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Based on something I've read recently, I want to do a poll of my readers:
Do you use Firefox to browse the web?
Yes, I use the official build of Firefox.
49 (87.5%)
Yes, I use a local build of Firefox.
0 (0.0%)
No, but I use a Firefox derivative (like Iceweasel).
1 (1.8%)
No.
6 (10.7%)
If you use Firefox (you answered Yes in question 1), do you know where to look to find the version number of Firefox?
Yes; I'd look in the Help->About window (or Firefox->About on Mac OS X).
50 (90.9%)
Yes; I'd find it from elsewhere in Firefox.
0 (0.0%)
Yes; I'd find it using some method outside of Firefox, but I wouldn't know where to look for it inside the program.
0 (0.0%)
No; I'd have no clue where else to look for it.
1 (1.8%)
This question isn't applicable to me as I don't use Firefox.
4 (7.3%)
How about if the version number was taken out of the Help->About / Firefox->About window? Would you still be able to find the version number?
Yes; I'd be able to find it from elsewhere in Firefox.
14 (25.5%)
Yes; I'd be able to find it using some method outside of Firefox, but I wouldn't know where to look for it inside the program.
17 (30.9%)
No; I'd have no clue where else to look for it.
20 (36.4%)
This question isn't applicable to me as I don't use Firefox.
4 (7.3%)
If you use Firefox (you answered Yes in question 1), did you know that there was a "Troubleshooting Information" menu item in the "Help" menu?
Yes, and I use it regularly.
0 (0.0%)
Yes, and I've used it once or twice.
4 (7.4%)
Yes, and although I've never used it, I know what it does.
7 (13.0%)
I knew it was there, but I've never used it, and I don't know what it does.
10 (18.5%)
No, I never knew it was there until just now.
29 (53.7%)
My version of Firefox doesn't seem to have that option.
0 (0.0%)
This question isn't applicable to me as I don't use Firefox.
4 (7.4%)
I just read https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=678775, which was a bug that proposed removing the version number from the About box in favour of just having text that indicated whether you were on the latest version or not. The bug has been closed as invalid, so don't worry about it getting in; it won't. However, I just wanted to know exactly how people would have felt about this had it got in.
I myself have always had reservations about what the Help->About window actually means. The very fact that it's in the Help menu, and is labelled "About", seems to signify that you'll get information on what the program is about. For example, "Firefox is a web browser, used for navigating Web sites located on networks and the Internet."
But that's not what you get. In a typical About window, you get three or four items of information:
1. The name of the program - which you likely already know,
2. The version number of the program - which isn't typically something that would help the end-user if they're looking for help,
3. An acknowledgement of who made the program - often (understandably) without contact links, meaning this also wouldn't help anybody (and even if they did have links, users are typically looking for more immediate help),
4. A copyright notice. This is often, but not always, combined with the acknowledgements.
So, you basically have a Help->About box that neither offers help nor tells you what the program is about. (It tells you about the program, but not what the program is about.) So why is it in Help->About? Because that's where it's always been, and you don't mess with user expectations.[*]
The About box (or its equivalent in other languages) is the one place everybody knows they'll be able to get the version number of the program they're using. Pretty much every Windows program which uses menus has this information in the same place. (I can't speak as to Mac OS X programs, though.) The Bugzilla ticket may be closed now, and I can't fault people for considering the issue - it's always good to question why you do things. But this mainly seemed to be an order from on high , and attempts at actual discussion on the bug were shut down - and when it comes to user expectations, that's a big no-no.
[*] Yes, I know this doesn't hold water the whole way - why was it done that way in the first place? I don't know, but I can hazard a guess that it stems from the idea that developers needed somewhere to put the information so that users who called up for help would be able to find the information. Since the information was most likely put there in case the user needed help, I'm guessing that's why it was put in the Help menu. But - this isn't really the point here.
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