Firefox 4.0.1

[frogman]

Apologies if this is in the wrong section, but can I ask a question related to the new Firefox 4 which is out in full from the beta.

Well for instance I tried the Beta on Windows 98 with KernelEx and it did not like my system whatsoever, so I reverted back, but I wonder if this new full version of Firefox 4 may actually work better, and thought to ask any of you that are in my situation with regards to operating system etc if you in fact have managed to use the very new Firefox 4 on your system?

In other words is it as fast as FF3 and is it stable?

I don't really want to go and install it and then have to revert back again as last time I had trouble getting my bookmarks back.

I thought to ask as I am sure there was someone on this forum that said that FF4 Beta was really slow on his 98 machine, and if I remember right he removed it, but then perhaps he has tried the latest FF 4.0.1 and it may work for him.

Edited May 9, 2011 by frogman

[jaclaz]

Just out of curiosity , are you going to start a new thread for each and every minor release of Firefox?

Wouldn't have been more logic to continue here? :

jaclaz

[frogman]

Just out of curiosity , are you going to start a new thread for each and every minor release of Firefox?

Wouldn't have been more logic to continue here? :

jaclaz

Please tell me where I mention on this thread about a minor release, surely Firefox 4.0.1 is a major release.

[jaclaz]

Please tell me where I mention on this thread about a minor release, surely Firefox 4.0.1 is a major release.

You did not mention it , but the usual convention goes along the lines of:

4.00 ->4.01 minor release

4.99->5.00 major release

so I did.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_versioning

From the mouth of the wolf:

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/4.0.1/releasenotes/

Firefox 4.0.1 fixes the following issues found in previous versions of Firefox 4:

• Fixed several security issues.
  
• Fixed several stability issues.
  

Compare with:

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/4.0/releasenotes/

What’s New in Firefox 4

• Firefox 4 is based on the Gecko 2.0 Web platform. This release features JavaScript execution speeds up to six times faster than the previous version, new capabilities for Web Developers and Add-on Developers such as hardware accelerated graphics and HTML5 technologies, and a completely revised user interface. Please read below for more detailed information about what's new in this version of the release, as well as the known issues.
  
• Firefox 4 is available in over 80 languages
  
• Uses JägerMonkey, a new, faster JavaScript engine that is up to six times faster than Firefox 3.6
  
• Support for the Do Not Track ("DNT") header that allows users to opt-out of behavioural advertising
  
• Firefox Sync is included by default, allowing you to securely synchronize between multiple computers and mobile devices
  
• Certain graphics rendering operations are now hardware-accelerated using Direct3D 9 on Windows XP, Direct3D 10 on Windows Vista and 7, and OpenGL on Mac OS (OpenGL on Linux will be supported in the future)
  
• Direct2D Hardware Acceleration is now on by default for Windows 7 users
  
• WebGL is enabled on all platforms that have a capable graphics card with updated drivers
  
• Native support for the HD HTML5 WebM video format, hardware accelerated where available
  
• Firefox button has a new look for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users
  
• Tabs are now on top by default on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
  
• You can search for and switch to already open tabs in the Smart Location Bar
  
• The stop and reload buttons have been merged into a single button on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
  
• The Bookmarks Toolbar has been replaced with a Bookmarks Button by default (you can switch it back if you'd like)
  
• Crash protection for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X when there is a crash in the Adobe Flash, Apple Quicktime or Microsoft Silverlight plugins
  
• You can turn any tab into an "App Tab" by right-clicking on it and selecting "Make into App Tab" from the context menu
  
• The default homepage design has been refreshed
  
• Overhaul of the bookmarks and history code, enabling faster bookmarking and startup performance
  
• Per-compartment garbage collection is now enabled, reducing work done during complex animations
  
• Additional polish for the Firefox Add-ons Manager
  
• Improved web typography using OpenType with support for ligatures, kerning and font variants
  
• Web developers can animate content using CSS Transitions
  
• Responsiveness and scrolling improvements from the new retained layers layout system
  
• HTML5 Forms API makes web based forms easier to implement and validate
  
• Support for the new proposed Audio Data API
  
• Support for HSTS security protocol allowing sites to insist that they only be loaded over SSL
  
• A new feature called Panorama gives users a visual overview of all open tabs, allowing them to be sorted and grouped
  
• An experimental API is included to provide more efficient Javascript animations
  
