I agree, the new version numbers are stupid. If they wanted to copy Chrome's rapid-release schedule, they should have just ditched the version numbers altogether (like Chrome) and just continuously and transparently kept their install base up to date.
There's also a real practical problem to fast-growing version numbers. Historically, a major release would have major new features and might break existing extensions. Minor releases were typically safe to install and were designed to be as compatible as possible with the version they were supplanting. With new major versions of Firefox coming out every 6 weeks you're constantly checking to make sure they haven't changed something critical.
Chrome has version numbers. And similarly, firefox doesn't make a big deal about new version releases since 4.0 was out. The ones that do make a big deal out of them are blogs and tech sites, but those will get bored of doing so soon enough.
Chrome hides the version number, because 98% of the time, it doesn't matter. There's no mention of it on there download page (http://www.google.com/chrome/). They make it available only if you need to get specific.
Not sure if I'd call that "advertising" -- it's a small green number on a green background. Before the rapid release schedule you'd have a 72pt version number hitting you in the face when you went to their main page within a week of a major release.
Never the less, I see what you mean about it being still "visible" to the user.
All the comments about Firefox's version number are the same that were made last summer when Chrome started incrementing their version every six weeks. A year later, I think Chrome users would all agree that the choice of number in the UA string has relatively little impact on users, positive or negative. I'm glad it gives HN something new to argue about for a while, though. :)
No where did I say it was "better", I'm just pointing out that Google has effectively made Chrome version-less, while Firefox is still making a big deal about each of their new versions, despite them having fewer changes.
I think you're looking for conflict where there is none. I use both browsers, depending on what I'm using them for.
* And, most annoyingly, the add-on version check and resulting incompatibilities.
That last one actually is kind of a pain, since, as other people have mentioned, not all add-on authors have updated their add-ons to be compatible with 6.0, despite that being a single character change to an XML file for 98% of them. (Fortunately, addons.mozilla.org does this for authors, so it is only the ones hosting the add-ons themselves that are a problem.)
Mozilla is de-emphasizing the version number and eventually will get rid of it altogether. You can currently only see the version number in small font on their homepage.
Actually firefox is just doing what chrome is doing. Chrome has a major release every 6 weeks and changes it's major version number every 6 weeks. It's great when chrome does it, but when firefox changes their versioning schedule it's "stupid"?
It's just obnoxious because we hear about it when Firefox releases a minor update with a new version number. Did you hear a fanfare about Chrome 12 or 13? No.
It will take a while for the press to get used to the new Firefox release cycle, but by next year it will be treated just like Chrome. Mozilla has already stopped using version numbers in release announcements: https://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2011/06/21/mozilla-delivers-ne...
There's no fanfare. Firefox released a new version as it does every 6 weeks and people are happy because there's a better, faster firefox. The same thing happens with chrome.
version numbers have been completely de-emphasized. go on the mozilla website (the public site, not the ftp) and find me where it says a version number...
There's also a real practical problem to fast-growing version numbers. Historically, a major release would have major new features and might break existing extensions. Minor releases were typically safe to install and were designed to be as compatible as possible with the version they were supplanting. With new major versions of Firefox coming out every 6 weeks you're constantly checking to make sure they haven't changed something critical.