Mozilla Confirms Release For Firefox 3.5

@pleasure4ever:
I do use MR Tech Toolkit but it does not show Compatible with: in the My Config window which would pretty well solve my problem, especially if I could sort the extension list by it. It already does make make the upgrade process a lot easier, but I have to click on all 64 of my extensions one by one to see Compatible with:.

pschroeter

@penguiniator: For manufacturer-authorized hardware and service vendors, yes it would in some cases apply, though with a lesser degree of customization available. The challenge there is that most shops are only manufacturer authorized for one or two manufacturers, so at a given shop they may only be able to customize for Toshiba and Acer, for example, and for other brands they can only order pre-built systems from their supplier or from the manufacturer directly in the handful of variations (or submodels) that are offered.
The issue of Windows license there is a question of whether the store can receive it without it installed. If it's not pre-installed when they receive it, most shops will be willing to forgo the OS for you and just resell the OEM pack. If they're authorized to build them, they're usually assembling the parts themselves, and therefore not receiving an OEM Windows license. However if they're ordering you a Toshiba X305-01 direct from Toshiba, they may not have a choice. Not that when I'm saying Manufacturer-Authorized, I'm referring to being authorized by the manufacturer to build and service their laptops, and this is not automatic with being a manufacturer-authorized reseller or generally having a certified technician.

@UnMicD: Would this apply to laptops as well?

penguiniator

@paintbox: and to courtarro and Phoshi: I only have real player installed for the Web download browser plugin which I find extremely handy. And of course to play grainy/noisy Real video audio files from late 90s.

Subhajit Banerjee

@chelsel: Right, because it is just such a pain in the ass to get a little notifier that "firefox has been updated, would you like to restart it now?" once in a while. It is sooo much better to run unpatched vulnerabilities until "Patch Tuesday" and then have to reboot my entire PC with a reminder every 5 minutes that triggers a reboot on its own.

Also, any broken extensions from these types of updates are usually the extension author's fault, as they should be setting the compatibility string to "3.5.*" or whatever the syntax.

@penguiniator: Very articulate reply, and while I choose Windows as my primary OS, I also agree with most of your points. Here's the thing, skip the pre-built systems and you can skip the OS license. This doesn't mean you have to buy your own. Go to your neighborhood computer hardware store (not Best Buy, a real computer hardware store), ask for a custom build. I've never had to pay labor when I wanted the machine built for me. They charge the retail price on the components, but an authorized tech can assemble it for you. Tell them you don't want Windows, they'll be fine with that. They'll assemble it, run a POST, check RAM count and drive recognition, and hand it to you from there. They might even be willing to do the Linux install. Usually this doesn't save you any money, but it doesn't usually cost you extra over a Best Buy pre-built either (unless you're looking at bargain-bin systems).

@dadgetboy:
Compatible extensions (as far as I know)
Adblock Plus
Cooliris
FacePAD
FEBE
Fission
Greasemonkey
SkipScreen
User Agent Switcher
WOT
Xmarks
and the Walnut2 theme

dadgetboy

@ericesque: I see no need for slamming a Mac over RAM usage, unless you are referring to linux. Vista on less than 2 GB of RAM is an experience much akin to having your eyes gouged out with a very dull wooden spoon.

If you are referring to linux, slam away. I've seen videos of Compiz running smoothly on a freaking eeePC. All the eye-candy of OS X/Vista, with far less bloat.

@Xkeeper: The problem is not so much Microsoft counting machines that had Linux installed over it, but machines purchased by companies and organizations that then exercise their downgrade rights and run XP. I'm sure that creates a substantial inflation of Vista "sales". Personally, I love Linux on the desktop, but it is still a drop in the bucket in terms of actual usage. Server usage of Linux is where Microsoft is really worried.

AND ITS OUT!!! :D

dadgetboy

@Maddfrog:
How did you get it? its still not available

morgan2005

@Ampa: But the exe is from June 24. Probably not the final.

Website not showing final release yet, though the en-US version seems to be up on the ftp site...

ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/3.5/win32/en-US/

Ampa

@Warren Leitner: NO JOKE! SOON FIREFOX 3.5 WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF 19.95. BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! IF YOU ORDER WITHIN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES, WE'LL THROW IN A SECOND COPY FREE! BUT, IF YOU CALL NOW, WE'LL DOUBLE THAT OFFER TOO! NOT ONE, NOT TWO, NOT THREE, BUT FOUR FIREFOXES FOR THE PRICE OF ONE*!

