Firefox 1.5 RC1 out within 24 hours

tip: update all your extensions now

[amznVibe]

The release many have been waiting for is due out within 24 hours,
Firefox 1.5 Release Candidate 1 (RC means post beta, pre-final)
(release delayed by a few days for bug fixin [developer.mozilla.org]).

Catch up on what was new in beta 1 and beta 2:
[mozilla.org...]
[mozilla.org...]
and live tomorrow:
[mozilla.org...]

Technically what's new:
[squarefree.com...]
and previously:
[squarefree.com...]
[squarefree.com...]
[squarefree.com...]
[squarefree.com...]

and really technical "what's new" for developers [simon.incutio.com]

Behind the scenes: 40 bugs still listed for 1.5 [bugzilla.mozilla.org]

You are going to make sure all your extensions are up to date for this release, it's critical.
TIP: easiest way to look at all your extensions & themes to track them for updating:
[mozilla.doslash.org...]
Basically I go down the list of hyperlinks the above makes and just check for current versions and/or complete changes for 1.5 support.

If you are a developer/programmer using javascript & css you might want to look at the nifty Console2 extension for 1.5 [forums.mozillazine.org]

[amznVibe]

It's now out! Go get it: [mozilla.org...]

[MatthewHSE]

The CSS Columns feature sounds very intriguing, and I'm looking forward to trying it. Provided people will actually read a webpage with columns, this could be a very useful way to give people two or more opportunities per page to view the same ads! ;) This is one feature I expect to be able to use pretty much right away, as any other browser should just ignore the column properties.

[Robin_reala]

Although of course they're still in testing (-moz-) and shouldn't be used on production sites :)

[amznVibe]

The ultimate new feature is the super-fast back/forth they borrowed from Opera:
[mozillazine.org...]

That feature will be all the rage for websites/forums to tell users about
since it is not activated by default and the newbies will think the posters are gods.

By the way if you are not using FasterFox, you should be:
[fasterfox.mozdev.org...]
Makes all the little speedup tweaks you think you should be using easy to access.

last but not least:

Code lockdown for 1.5 Release Candidate 2 will be this coming Friday November 4 at 11:59pm PDT.

1.5 Release Candidate 2 may be released as early as November 11 depending on the feedback from RC1.

[asquithea]

[mozillazine.org...]

Fastback is on by default these days -- that linked article is out of date.

Another useful feature is "Clear Private Data", which lets you wipe out "sensitive" stuff (cache, history etc) on demand or when the browser is closed.

Extension and theme management is improved behind the scenes, although as always there'll be lots of breakage until everything's updated. I hardly need note that many of the best features of Firefox are provided by extensions rather than the core install. Scrapbook, Adblock (and the Filterset.G updater) and Download Statusbar are just a few that make the experience so much more worthwhile.

The new binary update system should be working, so in future there won't be any need to download 5MB of data just to patch a security hole.

There's also a new options dialog (isn't there always?), quite a number of security fixes, and some initial support for SVG.

The biggest step back in this release is the odd appearance of the menus when used with Windows Classic. There is an extension to correct this problem, which will be going away with native menu rendering in the next major version. That patch was too buggy to be accepted in 1.5.

[Stefan]

I installed it, found that only one of my extensions was supported (no Flashblock?), my theme "Littlefox" was not available, and there are no updates. I promptly uninstalled it and put the old version back.

[Robin_reala]

It's up to extension authors to make sure they are compatible with new releases, and RC1 has only been out for 12 hours :)

[Stefan]

It's up to extension authors to make sure they are compatible with new releases, and RC1 has only been out for 12 hours :)

Yep, that's exactly why the version I use is always an older one (using 1.0.4 right now). I find it aggravating to suddenly have the features that I like most about my browser suddenly disappear on a supposed "update". (I never did get "Calendar" back when I went to 1.0 - I believe that was the update that killed it - not sure).

Why exactly should I use the latest version of Firefox if the more important extensions aren't part of it? If there is no version 1.5 for Flashblock, Littlefox, Google Pagerank Status, Reloadevery, etc, the browser is not ready, other than for beta-testing. For my own daily use, I'd rather be back to 1.0. The bloody thing has been constantly crashing ever since I went to 1.0.4.

[CritterNYC]

Why exactly should I use the latest version of Firefox if the more important extensions aren't part of it? If there is no version 1.5 for Flashblock, Littlefox, Google Pagerank Status, Reloadevery, etc, the browser is not ready, other than for beta-testing. For my own daily use, I'd rather be back to 1.0. The bloody thing has been constantly crashing ever since I went to 1.0.4.

