FireFox, dear FireFox, why must you piss me off...

So, as most of you who haven’t been hiding under a rock for the last week should know, Mozilla’s flagship browser FireFox has been updated to the latest and greatest version. This brings the version number of this favorite among browsers to 14.

One would think that at version 14 that Mozilla would have figured out how to add features and fix bugs without introducing a host of new issues, but this, as I always fear, was not the case.

While I have only put the browser through its paces on a fraction of my weekly requirements, I have already discovered a glaring issue. One so troubling to my Alpha-Nerd self that I felt compelled to post it here in the hopes of not only warning others of the issue, but also making myself feel a little better in the process.

The issue of which I speak concerns using the browser in conjunction with the MacDaddy of all screen readers NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access) http://www.nvda-project.org and any WordPress site management tool. In my case, I speak of the WP Admin tool for websites offered by most decent hosting providers (I use/recommend Netfirms http://www.netfirms.com). The first glaring issue is that the NVDA cursor tends to get thrown around the page, seemingly at random. This is extremely irritating, but not a game-breaker for me, as I can usually get back to where I was going without much difficulty. The second issue, however, is more troubling. When composing a new post (which is how the Geeks On A Leash podcast is posted) immediately upon pressing the “Publish” button, FireFox crashes and must be reopened. Again, this wouldn’t be too much of a concern if not for it’s interesting side effect of posting the new post multiple times, necessitating a foray into the post listing to delete the duplicates. Lastly, and most irritating of all is the shiny new browser’s inability or refusal to play content using the embedded WordPress media player. You can mash on the “Play” buttons until your fingers rot to no avail. While this does not affect the majority of our listeners who listen to the Geeks On A Leash podcast via iTunes or other podcast management software, it is a major concern for our listeners who listen via the website (http://www.geeksonaleash.com) and use FireFox with their screen reader.

Well, I feel a little better having vented my frustration with this issue here, but rest assured, I’ll still be pursuing the issue in more official channels.

Until then, may your glass be full and your inbox empty!

Woof!