Facebook Uses Firefox Integration to Fight the Exploding Growth of Google Plus

Back in April, I wrote an article entitled What Browser Should Facebook Buy? about the need for Facebook to use a browser to direct traffic to the social network. It is important for them to do this because Google will eventually leverage Chrome to do just that. In that article, I stated that Facebook had two options: build or buy. It turns out that there is a third option: integrate.

Starting with Firefox 17, Facebook has been integrated into the browser. This feature is called Messenger for Firefox. It adds the ability to chat, check notification, and friend requests. You can turn it on by going here if you have Firefox 17/

What Browser Should Facebook Buy?

The other day there was an interesting article on Cnet.com entitled “Why Facebook Needs to Build a Browser”. The main idea of the article is that Google's Chrome browser would soon over take other browsers, including Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Since Google's overall strategy is to send people to their products to get as much ad revenue as possible, once Chrome becomes dominant all social network users will be sent to Google's very own Google Plus social network. Google has already begun building Google Plus buttons and connections into all of their products. It's only a matter of time before it becomes a built-in feature in Chrome. This mean that Facebook would need to build a browser.

The problem is Facebook should build a browser or buy one? At the current rate of Chrome market share growth, Facebook would need to move quickly, so building a browser from scratch is out of the question. Their best bet is to purchase an existing browser and adapt it to their needs. But which one? It would have to be one of the current top four browsers.

Facebook could made a deal with Microsoft to create a fork of Internet Explorer, but I don't like that idea for two reasons. First, I doubt Microsoft would appreciate losing control of their property. Second, IE is very slow and it's extension system stinks.

I doubt they could use Apple's Safari because of Apple's strict proprietary rules.

That leaves Firefox or Opera. I doubt they would use Firefox because there would be an uproar in the open source community.

Opera is the best bet for Facebook. Among other things, Opera has its own social network for its users and an email system. It would be easy for Facebook to fold these services into their current line up of features. Once again, Opera is the best bet.

One thing that Facebook should keep in mind when they create their browser is to make sure they are not too obtrusive. They need to take a look at MSN Explorer and AOL Explorer and then do the opposite. The problem with these browsers is that they force their products on the users. Subtle is better. Less is more.

Monkey See, Monkey Do: A Game of Technological Follow the Leader

Since its founding in 2004, Mozilla released new versions of Firefox infrequently, often waiting until a list of features and UI (user interface) updates were completed. Bug fixes and security updates were released as needed between major updates.

Recently, that all changed. Firefox started to lose market share to Google's Chrome browser. Google has followed a policy of rapid version release to catchup with other browsers. They have done so and in fact many people predict that they will even surpass Microsoft's Internet Explorer very soon.

In an effort to stop their market loss or even to recapture lost ground, Firefox decided that their only option was to adopt the rapid release strategy. Within a year, they went from version 5 to version 12 (which was released today). This is a very stupid move in my opinion.

This is stupid for two major reasons: it hurts developers and destroys the mystery.

When a company released a new version every six weeks or so, it's hard for extension developers to keep up. Because of the rapid release, several of the extensions I use are disabled because they are not compatible with the newest version. Some of the better extensions are written by hobbyists who don't always have the time to write the two or three lines of code need to update the extension. And when they do. The get it updated a new version of Firefox is released. What a pain!

My favorite part about the early versions of Firefox was waiting expectantly to get the new versions to see what the new features were like. Between the first 3 or 4 versions, there were major interface changes. Each version had a different look and feel. Not so with the new versions, there is nothing to really differentiate them for each other.

In the end, there is really nothing that Mozilla can do to stop Chrome from taking their market share. Google has the biggest advertisement system in the world. Eventually they will convert the whole world to Chrome. It is inevitable.

Safari Now Has Extensions!!!

    Yesterday at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, Steve Jobs made several announcements, among them was Safari 5.  While this seems small to most in comparison to the release of the iPhone 4G and other stuff, it is a big deal because it heralds a feature that Safari has been lacking and lagging behind the rest of the browsers.  The big new feature is extensions.  You can download the new version of Safari for Windows here.