*shipping and handling not included

psychiccheese

@blinkfink182: Mozilla should provide a decent programming interface for add-on developers instead of just allowing them to hook onto randomly exposed functions. Then it would become simple to guarantee forwards compatibility for plugins based on the APIs they use instead of requiring arbitrary versioning that extension developers have to maintain for the rest of their life.

Kylotan

Running Firefox 3.5 and loving it

Maddfrog

Does it require you to update from the last stable version (ie. can I update from a release candidate)?

cmotdibbler

@MR Tech Toolkit
for this purpose. It shows the range of Firefox versions your extensions are compatible with right in the Add-Ons Manager, but the list also outputs to text, html and forum code.

Nightly Tester Tools gets a lot of shoutouts on Lifehacker but MR Tech deserves some love too. It also makes extensions compatible (and disables update checking) - and lots more that definitely makes it worth a try now that the transition to 3.5 is upon us...

@dubmick: You probably have the RC, I've been updating from within Firefox and "About Mozilla Firefox" tells me that I'm running 3.5 though it does tell me that I'm running RC 3.

adilrazeen

@Xkeeper: Actually, I've seen more Windows computers that had Linux installed over the original system than custom machines with Linux as the first OS. And you can get personal about it if you want, but for what you claim are ego-inflated numbers (what numbers again?), Linux gets a whole lot of press and attention from Microsoft itself. The truth is, not you, nor anyone else has any solid numbers on how many people are using Linux.

I don't know, or care, why you are hostile about Linux. But I certainly won't be anyone's whipping boy on this, or any other site. So, if your intent is to continue belittling me for my attitudes about Linux, Windows, Microsoft, or anything else that does not pertain to you, expect a large dose of it in return.

Sure, these days you can more easily buy a system with Linux pre-installed. But that was not always true. There was a time when it was nearly impossible to purchase a pre-built system without also paying for a Windows license. It was so notorious it was dubbed the Microsoft Tax. And it still exists with most manufacturers.

I don't know anyone who likes being forced to buy something they don't want in order to buy something else that they do. And I know plenty of people who don't like being included in Microsoft's installed base statistics who never used the Microsoft license that was a precondition for buying their computer. Because of that, I see no problem with Mozilla counting every download and re-download in their marketing statistics.

penguiniator

for those worried about extensions you can use the nightly tester tool to force compatibility .. all mine work just fine now.

[addons.mozilla.org]

sunnytimes

I just want to put in the 500 millionth good word for Firefox. I don't think any other browser has done so much for net users, namely former IE users like me. FF met me about halfway when it came to switching over....... best importer of IE settings..... THAT is consideration. Seems every other browser was either indifferent or incompetant about that job. I get webpages the way I want, the browser itself, the way I want. I say Tahoma, it does Tahoma. I say white on black, it obeys. I don't have to dig around to make that stuff happen, the way I had to with Opera, the way Safari and Chrome gave me nothing but a stone wall when I asked these simple things of them.

Also, just as big a deal, Firefox and Noscript keep the third-party ad servers away from me. Internet browsing is no paradise, but with Firefox it's at least tolerable.

Now that I've said all that, the superinterwebtubes will f*k up and I won't get to submit this.

paintbox

@Phoshi: I totally disagree!!! Totally!!! Real Player is good for you!! It's got all the essential startup/slowdown/takeover goodness that you'll ever need! Just 1 gram of Real Player with 4 grams of adware is a good dietary source of Slowdown. It says so in books and stuff. :)

paintbox

@Phoshi: Don't worry man. Everybody gets the number off. Bible says 6 days + 1 day for RnR. Scientists say 4.6 billion years or so. Who can really tell? Cheers!

paintbox

I wounder if they are going to break the world record they set with 3

@MuglyTheWorm: Hahaha, very funny man, you are funny, like really really funny. It is so funny to point out Firefox's OBVIOUS flaws that everybody has, because it ALWAYS crashes for everyone, and it lags a lot too. I mean, geez! I always click an option and it takes forever to do what it's supposed to.

