information to our favorite sites, your box will accept the cookie that the company places.
Now the fun part: once the cookie is placed, it contains code to alert the secret servers. These servers then extract all the users’ cookies and analyze all the websites the user has been to previously. The servers then insert a new cookie with information about websites visited back on the user’s computer.
Once the leaves the site, the cookie stays, and if the user travels to a another site (that also has bought in to the secret society) it shows the user ads from one of the sites the user has previously been to usurping banners ads that would normally show.
Is this for real?
The best part about a conspiracy theory is that there’s enough truth for it to be plausible, but not necessarily proven. My gut instinct tells it out there and happening. However, after conducting exhaustive searches on this topic, I couldn’t really find anything except this.
The fact that cable companies are hijacking the DNS of users only further asserts that this could be, and likely is happening. If anyone else has heard on anything on this, or knows about it, feel free to drop me a line or share some insight on this “secret society”.
The Death of Twitter: And Why Twitter Won’t Die
My Twitter Break-Up Letter
Dear Twitter: I think of you like this
You’re the coolest new toy on the market. All the kids want you. Once I get you, I play with you all the time, so much so, that you break. SNAP.
Your arm just came off.
You use some handy-dandy super glue and repair yourself. It worries me that the you just broke, but I think, “It was a fluke. I was just really rough on you; I’ll be more gentle and it won’t happen again.” Two days later your arm pops off again. While fixing it, the head pops off too. Well, damn. I know it isn’t me anymore.
Ready to Break Up With You,
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Twitter: Just Die Already?
That new toy. It’s shiny, it’s cool, it’s useful when you can use it. But, it’s made like a piece of crap.
Twitter just found about 20 million in venture capitalist money. The question is what are they going to do with it? The obvious choice would be to correct the infrastructure of Twitter, to assure that the site only goes down for upgrades or far and few between maintenance sessions. I’m not sure why the entire search marketing community insists on Twitter, putting up with it’s ups and downs. Is it because of convenience applications, applications like:
Is it because many of you have a great following on Twitter and don’t feel like creating a new following somewhere else? As a SEO/SEM, I know what a large following of folks who will likely link back to you is worth, but if I can’t disseminate that information, if I can’t be a part of the community because the community is never “alive” enough to receive my messages, then I’m still exactly where I started: a whole bunch of great ideas and conversation, and no one to listen.
Zombie-Tweet-Nation: Why Twitter Won’t Ever Die
Twitter won’t die. That’s the truth. Too many people, especially from the Search Marketing community, will keep Twitter afloat. Twitter is going to fester and rot, but never die.
Some will say, no need to reinvent the wheel. Others are perfectly happy with the functionality and don’t want updates. Twitter will live on in infinite mediocrity and everyone will just accept it.