    Here is how to activate the extensions feature.  After you have downloaded and installed Safari, click on the gear button on the top far right and click Preferences.  Once the dialog box comes up, click the Advanced tab.  Select the “Show Develop menu in menu bar” checkbox.

    Close the Preference dialog box.  Click the page picture next to the gear.  For the menu click “Develop” and then “Enable Extensions”.

     You now have extensions available.  To see the extensions installed, go back to the preferences dialog box and there will be a tab for “Extensions”.  (The reason that the example shows an extension installed and yours probably does not is because I install it.)

        This extension feature is new and experimental, like I said, so Apple does not have a list of available extensions.  However, you can find a few here.  There are not many available because it is so new.  Let me know in the comments if how know of any other place that has extensions for Safari.  Have fun exploring.

EVONY Has to Drop Their Provocative Ads

Every time I go to a new website, 9 times out of 10 I see an ad from EVONY. Most of the time, these ads feature a “peasant” girl with a plunging neckline with the words “Come Play, My Lord”. I’m getting darn sick of it. I want to be able surf the web without seeing these particular ads everywhere. Even the homepage for this site has the same picture.

I can block these ads with Firefox, but the problem is that I work on about 7 or so other computers, so I still see them. On top of that, there are millions of kids exposed to this pictures as they surf for school or fun.

EVONY is using sex to sell their game. They are giving kids the wrong idea. There’s is enough of that crap on the web without them adding to it. In Gospel of Mark, Jesus said, “And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me: it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea.” (9:41)

EVONY, if you read this, pull these ads and try something more tasteful.

Google Moves into Internet TV, For Real

A couple days ago, YouTube added a new feature to their homepage.  This new feature was a link to a collection of movies and shows available to watch.  Unlike previous postings, these shows and movies are legal and are not illegal bootleg.

I wrote a posting last year, when Google first experimented with this idea by posting full classic Star Trek episodes.

It it very easy to get to the shows and movies.  Google added a link to the top of the YouTube homepage and several ads on the page.

Below I posted pictures to point out the updates and give you an idea of the shows.  (Notice that I used Google Chrome in the pictures.  I though it would be a fun touch to show YouTube in Google’s browser".)

 

Hackers Zeros in on Apple

For many years, Windows has been the target for the majority of the hacker community.  Because of this many alternative operating systems claimed that they were safer than Windows.  The truth of the matter is that there are just too few people using alternative operating systems to make it worth it for hackers.

Look at it this way.  About 90% of people who use computers use some version of Microsoft Windows.  Apple’s Mac OS has 9.61% of the operating system.  The other less than 2% is split among the many versions of Unix and Linux.  Why would a hacker waste his time breaking into an operating system that .5% of people use?  It’s more logical to do something that would cause the most amount of damage and open the most number of computers to pillage.

That said, hackers are either getting tired of Windows or the security is getting better because Apple has been coming under more attacks in recently.  There have been several bugs that targeted Mac OS.  In recent news, it has been announced that Apple’s browser, Safari, is vulnerable.

The annual hacker contest Pwn2Own is almost here.  Charlie Miller, last year’s winner, said that Apple’s Safari would be “easy pickings”.  He predicted that 4 people would be able to crack the browser.  This does not bode well for Apple, especially in light of their recent release of Safari 4 beta.  This is also bad news for Windows people who use Safari.  It will give hackers a back-door into Windows.

My advice: Apple should stop boasting about the performance and features of both their operating system and browser.  Instead they should hire some of these hackers to help them tighten up security in their products.

Microsoft’s Second Try at Search

Several years ago Microsoft realized that there was a computer related market that they did not dominate: search.  They immediately moved to unseat the ruling and undisputed leader in search, Google.  They introduced Live Search and the Windows Live suite of products to do just that.

