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digen
14-04-2005, 03:30 AM
With ever growing threads related to browser wars & lame fanboy's I thought sharing this piece of info again wont be a bad idea.I had posted it in the forums earlier in one of the browser threads but I couldnt find it,anyways I hope people gain something from it.
The below is a article written by my friend Chris[bangbang023] who also happens to be a respected member at neowins.Credit solely goes to him,I'm just Spreading the message :wink:

Common sense, in the computing world, tells you to use whatever program you feel best accomplishes the goal you are trying to obtain. No one tool is perfect for everyone on any single goal, but they all manage to come together and cover a vast majority of users out there. Those who still feel jilted, usually program their own stuff, as I am still slowly doing with NexPad. It's a nice idea, but it's being trampled on by the immature, unable minds of extremist Firefox fan boys who do nothing but fly that icon in your face over and over until you feel bad for using anything else.

It's no secret that I use Firefox. I have a decently popular optimized build that I, myself, release daily. In general, I really like Firefox. It does what I need and that's all I ask. Sure, I have even recommended it to other people and have downloaded it to their machines for use in some pretty severe cases of corruption of their browser of choice. I let them know what I am using, tell them I use it and like it, and that's it. I let them make the choice because, after all, I want them to be able to accomplish the goals they want. I haven't converted many people, but my mom and dad now use the Fox and they like it. It works, simple as that.

My sisters use another browser and I don't seem to mind, even if it is slightly outdated (MSN 7). It does what they need and I respect that. However, ask yourself something: If they were to go to a "tech forum" and ask a question about their browser of choice, how likely do you think it is that someone will tell them to use Firefox? The problem is, it is WAY too likely to happen. At the site I work for, Neowin.net, it became a large enough problem that a thread had to be created, in our dedicated Web Browser Support Forum, just to warn users of the complete lack of tolerance we have for such behavior. In extreme circumstances, an account could be completely disabled for such offenses.

Some readers, right now, may not understand what the big deal is. However, imagine it in a different light. Imagine you owned a 1998 Ford and you needed to bring it to the mechanic. Upon bringing the car in to the shop, the mechanic ignores you as you speak and simply yells out, in your face, to “get a Dodge�. He may even call you a “n00b’ or, in more actual wording, an “idiot� for driving a Ford and not the Dodge. So, now, instead of walking out with a problem corrected and a, once again, peaceful experience with your Ford, you now go home, after being insulted, with the problem still in existence. The world just doesn’t work that way.

What can we do? Education is the answer. I can’t possibly sit here and expect anyone’s attitude to completely change because of my words. It is simply an improbable and silly thought. However, with that said, we need to start spreading the concept of mature product selection and respect. Firefox is a great product, without a doubt, but it doesn’t suit everyone’s needs and that’s perfectly okay. Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, K-Meleon, etc, are all perfectly fine choices for a user if they feel their browsing needs will be met. So please, fellow Firefox users and lovers, try to keep these thoughts in mind. We need to be here to show how powerful this community can be, though; we need to be gentle with that power. We all need to show respect towards the choices people make, from their hair color to their Web Browser. You may not like it, but it’s their web experience and not yours. Please remember this. Let’s prove, together, that we are all better than this.

The article is situated over here: http://www.bangbang023.com/Forums/index.php?showtopic=698

I for one did not find anything regarding trolling in the forum rules.Just in case if the mods find this worthy you can make this sticky as well. :roll:

icecoolz
14-04-2005, 07:42 AM
nice one Digen. altho it is common sense to a lot, I guess the passion inside some clouds the issue and leads to fanboyism. Lets see if this makes any impact and mods I think this should be a sticky for a while !

Nemesis
14-04-2005, 10:38 AM
A very sensible article. Hits the nail right on the head. It's people trying to push their favorite browsers in your face that you start to hate rather than the browser itself. I myself use 5 different browsers (including IE at times!) and most of the time, which one I choose is based on my mood :P

I'm making this a Sticky in the hope that the next time someone wants to start a Browser comparison, they read this first :D

tuxfan
14-04-2005, 11:24 AM
This surely looks the work of some one with lots of common sense. Surely a thought provoking writing. Taught me a thing or two about propoganding open source softwares :)

theraven
14-04-2005, 04:43 PM
thank you for a sensible post after a long time
if this doesn't bring attention to anyone then too bad !
from now on lets try and keep browser wars to minimal to non existent .. and lets all work towards that

NikhilVerma
14-04-2005, 08:47 PM
Hmmmm.....

