Comments on: State Department Thinks Firefox Is Too Expensive http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/ Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:37:34 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Marcel http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-29585 Marcel Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:18:41 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/#comment-29585 The only reason a corporate app would need IE is if it uses sharepoint or some other bloatware from Microsoft that requires it. The fact is that developing to standards will work in all browsers except IE, so to say it is easier to develop for IE only is in fact quite the opposite. I develop for IE only in my organisation and it amazes me how much time we waste trying to do things to work in IE6 that would be very simple in any other browser. The end user ultimately suffers with the slow Javascript support which ultimately costs the company substantial lost productivity waiting for such an antiquated, out of date, slow as death browser, to perform the simple functions required. The sooner IT admins stop being lazy and do the research they will most likely find the company would make significantly more gains in productivity than it would cost to support the new platform. The only reason a corporate app would need IE is if it uses sharepoint or some other bloatware from Microsoft that requires it. The fact is that developing to standards will work in all browsers except IE, so to say it is easier to develop for IE only is in fact quite the opposite. I develop for IE only in my organisation and it amazes me how much time we waste trying to do things to work in IE6 that would be very simple in any other browser. The end user ultimately suffers with the slow Javascript support which ultimately costs the company substantial lost productivity waiting for such an antiquated, out of date, slow as death browser, to perform the simple functions required.

The sooner IT admins stop being lazy and do the research they will most likely find the company would make significantly more gains in productivity than it would cost to support the new platform.

]]> By: David http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-28415 David Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:48:28 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/#comment-28415 As Lespaul says, custom corporate apps. Big difference between browsing pcmech.com and running a custom financial report online. Any developer can tell you there are differences with the way every browser interprets a webpage. Maybe it's as simple as a text alignment, and maybe you would never notice. Most of them you can code around, but that takes time (=money) to code and test. It's a big savings to develop for one browser only when you can. As Lespaul says, custom corporate apps. Big difference between browsing pcmech.com and running a custom financial report online.

Any developer can tell you there are differences with the way every browser interprets a webpage. Maybe it’s as simple as a text alignment, and maybe you would never notice. Most of them you can code around, but that takes time (=money) to code and test. It’s a big savings to develop for one browser only when you can.

]]> By: lespaul20 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-28396 lespaul20 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:59:45 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/#comment-28396 It's custom apps written internally that you would never use. It’s custom apps written internally that you would never use.

]]> By: David M http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-28353 David M Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:18:49 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/#comment-28353 Where are all these compatibility problems with Firefox that I have never experienced? Where are all these compatibility problems with Firefox that I have never experienced?

]]> By: Lespaul20 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-28350 Lespaul20 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:55:07 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/#comment-28350 It most definitely is a support issue. Like David said, not necessarily a desktop support issue but compatibility support. I've had experience in a civilian agency and IE was the only browser that was supportrd for the online apps. However, what I've seen is the Gov't is not on the edge of technology with much. With the civilian agencies at-least. It most definitely is a support issue. Like David said, not necessarily a desktop support issue but compatibility support. I’ve had experience in a civilian agency and IE was the only browser that was supportrd for the online apps. However, what I’ve seen is the Gov’t is not on the edge of technology with much. With the civilian agencies at-least.

]]> By: David http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-28344 David Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:41:06 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/#comment-28344 Well, it is a support issue. Not just the Firefox running on the PC, but also the corporate software such as intranets, Sharepoint, etc. I worked at a company where the policy was IE only. As a developer, it saves quite a bit of time. Any internal use company website, I didn't have to bother whether it worked in any other browser. Get it working in IE, done! Well, it is a support issue. Not just the Firefox running on the PC, but also the corporate software such as intranets, Sharepoint, etc.

I worked at a company where the policy was IE only. As a developer, it saves quite a bit of time. Any internal use company website, I didn’t have to bother whether it worked in any other browser. Get it working in IE, done!

]]> By: Doctor Gonzo http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/comment-page-1/#comment-28340 Doctor Gonzo Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:57:29 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/state-department-thinks-firefox-is-too-expensive/#comment-28340 Although I agree that it is pretty stupid, I'm not so sure it's all that strange. Especially considering that it is the State Department. They may have internal regulations that require full security audits or similar steps whenever software is approved for use in the department, considering that State is a very sensitive area (like Defense). Such an audit wouldn't be free. The exact same reason is given for not allowing Firefox in corporate environments, believe me; this line of thinking is not limited to the government. Although I agree that it is pretty stupid, I’m not so sure it’s all that strange. Especially considering that it is the State Department. They may have internal regulations that require full security audits or similar steps whenever software is approved for use in the department, considering that State is a very sensitive area (like Defense). Such an audit wouldn’t be free.

The exact same reason is given for not allowing Firefox in corporate environments, believe me; this line of thinking is not limited to the government.

]]>