Overall, Live search has a 8.5% market share of US searches (Jan 2009)  and 1.73% international market share (Feb 2009).  Not all that great.

Recently, news has come out that Microsoft will rebrand and re-release it’s search engine.  The name, sources discovered, will be Kumo.  In fact, Microsoft Netherlands released a screenshot.  They also stated that Kumo would work with the Web Slices function in IE8.  (I will comment on this at a later time.)

It will be interesting to see what actually comes out of this name change.  Hopefully it goes better than Microsoft’s attempt to buy Yahoo for it’s search capabilities.

Update on Chrome Bundling

In a previous post, I predicted that Google would give Microsoft a run for it’s money by making deals to have the Chrome browser bundled with new computers.  Today, news came out that Google is making some headway in that direction.  Google Chrome is now bundled with Real Player.  While this is a long way from being bundled with an operating system, it still shows a step in the right direction for Google.

Chrome vs. Everyone Else: The Long Haul

Google has a history of taking products that we have taken for granted and making them better. The latest example is Google's take on the browser, Chrome. With this new development, all the other browsers are going to have start praying.

First, lets take a history trip back to the beginning of the original browser wars. Netscape Navigator was the big browser. Microsoft released their Internet Explorer to compete with it. Before too long Internet Explorer was bundled with Microsoft Windows. Microsoft gained over 90% market share and Netscape faded into obscurity.

Out of the ashes of Netscape rose Firefox with the hope of challenging Microsoft's dominance. In a small way, they have been successful. Today Firefox controls about 20% of the market. However, Firefox is not bundled with any Windows based computers as far as I know. For most people, Internet Explorer come default on their computer and they don't use anything else.

Google may mix things up and change the way things are usually done. Not to long ago, it was announced that Google was making a deal with computer companies to get Chrome bundled as the default browser. This will probably take some money on Google's part, but they have enough do it. This would seriously threaten Internet Explorer's dominance.

Firefox also has reasons to fear Google. In 2008, Mozilla, creators of Firefox, reported income of $75 million. $66 million of that came from Google. Imagine what will happen when Google stops investing in Mozilla. This will cause Mozilla to fold up and die.

It looks as though Mozilla realizes what's going on. Recently, they made an announcement. The Russian localization of Firefox is switching from Google to a Russian search engine named Yandex. They say this search engine to better designed for Russian needs, but I think there is more to it than that.

Only time will tell, but I predict that Google will shut down Firefox and another browser war will erupt, this time between Microsoft and Google. I'm betting that Google, the younger company will win out.

YouTube gives Hulu a runs for its money

Today, YouTube has done something that has previously been unthinkable.  They started offering full-length TV episodes.  (Don't worry.  This is official CBS content, not pirated.)

For a long time now, Google has been trying to make a profit off of YouTube.  They have been also facing legal problems from Viacom because of the pirated content that has become prevalent on YouTube.

And they have done it.  Today, Google started a test run by offering a limited number of full TV episodes from Star Trek, Beverly Hills 90210, and MacGyver.  

Once you open the page, it looks like an ordinary YouTube video page, until you select the "Theater view" tab above the video.  Then the picture widens and looks strangely like Hulu with dark strips on either side to make the video easier to see.

As with Hulu, ads are dispersed throughout.  In many ways, it almost looks like a copy of Hulu taken one step better.

Overall, this is a big step for Google and TV on the web.  TV has been slowing coming to the web and now that Google giving a hand, things will start to move faster.  In the future, I expect to see GoogleTV.

Book trading and the web

I hate selling books online because I'm never sure what to set the price at so someone will buy it. Otherwise, the book sits there and never sells.

I have found a great alternative, it's called book swapping. There are many different book-swapping sites, but the one that I found and like is BookMooch. It is totally free to sign up and use. Other book-swapping sites are free, but leaning towards charging a fee. John Buckman, the founder, promises that they there will be no fee because there is not need for the site to make money.

The site works on a point system. Within the US, one book costs one point. If you order a book from a foreign country, it costs you two points and Bookmooch give the person a bonus point.