A really nice read...

I too was a fanboy kinda guy...

Now I am not...

ShekharPalash
14-04-2005, 11:34 PM
Yup... very nice article digen... :D

bangbang023
15-04-2005, 12:51 AM
Hey guys, I just want to thank everyone for reading my brief article. Honestly, I try not to voice my opinion all that often, in the computer realm, since I tend to stray from the common belief. However, I found myself hating the browser I was, in a small way, contributing to simply because of the arrogance of a few. I hope that people continue to be more respectful, whether it be in browsers or any other part of their life. Firefox is a movement and something many are passionate about. I would hate to see it ruined by ignorance.

digen
15-04-2005, 01:00 AM
Whoa thanks chris for replying here mate.Oh btw peeps http://www.bangbang023.com/Forums/index.php?showtopic=776

Nemesis
15-04-2005, 10:42 AM
Welcome to the forums bangbang023 a.k.a. Chris :D

I really liked your article and appreciate the fact at least someone was level-headed enough to write something like this.

drgrudge
15-04-2005, 01:18 PM
bangbang023 in here? :shock:

It was a very good article.... :)

icecoolz
15-04-2005, 01:52 PM
If you look at the article and just think about it a lil it doesnt just apply to browsers. It applies to anything which has defenitive competition. Be is OSes to cars to softwares. The first few sentences summed it up for me. Use what gives you the best options for the situations. simple enough dont you think

devilhead_satish
25-04-2005, 09:35 AM
Good one. Applies to all sorts of software and not just browsers. Should certainly reduce browser threads.

vignesh
28-04-2005, 07:37 PM
Good post but the forum is getting full of browsers

chinmay
04-05-2005, 12:45 PM
Nice article...

avdhut_s
07-05-2005, 10:35 PM
Indyan wrote-
hmm..Since i am considered to be the biggest fanboy.
Ok,i would try to controll myself.

its already working ! :D
hats off to u man !!!

navjotjsingh
08-05-2005, 11:12 AM
A Nice Article.

Charley
08-05-2005, 02:44 PM
Good one

selva1966
08-05-2005, 07:47 PM
Informing latest updates for browser - any browser - should not be considred fanboyism. But making hair splitting arguments for each and every point - we have seen too may in this forum betwen firefox and opera should henceforth come down hopefully. I learnt about firefox only from this forum. Now I have lastest copy of firefox.exe in a CD which I carry and install it after informing the benefits! I thing in dial-up connections it will save a lot of time and money for many of the users. (We mostly have dial-up connections). It will be another story when IE7 is released :wink:

rohanbee
10-05-2005, 05:34 PM
man what is all this about, i always use one browser i.e before and firefox now...............i hate change so i use one and stick to it if things are going good. The last thing im bothered about is a BROWSER, but it's fun seeing how ppl in some threads get really worked up about which browser they use and why?? :lol: :lol:

and yes i do love FireFox and it rules (sorry u other browser ppl) :wink: :wink:

Anu
12-05-2005, 01:57 AM
There is a despicable trend that is becoming more and more common wherein the browser settings of web surfers are being hijacked forcibly by malicious web sites and software which modifies your default start and search pages.

Sometimes internet shortcuts will be added to your favorites folder without asking you. The purpose of this is force you to visit a web site of the hijacker's choice so that they artificially can inflate their web site's traffic for higher advertising revenues.

In some cases, these changes are reversible simply by going into internet options and switching them back. Not always, however. Sometimes it's necessary to edit the windows registry (gasp!) to undo the changes made. Sometimes there is even a combination of registry setting and files clandestinely placed on your hard drive that redo your settings every time you reboot the computer.

No matter how often you change your settings back, they are changed again the next time you restart. There have even been cases where internet options have been removed from the tools menu by registry hacking to prevent you from controlling your own computer!

Even AOL has become a browser hijacker by placing their web site free.aol.com in Internet Explorer's trusted sites security zone, thereby bypassing the most frequently used security settings. This occurs after installing their AOL software, AOL Instant Messenger, Netscape 6.x and ICQ2001b has reportedly done this. AOL then exploits this by downloading ActiveX components to your computer without your consent. The CWS trojan also does this.

digen
12-05-2005, 03:53 AM
Dude do you have any idea what the intended message was in this thread?
There is no point in posting stuff like this.