• Firefox now supports the HTML5 video "buffered" property
  
• Changes to how XPCOM components are registered in order to help startup time and process separation
  
• New Addons Manager and extension management API (UI will be changed before final release)
  
• Significant API improvements are available for JS-ctypes, a foreign function interface for extensions
  
• CSS Transitions are partially supported
  
• Core Animation rendering model for plugins on Mac OS X. Plugins which also support this rendering model can now draw faster and more efficiently
  
• Web developers can update the URL field without reloading the page using HTML History APIs
  
• More responsive page rendering using lazy frame construction
  
• Link history lookup is done asynchronously to provide better responsiveness during pageload
  
• CSS :visited selectors have been changed to block websites from being able to check a user's browsing history
  
• New HTML5 parser
  
• Support for more HTML5 form controls
  
• Web authors can now get touch events from Firefox users on Windows 7 machines
  
• A new way of representing values in JavaScript that allows Firefox to execute heavy, numeric code (used for things like graphics and animations) more efficiently
  

jaclaz

Edited May 9, 2011 by jaclaz

[frogman]

I just attempted to try the Firefox 4.0.1, and it was exactly like the last time I tried the Beta, slow to the point I had to use ctrl/alt/delete.

So God knows what I will use as a decent browser once the FF3 version is dropped.

I wonder if it is anything to do with the fact I only have 256RAM? I did try some time ago inserting another 256, but the internet looped and would not connect until I removed the extra RAM, so if it is because of the RAM that FF4 is slow then I don't know what to do but purchase a new computer that I can't afford.

[allen2]

FF4 is using with 10 tabs open at least 150MB of memory (under XP). There are tweaks to reduce a little this heavy memory usage but you most likely found the root cause of your problem.

I saw this problem was referenced as a bug on the mozilla support page.

I reverted to last 3.x.xx as i didn't want to have my browser taking more than 300MB (i usually have more than 25 tabs open).

[frogman]

I had the issue with just 1 tab open never mind 25, I reverted back to 3.6.17

[skylights]

So God knows what I will use as a decent browser once the FF3 version is dropped.

Use the latest version of Opera or K-Meleon along with KernelEx.

Opera works great on my Pentium MMX 200 MHz, 128 MB EDO RAM, Windows 98 SE system with KernelEx. It's fast and responsive and works with almost every website now. And with Opera's steadily growing extension ecosystem, I don't miss anything from Firefox except Xmarks, which doesn't have an Opera extension yet. If you tried Opera before but didn't like it, give it another try. It's improved immensely and is on par with all the modern browsers. This is coming from a Firefox fan.

KernelEx was just updated to 4.5.1 to work with the latest version of Opera, so grab it here: http://kernelex.sourceforge.net/

[allen2]

I tried the latest opera last week before reverting to firefox 3.x.xx but it took more memory (with 10 tabs opened) than firefox 3.x.xx. It is a lot better than FF4 on this.

[erpdude8]

So God knows what I will use as a decent browser once the FF3 version is dropped.

uh frogman, Mozilla dropped support for FF 3.0 in March 2010 after FF 3.0.19 was released.

and Mozilla plans to end support for FF 3.5 after FF 3.5.19 was released.

also, Firefox 5.0 beta 1 will be available on Mozilla's Beta channel coming May 17 and the final release of FF5 is scheduled to be released on June 21.

you may want to stick with the FF 3.6 series as there will be an upcoming FF 3.6.18 release once FF 5 goes final.

[frogman]

So God knows what I will use as a decent browser once the FF3 version is dropped.

you may want to stick with the FF 3.6 series as there will be an upcoming FF 3.6.18 release once FF 5 goes final.

I will as anything else above this that I have tried fails to work properly.

[the xt guy]

I see Mozilla does state on their Wiki that FF 3.6.18 is scheduled to be released on June 21.

Unfortunately, I see no mention of FF 3.5.20 (although there are nightly builds of 3.5,20pre available now, I haven't tried them.)

Edited May 27, 2011 by the xt guy

[patclash]

Hi,

unfortunately Firefox 3.5.* is EOL

https://wiki.mozilla...eleases/3.5_EOL

[submix8c]

Hi,

unfortunately Firefox 3.5.* is EOL

Yes, we all know that. Older versions can still be obtained. Google "firefox archive" (w/o quotes) and up it jumps.

[erpdude8]

Or you can download older versions of Firefox from either OldApps.com or FileHippo.com