In re: invoking 'Web 2.0'... my point was really that everything prior to IE7 will be see as Web 2.0 alpha 1. Everything after will be Web 2.0 final release. Think about it: IE7 will slowly, but inevitably, become the standard that things are targeted at... just as support from webdevs for IE5 has waned, so to will it gradually diminish for IE6.

That means that we'll see greater focus on IE7, Firefox 2, Opera 9 and Safari. That means that developers will finally have a somewhat more consistent platform to develop for -- with less IE workarounds (I would think).

Therefore, all these Web 2.0 apps that heavily rely on CSS layouts and AJAX to function should become easier and faster to produce, ushering a greater degree accessibility for building apps for those browsers.

...

Now, as for Firefox marketing and appealing to a wider audience -- I think that's actually still my goal but it's not *about* open source... it's because of open source. The problem is that the community that drives Firefox development is a fairly homogenous crowd when compared to that 85% who don't use Firefox.

My argument is that the only way for Firefox to innovate and actually become *better* than IE or others is to become more like that 85% that it intends to court.

Partnerships with Nike and so forth might help Firefox hold its ground, but it'll still be regarded as an awkward dork next to the dressed up and all-business Internet Explorer crew.

Finally, my real question, which admittedly didn't come across, was whether to look at Firefox as a *result* of the open source community -- which should be willing to embrace and welcome more people into helping build the Firefox idea (as a way of developing widespread community commitment to Firefox) -- or whether it should look like another IE... a *product* produced by a firm that doesn't need anyone's help and can do just fine on it's own, thankyouverymuch.

Frankly I don't think that Mozilla will be very successful "trying to be more like Internet Explorer" in terms of marketing. I think they need to be building a better and more ubiquitous platform so that other people getting into open source can do cool things better than they could if they tried to "help out" with IE.

I look at the satisfaction that comes from feeling like you have control over your computing/browsing experience -- whether in installing extensions and writing your first little Greasemonkey script (seriously, look at MySpace, the kids are learning how to do this stuff) and think that that's the open source experience that should be promoted and shown off as what Firefox is all about... Firefox should tap into that new communal co-production economy that has so many folks excited about socializing again and really put itself out there as being all about that.

Or at least, that's what I think. ;)

Remember, Firefox was the first "product" that was promoted in Google.com homepage. These may be precautions taken not to be the next Netscape.

Alex

I don't want any virii.

With IE 7, to everyday people, Firefox is NOT a better, more usable, safer web browser. Cooler? Maybe, but Microsoft has moves there as well.

If you do want to talk business, marketing does not seem nearly as interesting to me as distribution. I trust there are a lot, lot more channels then just the GY and Nike.

FF 2.0 cleans up and polishes, instead of adding more web 2.0 bells and whistles. It is the right move to go mainstream. They already won the early adopter battle, so their focus is spot on.

It is now a matter of getting on everyone's desktop. They need to do distribution deals with Apple, Lenovo and Dell. Its not elegant, but there is probably no way around this.

Alex

I mean, switch the blue E for the Firefox and vice-versa in a blind study and see how many people notice. As long as Facebook/MySpace/YouTube load, what difference does it make to them?

I think you overestimate the degree to which incremental improvement matters to the mainstream. Or, furthermore, is even under their control to take advantage of. How many of these mainstream users use their own computers to access the web anymore? How many use a shared computer at school, at work, at the Apple Store or anywhere else where the software controls forbid installing software or modifying the installed browser?

Certainly Firefox can continue to grow its mindshare and marketshare, but the browser's not it anymore -- it's the content and community.

This is my theory. If performance/usability not there, there is no mainstream play for Firefox. With release 2.0 both are in good shape, so this gives Firefox a chance.

I agree with you, incremental improvements do not matter anymore. They dont matter at all for mainstream, but needed to keep more technical audience happy.

It is now marketing and business development battle in my opinion. Word of month is a powerful tool and Firefox is going to contibue to push it that way. But... IMHO they need distribution deals.

Alex

I heard that the market share of FF in China is an estimate of 0.5%, or at most 1% if it'd increased since I "heard" it.

Does Firefox team care about that portion of market at all? If positive, what could be done to improve it in the area.

One problem with Firefox to spread in China is many of the websites doesn't support Firefox, therefore users only see "ugly" contents and conceive it as the Firefox's bad. How would Firefox team look at this?

Thanks:)

It will be hard to displace local Maxthon as the "install yourself" browser.