Firefox will never be even nearly as good as the rest. EVER!

@Warren Leitner:
All caps day was yesterday, foo!

ericesque

@Laogeodritt: Perhaps I'll look into that... if 3.5 can convince me to go back to firefox. I've been a chrome user for some time now.

ericesque

@lifeCoder:
*must resist Mac slam!!!!*

I built my computer with 8GB of ram-- and all that set me back less than $80... A lot of my productivity takes place in the browser -- so my browser's performance is important enough to dedicate a full GB. I think the other 7GB can handle my messaging, photoshop, music, remote desktop connection, virtual machine, IDE... etc. just fine.

ericesque

@dluxfresh:Sorry for not posting the link I was in a rush. Thanks redfalconf35.

cool, a new version of a browser that crashes and lags, can't wait...

@redfalconf35: Thanks Redfalcon and Natty!

dluxfresh

Epiceus Maxmius.

FamiCube64

@PaineMagooing: Ah yeah, it says Release Candidate 3 in the release notes. Odd they didn't include that in the about window, they usually do.

Ben Beltran

I deleted Firefox a few days ago, and then the beta stopped working. I re-downloaded the stable version, but it still doesn't work. Help?

WinterSoldier

@Phoshi: I meant either 7 days or the earth. Take your pick >_<

@paintbox: I dunno, it took god a day to make the universe, I can go round it in less than that with online tools.

@chelsel: yes, yay! :D

@Subhajit Banerjee: I... realplayer? This isn't firefox 1.35, we ARE in 2009! Try VLC, or Media player classic.

@ericesque: Oh, sure, FF can take as much as it likes, but less memory with faster usage? Where do I sign?

@ericesque: This is where about:config comes in useful. There's a load of memory-caching settings. Granted, it does require a little digging in the Knowledge Base - not all that user-friendly.

@paintbox: Heheheheheheheh

Maybe one day it'll get close enough xD

@GlennA: As long as you don't mind setting up the shortcuts yourself, it's fine.
Plus, the click->shift+delete uninstalation method is kinda cool.

I use portables when working at school. I can't stand IE (even less when it's like IE5), so I d/l the latest portable, email myself the links/files I'll need to continue my work at home, and just delete the sucker :P

@Ben Beltran: check HELP > Release Notes... page will load release candidate information. if it were general release it might say 3.5 release notes (non-RC)?

PaineMagooing

@Ben Beltran:
mine says in the title bar (i.e. "(Build 20090624025744)")

redfalconf35

@dluxfresh:

Gary is here:
[tmp.garyr.net]

and backward compatible means that if you want to go back to firefox 3.0, tab mix plus won't work until you uninstall it and use the standard one instead of Gary's

redfalconf35

I seem to be running 3.5, updated today... Unless the about window is lying to me. In which case I don't know what version of 3.5 I'm using.

Ben Beltran

@Azadeh Ensha: Didn't notice LH added another contributing editor. Welcome!

@Mike Beltzner: Thank you for the clarification, count me in for 3 downloads.

@Natty: Who the heck is Gary and what does backward compatible mean?

dluxfresh

It's Monday but i'm already on 3.5?

UdoDadillac

@Xkeeper: Wow! That's one (un?)healthy dose of hostility toward linux! I'll assume the 'X' doesn't refer to the X Windowing system!

Here nor there indeed! ;)

ericesque

@penguiniator: Sure, as long as you realize that in the real world, the amount of people who buy a Windows-running system and then reformat to use something else is actually a lot smaller than the Linux ego-inflated number in your head.

Generally if you don't want to run Windows you're building your own PC, which is far cheaper (as it excludes a Windows license in the first place), but that's neither here nor there.

Regardess, I guess I have to make a round of updates for the people whose computers I've put Firefox 3 onto. I personally use exclusively Opera, so I probably won't bother updating for a while.

@dluxfresh: TMP will work. It works on the RC just get it from Gary. But remember it is not backward compatible.

@paintbox: Alright, not "God's speed". Firefox may never have that.

paintbox

@chelsel:Yeah, Yay! That's called staying on top of isht...

@ericesque:
A whole gig? I need my messaging, photoshop, text editor and firefox open minimum for work. Not to mention my music etc etc. And i only have 2 gig in this macbook. That doesnt leave room for much after the OS...