In order to get points, you need to add books to you inventory. Each book is work a 1/10 th of a point. Once you get a point, you can start mooching.

But a word of caution. Your account will be suspended after you mooch several books. The suspension will be lifted once you send out several books and the moochers acknowledge that they received your books.

Here are some statistics on BookMooch. Membership, which has grown to around 74,000 in over 90 countries, is open to anyone and is free. There is heavy community participation in its running and organisation. About 500,000 book titles are available and about 2000 books are swapped per day.

Again, it's great. Check it out.

Homepage

Wikipedia page

My Bookmooch page

AOL Cuts the Fat

AOL recently released the news that they will be closing down several of their web properties to help them become more profitable. Among the AOL sites being closed are: Bluestring, a site for sharing videos, music, and photos; Xdrive, an online hard drive; and AOL Pictures. AOL is planing to sell Xdrive to another company, but the other sites appear to be down for the count. AOL has also closed their MyMobile service with the idea of repackaging it with other AOL mobile services.

AOL executives said that they will puch other products to help thier finances. These new "money making" products include their browser toolbar, desktop software, e-mail service, and the Truveo video search site.

It also is worth noting that there are also plans in the works to discontinue dial up, the service that made AOL important so many years ago. The reason for this change is that fact that broadband is becoming cheaper and more popular.

Hulu: A portal of entertainment

People say that TV is coming to the Internet. A prime example is Hulu.com. A joint venture between NBC Universal and News Corp, Hulu offers free, streaming, high-quality movies and TV shows. The site is supported by ads placed through out the different movies and TV episodes.

The site was founded in August 29, 2007 and went public on March 12, 2008. The video are played using Flash 9. The quality is higher than other streaming sites, but lower than standard TV definition. There are some videos that you can get in higher 480p definition.

The bulk of the content is from NBC and Fox as well as numerous cable networks, television studios, and movie studios (such as Comedy Central, PBS, USA Network, Bravo, Fuel TV, FX, SPEED Channel, Sci Fi, Style, Sundance, E!, G4, Versus and Oxygen). Users are not required to create an account unless they want to R or Mature rated stuff.

You can watch both old and new stuff (as seen on the list below). I love this site and waste too much time on it. You can always find something good on it that you have never seen. Plus, they keep adding new stuff all the time.

Homepage

Feature Films

2
20 Dates
28 Days Later

A
The Amateur
At the Earth's Core
Attack of the Puppet People
Australia: Land Beyond Time

B
Bad Girls From Mars
The Barbarian and the Geisha
Bears
Bedazzled
Beer
Behind Enemy Lines
Beloved Infidel
The Best Of Everything
Between Heaven And Hell
The Big Lebowski
Blue Denim
Blue Juice
The Blue Max
Blue Steel
A Blueprint For Murder
Body Slam
Boomerang!
Bring It On
Broken Arrow
Bulworth

C
Capone
Caprice
Captain From Castile
The Car
Casino Royale (1967)
Catacombs
Che!
Code of Silence
The Comedy of Terrors
Cosmic Voyage
The Curse of Inferno

D
Daughters of Satan
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
The Desert Rats
Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia
Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine
Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs
Dressed to Kill
Drive Thru
Dude, Where's My Car?
Dunston Checks In

E
Empire of the Ants
Enter the Ninja
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave

F
Fever Pitch
Fiddler On The Roof
The Fifth Element
Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag
Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark
Free Money
Fuzz

G
Ghostbusters
The Girl Next Door
Going Overboard
Guadalcanal Diary

H
Halls Of Montezuma
Hercules in New York
Heroes
Hollywood Shuffle

I
The Immortalizer
In Dangerous Company
In the Mix
Inspector Clouseau
The Island of Dr. Moreau

J
Jerry Maguire
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
Joyride
Just Between Friends

