Firefox Extension Guru’s Blog

I just downloaded and applied the Spybot 1.5.2 update, which of course required me to restart the computer. After rebooting I launched Spybot and noticed and a huge difference in the load time. As mentioned prior, the old 1.5.1 version would take up to a minute or even longer for the application to launch from the time you clicked the icon. Now the new 1.5.2 version loaded in a matter of few seconds.

Speaking of load times, I timed how long Firefox took to launch. Much to my surprise it was up and running in about 4 seconds from when I clicked the icon in the Quick Launch Bar. Not bad considering I am using 27 add-ons (25 extensions and 2 themes). I would test how long it would take without SuperFetch, but I don’t quite recall all the steps to disable this feature and from what I recall it is a pain.

I noticed a couple comments on the Firefox 2.0.0.12 Released post about issues with add-ons when upgrading to this new release. I did upgrade to the released version of Fx 2.0.0.12 even though I should not have (more on this later). I did not have any issues with my add-ons no longer working or causing the browser to crash. While, I know two different readers have had this issue, I don’t know what add-ons they had installed or what OS they were using and for that matter if this involved the en-US version of Firefox. Without getting more specific details I can only guess that either their profiles were damaged or Firefox when it installed did not do so correctly.

However, just to be sure this wasn’t a bigger problem, I checked over on mozillaZine. I looked through both the Firefox Support and the Firefox Bugs forums and didn’t find anything related to this issue. The only thing I came across remotely related to the upgrade was Firefox 2.0.0.12 - Address bar does not reflect current page, but that turned out to be caused by an out-dated theme.

Now, I mentioned that I did ‘upgrade to Fx 2.0.0.12 even though I should not have’. I have my Firefox configured to check and get updates from the Nightly Update Channel. Earlier this week I had installed the Firefox Preloader and discovered it caused numerous problems, especially when it came to updates. In order for an update to take effect, Firefox needs to restart. However with the Firefox Preloader in use, exiting Firefox does not completely close the browser. I was getting numerous update errors because of this since Firefox was technically still running. Then on Friday I was presented with this screen:

Now wait a minute!!! I shouldn’t be seeing this screen. I am on the Nightly Update Channel, not the Release Update Channel. I should have been presented with an update for Bon Echo 2.0.0.13pre. Of course when I went to restart Firefox so I could apply this update I got numerous error messages saying the update failed. It even re-downloaded the Fx 2.0.0.12 update, which I was able to successfully install once I had selected the Unload Firefox option from the Firefox Preloader.

Now, before I had shut down Friday night I did get an update from the Nightly Update Channel for Bon Echo 2.0.0.13pre. I downloaded the update, but didn’t apply it last night. When I went to start Firefox today, once again had several error messages regarding the update failing. Once again after selecting the Unload Firefox option from the Firefox Preloader, I was able to get the update to install.

I have since removed the Firefox Preloader from my system. It really did not seem to make all that much difference as far as load time. Perhaps it because I already have the SuperFetch feature enabled in Windows Vista. My Firefox doesn’t take too long to load (not that I have timed it), but I know it not as bad as Spybot 1.5.1 (note the new 1.5.2 is suppose to fix the ‘load time’ issue).

Last week Microsoft made an unsolicited offer to acquire Yahoo! with an initial asking price of $31/per share which was about 62% higher than the January 31st closing price. On Wednesday, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang sent an internal e-mail seeking to keep the company’s employees focused on its strategy despite the uncertainty created by Microsoft’s unsolicited acquisition bid. Also on Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that a merger involving Yahoo! and Google would be unlikely due to anti-trust (only Microsoft can get away with anti-trust, at least in the US) and regulatory concerns.

To add even more mystery to this possible acquisition, Microsoft is not discussing with the public anything about the integration process should the deal go through. Further they are not saying anything to their employees nor will they answer any questions as to what stays and goes. For example would Microsoft continue using the Live Mail or would they switch to Yahoo’s Mail? Would they use the MSN Portal or Yahoo! Portal? Those questions remained unanswered by Kevin Johnson, president of Microsoft’s Platforms & Services Division.

On Friday a student watching remotely the company’s Minority Student Day, asked “What will Microsoft gain from purchasing Yahoo…” Steve Ballmer after saying at least three times ‘it was a good question’ replied:

There’s really three large players in the online world, and yet when you stop and look at it from a revenue perspective increasingly there’s just one strong player, and if you actually look at it, most of what people do online is very fragmented. It’s not like people spend most of their time at MSN or Yahoo or Google or anyplace else. So the Web is kinda big. Some things are a little concentrated, but from a revenue and sales standpoint of advertising, Google is really the big guy out there.

What our goal is, is to provide, what I would say, great innovation and great competition, particularly in the search and advertising area, to Google. … There’s already about $40 billion a year sold in search advertising, and in our desire to be a world leader in Internet search and Internet advertising, it helps us a lot to acquire Yahoo.

That response almost makes it sound like Microsoft wants Yahoo for the search advertising and would just scrap everything else mail, portal, maps and/or Foxy Tunes just so they could compete with Google. I hadn’t really paid much attention to this possible merger/acquisition/integration or whatever you want to call it, until gialloporpora commented on the FoxyTunes Acquired article from earlier this week.

Today both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal citing anonymous sources, report Yahoo is going to reject the offer. This offer “massively undervalues” Yahoo and “does not account for the risks Yahoo would be taking by entering into an agreement that might be overturned by regulators.” Yahoo board plans to inform Microsoft on Monday of their position, which as the Wall Street Journal has reported: not to consider any offers below $40 per share. Note: on Friday, February 8th Yahoo’s (YHOO) stock closed at $29.20 while Microsoft’s (MSFT) closed at $28.56 per share. There is still talk Yahoo may allow itself to be acquired enter into a partnership with Google as a way to fend off Microsoft.

Either way Google or Microsoft, I just can’t see this happening. Even if Yahoo agrees on a price chances are the deal would be tied up with regulators for a long, long time. Microsoft is no stranger to anti-trust claims, especially in the EU which is where I have feeling this could really get tied up. Further I would think trying to ‘partner’ would Google would raise even more red flags with regulators being the two have such similar products, services, technologies, etc. However it would be quite ironic if Google did ‘partner’ with Yahoo as the tag line on the FoxyTunes Acquired article was ‘And No, It Was Not By Google!’

One more thing. just in case you are curious Google’s (GOOG) stock closed at $516.69 per share on Friday.

Related Articles:

• Todd Bishop’s Microsoft Blog:

  • Yahoo and Microsoft: Headed for a showdown?
  • Yahoo CEO says board will ‘take the time it needs’
  • Even internally, Microsoft mum on Yahoo ’synergies’
  • Latest from Ballmer on Microsoft’s Yahoo bid
  • What’s next: Microsoft’s options after Yahoo rejection

• BBC News:

  • Microsoft wants to purchase Yahoo