FIREFOX INFORMATION:


This Web site will not function properly using the default (out of the
box) settings of Firefox. To get the most from this Web site, please
take a moment to make one minor adjustment so that Firefox will function
properly like the other major browsers. This will enable the status bar
to display documentary titles, URL descriptions, help tips, and other
useful and important information (like other browsers).


  * To enable status bar text change in the Firefox browser:

      (1) From the Tools menu, select Options.

      (2) Click Web Features in the left panel of the Options dialog.

      (3) Click the Advanced button on the right side of the dialog box.

      (4) Place a check mark beside Change Status Bar Text.

      (5) Click the OK button in this smaller dialog box.

      (6) Click the OK button as well in the Options dialog box.


Editorial Comment:

As a Web developer I was appalled when I opened up my Web site for the
first time in Firefox.

"This is absolutely UNbelievable! The site actually functions better in
Netscape 4," I said to myself. "How can this possibly be? Isn't Firefox
supposed to be one of the most advanced of the browsers?"

Instead of displaying the text in the status bar that I had intended,
Firefox could only spit out one single word: DONE. Not even the simple
URL of the link was displayed correctly in the status bar by Firefox!

I quickly discovered that the reason for this shoddy behavior was that
status bar text changes have been disabled by default. I switched status
bar text changes back on in the browser and, what do you know, the page
worked just fine!

Fine for me, but what about for my visitors? Ninety percent of them will
probably just stick with the default browser setting and be treated with
an embarrassingly CRIPPLED version of my site!

Needless to say, I'm not happy with this prospect!

To give users a choice is all well and good. Some users might be annoyed
by text in the status bar or might even feel that it somehow impinges on
their "security." Such users should therefore be provided the OPTION of
turning status bar text off.

However, this decision should not be made FOR THEM by the browser maker.
Not only does this ill-advised action deprive site users of potentially
important content, it also has the effect of crippling many Web sites
that utilize the status bar to convey information.

Why suddenly change the way browsers have been behaving for the better
part of a decade? Let's hope that the developers of the Firefox browser
will come to their senses and rectify this error. The sooner they do so,
the better for all of us!