Start a new profile with 1.0.7 and then add in your extensions and you'll be fine. The fact that you are having problems is probably due to profile corruption a while back.

And OF COURSE not all the extensions and themes work with 1.5 yet. 1.5 hasn't been released yet. This is the first of at least 2 release candidates after the 2 betas that give developers time to update their extensions and themes and everyone time to bang on it and see what breaks.

[Leosghost]

I like fire fox immensely but I have already too many instances of "there is a script on this page which is slowing down firefox would you like to abort " happening even here on WebmasterWorld if one switches to code view ..it is becoming to much of a RAM HOG ..

the extensions are extremely usefull but it's getting to the point where you need to split the extensions across two or more separate simultaneous installs of FF to avoid either one of them crashing ..unless you are running 1 gig or more of RAM ..

and if you take out the extensions ..you are left with what amounts to a much slower opera ..

I keep it ,I like it.. but I use it less and less and certainly not the "latests" till they are at least 30 days old ..and ironed out ..

[Stefan]

Thanks Critter. I might give it a try. Perhaps the profile got messed up as part of all the hoops I had to jump through everytime I did an update.

I hear you that this release is primarily for developers. I gotta say though - if the thing is breaking many extensions whenever they change it, they have to rethink the approach. I'm a loyal Firefox user, but it certainly taxes my patience - the extensions are the biggest part of it, and if they're not all along for the ride for every update, there shouldn't be an update. I confess that I'm totally ignorant on the code (and not really in a position to criticize), but I have to ask - why aren't the updates backwards-compatible with the extensions and themes?

[MatthewHSE]

I like fire fox immensely but I have already too many instances of "there is a script on this page which is slowing down firefox would you like to abort " happening even here on WebmasterWorld if one switches to code view

This is interesting. I've only run into that "script slowing down Firefox" error about three times since version 0.6. I'd like to see if I can duplicate your problem myself; unfortunately, I don't know what you mean by switching to "code view." I didn't think WW ran any clientside scripts at all, so obviously I'm missing something somewhere along the line.

[Leosghost]

check your sticky for details ..
trying to keep the thread reasonably on topic :)

[CritterNYC]

Actually, the 1.0.x series was supposed to be all backwards compatible with extensions. The only time it wasn't was when part of the API had to be locked down due to an exploit... and when part of the API was accidentally broken.

1.5 represents a major update to Firefox and the model for extensions actually changes a bit. I believe the reason that they don't automatically let the older extensions work with the new FF is because they may do Bad Things (tm). Either that or they just may not work at all. So, the extension developer has to try their extension out on the new FF 1.5 and then alter it once he's confirmed it works to say that it works.

Pre-1.0, the extension API changed quite a bit with each release, so it was necessary to try your extension out on each successive version. But, that's to be expected with beta software as well. Once 1.5 is out, all extensions should be updated pretty soon afterward and then the extensions api should remain unchanged (barring any bugs or security lockdowns) until FF 2.0.

[CritterNYC]

I like fire fox immensely but I have already too many instances of "there is a script on this page which is slowing down firefox would you like to abort " happening even here on WebmasterWorld if one switches to code view ..it is becoming to much of a RAM HOG ..

I've found FF 1.0.7 very stable and have never encountered the error you're writing about. I've got 10 extensions running on it. There are a handful of problematic extensions, though.

[bumpaw]

(I never did get "Calendar" back when I went to 1.0 - I believe that was the update that killed it - not sure).

I've been having Calendar a long time and love it. We have 1.0.7 and gobs of extensions.

[Stefan]

Wow. Many thanks on Calendar, man. I still have the entries in the about:config. Thanks also, Critter. Maybe I'll read-up again on profiles (corruption - saw stuff on it before) and move to 1.0.7.

[Leosghost]

mine is 1.0.5 ..and further details will have to wait as I just saw that it's 5.30am here and I have to be concious et compos mentis ( well as near as i ever get to that ) again at 09..00..
ciao..

[amznVibe]

I like fire fox immensely but I have already too many instances of "there is a script on this page which is slowing down firefox would you like to abort " happening even here on WebmasterWorld if one switches to code view ..it is becoming to much of a RAM HOG

1.5 fixes both of these issues.

