Firefox Goes "Organic"

Treehugger:

People have this remarkable quality of equating the properties of wildly disparate objects. These are often captured in the aphorism; no man is an island, food is love, green is the new black. Even more remarkable is that a wealth of meaning flows between us when these phrases pop out of our mouths.

In this vein, the Mozilla corporation, creator of the superb Firefox web browser, has declared their software to be 100% organic. No, it's not to be eaten; but in this interview with Paul Kim, Mozilla VP, he explains why the term is relevant. Please, feast your eyes on this, and give us your gut on the matter; can software be organic?

Read the whole story: Treehugger

Comments

[DRaymond]

This seals it...Organic is now the single most abused word in the english language.

There is, by definition, no possible way that software...a set of digital codes intended to get an electronic device to perform an action, can in any legitimate interpretation be called 'organic'.

(Don't take this as my being against Firefox, or Mozilla, or Open Source. I am only against absurd abuse of words until they are meaningless)

[Mrrar]

I'd say that "Literally" is the most abused word in the english language.

Literally.

::stab self::

[WIpatriot]

LOL, snortk, snork. Honestly has to come in second....

[ChimpmasterDJ]

Corporations say stupid things and mangle language on a routine basis. Let this not obscure the fact that Mozilla has hatched what is simply the best web browser in what was a crowded market.

[Weathermaker]

At this point in time Firefox is the best browser. If you throw on top of it some add-ons, it is absolutely superb. Firefox with Foxmarks has no match. Windows or Linux, same browser and synchronized bookmarks. Perfect. Thanks, Firefox!

[PioneerKing]

I read the article and it's much hype - lots of words but saying nothing. Waste of print.

[Mrrar]

lol print. dont forget vhs and records :D

[capsaicin]

The "organic software" messaging doesn't have any legs -- the term is at best loosely analogous, and transparently opportunistic. But it doesn't change the fact that I couldn't live a day without Firefox, the best browser on earth (once i install the 10+ add-ons i also can't live without... ;)

[WIpatriot]

Honestly (see post above, lol) I could live one day without it, but I'd be a cranky SOB.

[suntzu]

The true meaning of "organic" refers to the fact that something has the properties of an "organism," i.e., something that grows, not in a haphazard manner, but according to a pattern, hopefully purposeful and intelligent. The term "organic" as applied to growing food is in fact a bit of a misnomer, meaning "free of pesticides and chemicals." Here's a funny thing. I have been using FireFox almost exclusively for several years over MS Explorer, yet I could not give you compelling reasons why. I just like it better. Microsoft has imported a lot of good features from FireFox, but FireFox was there first with most of them. So functionally there is not much difference between the two, but I use Firefox. It could be just because they are not Microsoft, and that is reason enough.

[Mrrar]

There's actually a significant functional difference, especially for those of us who develop web applications. For those of you who don't, firefox renders XHTML and JS faster-- period.

There is zero reason to use IE, unless Microsoft makes you.

Now, IE8 beta is out, and I haven't tested it, so can't speak to it.

FF3, on the other hand, is insanely fast, stable, and lovely.

[abbiehoffmansghost]

The question is: why would anyone use IE when there is Firefox?

[WIpatriot]

Gotta use it at work, abbie. Something about corporate policies or something....

[abbiehoffmansghost]

You have my sympathy.

[CountryBeforeParty]

On Netflix you can watch some of the movies in your queue on line. However you have to use IE, doesnt recognize Firefox. That's the only time I use IE

[WIpatriot]

I don't know about 'organic' but 'all natural' might work.

/Firefox user

[drumz]

Ah no, organic refers to just that, organisms in their natural state. The only way it could be organic would be if all the developers, testers, managers, truck drivers et all ate organic, wore organic and lived organic lifestyles and that ain't happen'n...