K
Kagemusha
Keep Your Eyes Open
Killing Zoe

L
A Life Less Ordinary
Lone Wolf McQuade
The Longest Day
Lost Highway
Lost in Translation
Love and a .45

M
Malone
The Man Who Never Was
Masquerade
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Me, Myself & Irene
Meet Joe Black
Meet The Mobsters
Men in Black
Monty Python's Meaning of Life
Moonstruck

N
Naked Lunch
National Lampoon's Movie Madness
National Lampoon's Spring Break
Nicholas Nickleby
Nine Lives
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps

O
October Sky
Of Mice And Men
One Funny Hick-Spanic
One Man's Hero
The Original Latin Divas of Comedy

P
Parents
Paul Mooney: Analyzing White America
The Payaso Comedy Slam
Peeper
Penitentiary
The People That Time Forgot
Planet of the Apes
Psycho ('98)
Pumpkinhead

Q
Quest for Fire
Quills

R
Raising Arizona
Red Dragon
Requiem for a Dream
Rob Roy
The Rundown

S
The Sand Pebbles
The Secret of NIMH
Sideways
The Slums Of Beverly Hills
SnakeEater
Some Like it Hot
Spill
Star Maps
State Property

T
Three Amigos!
Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann
Titan A.E.
Totally Baked

U
Underworld: Evolution
Undiscovered

V
Very Bad Things
Von Ryan's Express
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

W
Weird Science

X
Xanadu

Full TV episodes

2
2/8 Life
2007 AST Dew Tour
2008 GLAAD Awards
2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championships
24

3
30 Days
30 Days of Night: Blood Trails
30 Rock

8
The 808

A
The A-Team
The Academy
Adam-12
The Addams Family
After Hours with Daniel
Airwolf
ALF
Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alias Smith And Jones
The All-For-Nots
America's Most Wanted
American Dad!
American Gladiators
American Gothic
American Misfits
Andy Barker P.I.
Angel
Archie Bunker's Place
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?
Arrested Development
Astro Boy

B
The Baby Borrowers
Babylon 5
Back To You
Barney Miller
Battle Dome
Battle of the Bods
Battlestar Galactica Classic
Beer Nutz
Benson
Best of Penn Says
Bewitched
Big Ideas for a Small Planet
Bionic Woman
The Bob Newhart Show
Bobby G: Adventure Capitalist
Bones
Boo!
Brother's Keeper
Buck Rogers
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Burn Notice

C
Campus Cops
The Captain and Casey Show
Carpet Bros
Carrier
Celebrity Circus
Celebrity Family Feud
Charlie's Angels
Chicago Hope
Chuck
Cleopatra 2525
The Colbert Report
Comedy Gumbo
Conviction
Cops
Corkscrewed: The Wrath of Grapes
Cover Me
The Crow: Stairway To Heaven

D
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
The Dana Carvey Show
Deadline
Decision House
Design: e2
Destination Truth
Devil's Trade
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Dilbert
Dirt
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Dorm Life
Douchebag Beach
Dr. Danger
Dr. Steve-O
Dragnet
Dream On
The Dresden Files

E
ECW
Emergency!
Equal Justice
ER
Eureka
Exosquad


F
The Facts Of Life
The Fall Guy
Fame
Family Guy
Fantasy Island
The Fashion Team
Fear Itself
Fields of Glory
Firefly
Firsthand
Flipper
Flipping Out
Foreign Body
Friday Night Lights
Fudge

G
Galactica 1980
Gaytown
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters International
Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show
The Great Ride Open

H
Hart to Hart
Hell's Kitchen
Heroes
Highlander
Hill Street Blues
Hot Hot Los Angeles
House

I
I Dream of Jeannie
I Spy
In Plain Sight
The Incredible Hulk
The Invisible Man
Ironside
It Takes A Thief
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

J
Jack of All Trades
Jackie Chan Adventures
Jerry Springer
John Doe
Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot
Journeyman

K
K-Ville
Kathy Griffin
King of Miami
King Of The Hill
Kitchen Confidential
Kitchen Nightmares
Kojak
Kojak 2004