"script abort" timeout setting is here:
[kb.mozillazine.org...]
dom.max_script_run_time
serch for it in about:config - the default is like 5, change it to 10 or 15

also make sure browser.cache.memory.capacity is set to 32767, no higher

[CritterNYC]

The Mozilla Calendar extension works fine with either Thunderbird or Firefox... even if it isn't very integrated into the interface. And then there's Mozilla Sunbird as well (stand-alone calendar). The big thing missing, unfortunately, is syncing. But if you just use Portable Firefox/Thunderbird instead of a PDA, it will support the calendar extension in either case (I built support into both launchers a while back).

The upcoming Lightning project integrates said calendar directly into Thunderbird and is something to watch. You can actually mess with it a bit now, if you want, as they are doing nightly releases of Thunderbird builds and matching Lightning XPIs.

Here's the link to Thunderbird/Lightning nightlies (not for the faint of heart):
[ftp.mozilla.org...]

[amznVibe]

I finally had time this morning to do a "proper" clean install of firefox 1.5, migrate my settings and passwords, etc. and re-install plugins.

In a word WOW. I think this is the first version that is visibly faster than IE6. It even starts visibly faster. Nice work!

If anyone is curious here are the extensions I swear by (list made by InfoLister)
Extensions (enabled: 22, disabled: 0; total: 22)

Adblock Plus 0.5.10.20051103

Allow Right-Click 0.3

Always Remember Password 0.5.5

CuteMenus - Crystal SVG 0.9.9.4

Fasterfox 0.7.9

FlashGot 0.5.9.97

Flashblock 1.3.3

Google Pagerank Status 0.9.6

GooglePreview 1.1.2

Image Zoom 0.2

InfoLister 0.9c

Launchy 4.1.0

Live HTTP Headers 0.11

Plain Text to Link 1.4.1

Popup Count 0.3.2

SEOpen 0.6.1

SearchWP 0.5.4

Sound Extnsion 1.0

Tab Mix Plus 0.2.5.2

User Agent Switcher 0.6.7

Web Developer 0.9.4

replayanimation 0.2.2

Plugins

Mozilla Default Plug-in

QuickTime Plug-in 6.0.2

QuickTime Plug-in 6.5.1

RealJukebox NS Plugin

RealOne Player Version Plugin

RealPlayer(tm) G2 LiveConnect-Enabled Plug-In (32-bit)

Shockwave Flash

[Stefan]

Alright, I completely uninstalled 1.0.4, including every piece of it I could find using "search for files and folders", but first did a backup copy of Profile so that I could restore cookies, bookmarks, passwords, etc. afterwards (I only copied back a few files into the new install, not the whole Profile folder).

I've reinstalled 1.5 and managed to get new versions of most of my favourite extensions by going to their homepages (it was using the "update" from tools/extensions that was messing things up - they should put a warning in that to not even bother trying).

It works quite well - definitely faster. No crashes yet, but it will take a few days of surfing to know if it's more stable than 1.0.4.

There is no Calendar extension for 1.5 yet that I could find, but I dl-ed Sunbird.

Many thanks for the posts in this thread that supplied suggestions and help.

[amznVibe]

There's no need to uninstall if you want an emergency backup.
I just renamed the \firefox folder to \firefox10 and the profile folder to .old
and it's as good as invisible to the new Firefox install.

Now to just wait for a Stipe optimized build for extra speed...

[Stefan]

I just renamed the \firefox folder to \firefox10 and the profile folder to .old and it's as good as invisible to the new Firefox install.

Yep, I should have thought of that.

Still no crashes. I've been testing it with sites that were causing problems before, and no problems. It's terrifically stable and quite agile. Mind you, I was happy with Firebird too - the thing is moving along nicely though, eh?

[CritterNYC]

the thing is moving along nicely though, eh?

Yeah, Firefox just keeps getting better with each version. The latest version even feels peppier when packaged to be portable and running over USB.

[Robin_reala]

RC2 might hit Friday. Fixes since RC1: a couple of pre-emptive security patches and some work on the update system.

[amznVibe]

rc2 is supposed to be the 11th, so yeah maybe Friday, but you don't even have to wait:

I've been taking the nightly rc2 releases and it fixed one plugin problem I was having:

[ftp.mozilla.org...]

[amznVibe]

RC2 is now available through auto-update and here:
[mozilla.org...]

Looking good! I'm all ready for 1.5 final... should be big news...

[amznVibe]

and RC3 is out....

If you use your auto-update on 1.5 RC2, it takes about 10 seconds to download and install the partial update!
They did a great job on that, no more 6 meg downloads and no more overloaded servers...