Anyways since i'm in a generous mood today & this seems to be your lucky joe day here have a plain brownie.

http://img83.echo.cx/img83/7750/plainbrownie5pz.th.jpg (http://img83.echo.cx/my.php?image=plainbrownie5pz.jpg)

For the record:Post Reported !

Anu
12-05-2005, 03:59 AM
I just wanted to mention that this is happening even with AOL software too and if you think that there is nothing here its upto u..and anyway thanx for ur generous mood

theraven
12-05-2005, 01:14 PM
behave
what does browser hijackin have to do with browser fanboyism ?

Anu
13-05-2005, 12:11 AM
Thanx for your advice

Charley
13-05-2005, 12:17 PM
Just happened to read this article. Very detailed one. Indeed a very good one. Tks, keep more of this coming in.

Ashwin Saxena
13-06-2005, 09:35 PM
What a articles?...
I am your fan now...
Hee!! Hee!! Hee!!

siriusb
30-06-2005, 10:33 AM
I LOVE OPERA!

Wait. We are against this right?

Sorry, couldn't resist that. But can someone clarify my doubt? Don't shout at me if I missed a point. But don't such discussions help people find their, u know...real love? or the perfect browser for them? I just thought ppl may look at the arguments and find out things about the other side that they could do with.
But ofcourse, unfortunately, all of the discussions end up like "my toy is bigger than ur toy" and end up comparing apple features of one browser to the orange of the other. Maybe that's why u consider them unhealthy arguments?

digen
30-06-2005, 06:25 PM
/goes & puts his anti-fanboysim cap :)

Real love?
Whats the point? You use the software so you should try it & keep it if you like or it satisfies your requirements.But that rarely happens in these kinda discussions."I love XXX" or "I love YYY"
bah get a life !
I agree though that it isnt possible to try every software which gets released but for that you have web sites doing reviews & comparisons of latest released software which give you a fair idea.

Actually the above which I've written wasnt needed had you read the first post on this thread again & again & again......till you get the message !

/removes the cap & heads to the next thread.

Strider
02-07-2005, 11:56 PM
A very good article indeed .
Something i could relate to since i had began to question my choice of opera and couldn,t quite understand what the firefox fuzz was all about.

Prajith
06-07-2005, 11:37 PM
yeah a very good article indeed

Though i never pushed my opinions on others still i was very supportive to firefox just because of its simplicity and completeness.

Elitecoder
13-07-2005, 07:43 AM
bangbang really nice one.
plz keep it up and save us all from ignorance.

sba
24-07-2005, 09:33 PM
Real love?
Whats the point? You use the software so you should try it & keep it if you like or it satisfies your requirements.But that rarely happens in these kinda discussions."I love XXX" or "I love YYY"
bah get a life !
The point is that u r telling the person about something better or at least something that you think is better. I would like to take chris' example on this one. If you go to a mechanic with an almost dead car to get it repaired then he will definitely tell u "saab ab isse bech do...woh naya model aaya hai na. bada accha hai" (sir sell this junk now, the new model is better). is the mechanic showing fanboyism? no he is not. He is just giving his opinion. I understand the author's point that people saying "n00b get firefox" or "m0ron get over IE" is stupidity but mentioning about an alternate product is not.

Car manufacturers have ways to advertise...softwares just have their users. So imho fanboyism to an extent is OK but when it comes down to derogatory remarks then you need to think wat u r doing.

digen
25-07-2005, 12:24 AM
Dude I admit it your analogy is bang on target here but allow me to have my say.
Consider this you face problem with a particular software,would you like people giving you alternatives every post or would you like to have a clear cut solution so that you can move on with your work ?
I can lead you to umpteen number of such threads here at digit as well as many more from a reputed forum like Neowin where users provide alternatives when the original author of the thread is asking for a simple solution & not more !
Do you think I'm against better alternatives or better software to be precise? Hell NO
I didnt even know what fanboyism was before Firefox created the hype & hoopla where everyone was going bonkers over it & oh include me in it :?
The point is where do you draw the line ? Every joe will say this software is better,use this not that.If hes backing up his claims with information then fair enough but what if hes not? And thats mostly the case .
And if you read clearly the post that you've quoted me was my reply to someone saying "I love blah blah"

Anyways I hope i've drilled home the point.Comments/opinions are most welcome.