L
L.A. Dragnet
Land of the Giants
Last Comic Standing
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Life
Life After Film School
Lipstick Jungle
Look-A-Like
The Loop
Lost in Space
Lou Grant

M
M80
Mad Mad House
MadTV
Major Dad
Making News: Savannah Style
Manhattan, AZ
Married...With Children
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Matty Blake Show
Maury
McHale's Navy
Miami Vice
Miss Universe
MOJO's The Circuit
The Moment Of Truth
Monk
Mr. Justice & Powerful Girl
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
The Munsters Today
Murder One
My Bare Lady
My Name is Earl

N
Nanny and the Professor
NBA
New Adam-12
New Amsterdam
New Dragnet
New Pollution
NewsRadio
Night Gallery
Nip/Tuck
NOVA

O
The Office
One Day at a Time
Outer Limits
Owen Benjamin Presents

P
Paradise Hotel 2
Partridge Family
Party of Five
Peacemakers
Picket Fences
The Practice
Pressure Cook
The Pretender
Prison Break
Problem Child
Prom Queen
Psych

R
Raines
The Rascal
The Real Housewives of Orange County
Remington Steele
Rescue Me
The Return of Jezebel James
The Riches
Roadents
Rob and Amber: Against the Odds
The Rockford Files
Roswell

S
S.W.A.T.
Satacracy 88
Scare Tactics
Scientific American Frontiers
She Spies
Shear Genius
Silver Spoons
Simon & Simon
The Simpsons
Sitting Ducks
Sliders
Solitary
Son Of The Beach
Speed Racer
Spider-Man
Squeegees
St. Elsewhere
Stacked
Standoff
Starsky and Hutch
Start-Up Junkies
The Starter Wife
Strikeforce
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Surface
Swamp Thing

T
T.J. Hooker
Talkshow with Spike Feresten
Team Knight Rider
Temptation Island
Tequila & Bonetti
Test Drive
That Guy
Three Sheets
The Thunder Show
The Tick
'Til Death
The Time Tunnel
The Tonight Show
Total Recall 2070
Tremors

U
Uncorked
Under One Roof
Unhitched

V
Vanished
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

W
Wall Street Warriors
Weird Science
Welcome Back, Kotter
What's Happening Now!!
What's Happening!
Who's the Boss?
Wired Science
WKRP in Cincinnati
Woody Woodpecker (New)
The World of Stupid
The Writer's Room

Y
Young Hercules

Firefox 3 is Final Here for Everyone

Firefox 3, the long awake update to the second most popular browser, has finally hit the web and its making a big splash.

"Firefox 3 is spreading fast, claiming more than 4 percent of the share of Web browser usage less than 24 hours after its release.

According to Net Applications, which monitors browser usage at major Web sites, Firefox 3 rapidly ascended to what I'd call force-to-be-reckoned-with status, something Web designers shouldn't be ignoring. For comparison, Apple's Safari had 6.25 percent share in May, and Opera had 0.71 percent.

Undoubtedly, most Firefox 3 activity is from existing Firefox users, but it's still a notable achievement, given that software companies constantly struggle to get users to adopt the latest products.

Mozilla, which sponsors and oversees development of the open-source Web browser, released Firefox 3 for download on Tuesday. It primed the publicity pump with an effort to set a 24-hour download record, and interest by the abundant Firefox loyalists brought Mozilla's servers to their knees for nearly two hours Wednesday."

I've been using Firefox 3 since the first Release Candidate and I love it. The new design is great. Most people have been knocking the all new "Awesome Bar", but I think that is is just fine. In fact, it take less effort to type in URLs.

Another feature that I love is the fact that if asks you when you close if you want to save the tabs. This is something that was lacking in other browser or was buried within the option.

The updated Add-ons windows is also great since it allows you to search for and install new add-ons without having to open a new tabs.

Overall, I would give the new Firefox 3 5 out of 5 stars