No one between PC Mag and Lifehacker stopped to think "Hmm... One billion downloads of Firefox 3.5? That doesn't sound plausible..."? lol

Anyway, good luck Mozilla! FF 3.5 is looking to be a worthwhile update.

The_Gas_Man

Just got the prompt in my browser for updating to 3.5. Running 3.5 already!! (Netherlands here)

elmo13th

@dubmick: yep, same here on my pc. Firefox 3.5, I didn't get any betas either.

@Phoshi: Mike, no download padding allowed LOL!

@penguiniator:
duh! OF COURSE that's what he meant.

ericesque

@Phoshi:
Help me out here guys, am I the only one of the opinion: Use as much memory as you like as long as you're insta-fast??

I mean, fast and low memory is better, but I'd happily offer up a GB of ram to my browser if it offered any noticeable improvement in performance.

ericesque

I installed RC3 a few days ago. Out of about 30 extensions I had, I had one that was compatible, but it works fine with Nightly Tester Tools. I have faster startup now, and RAM usage is way low compared to before.

Great news, but I'm sad that Tab Mix Plus won't work with it. That's the bad part about new versions coming out - the add-ons become useless. Oh well, all in good time, I suppose.

dluxfresh

Alright, finally can stop running beta!

And again there is no way to make a list of my extensions which shows the highest version of Firefox they are compatible with.

pschroeter

It's just my luck. I was looking so much to being one of the best to download it, but as it happens, I won't be able to do so before next Friday. How very frustrating for me...

GrantMcPhee

@MS-18E Shadoblak (and blinkfink182): Thanks for this, I did not know about these. I will definitely check those out.

Is there anyplace where you can go and find a list of compatible (or incompatible) add-ons?

YachiraG

I've never wished a browser good luck and God's speed before, but what the hell. Go Mozilla. I wish you hadn't let the come-on-hurry-up gripers rush you, but I'm crossing fingers for ya!

paintbox

ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Just today I downloaded the RC and switched from Chrome! COME ON!!

Warren Leitner

@chelsel: Hmm... Should they just not fix bugs? Or hold back those fixes until they become exploited holes, and then come to the rescue?

penguiniator

@Subhajit Banerjee: People still use RealPlayer? Yick!

@winshape: Huh, the last update fixed it for me.

Jake712

@Phoshi: You mean like how Microsoft counts its user base by how many devices ship with Windows pre-installed and never discount their totals to take into account people who remove it after purchase?

penguiniator

I know Colorzilla doesn't work with the current RC.

Doug Henderson

@Thriller JimmyFromTheBlock: Always is, but it might not be there depending on your distro. You'll have to screw with PPA's on Ubuntu, but Fedora will just update to it.

zwaldowski

@Thriller JimmyFromTheBlock:

Psht, compile it yourself bro.
Takes about 45 seconds if you know how

I love mozilla.

Get ready for 3.5.1, 3.5.2, 3.5.3... 3.5.15 weekly bug fixes... yay!

chelsel

Excellent news, can't wait!

Wish RealPlayer would update its plugin though, something they're not very good at doing quickly. It was months before the browser would work with Firefox 3. And in case anyone is wondering, no updating to RealPlayer SP doesn't help.

Subhajit Banerjee

@Thriller JimmyFromTheBlock: I hope so, otherwise there is always Swiftfox to get you by.

Sam Wille

Maybe I'll be able to download and view PDF's within the browser in this version. The last update broke that for me somehow.

winshape

@Mike Beltzner: Woo! If I download 5000000 times, do you count them all? :P

@GldRush98: My entire addon list is compatible, and, since the latest RC (which tends to be the final release), memory usage has been staggeringly low! (We're talking 90, down from 130 here)

@Gyroscope352: Which is why you can use Nightly Tester Tools. Or go into the about:config and disable Extensions.checkcompatibility. Or do both and have Nightly Tester Tools tell you it's better.

About dang time. :-P No, seriously. Glad to finally get the official release. Now all my friends can play catch-up. ;-)

@Gyroscope352: Use the nightly tester tools. Most of these extensions 'break' because they didn't update their compatibility numbers.

blinkfink182

@Christian Velasquez: I've never found a reason to run any version other than a portable one (PortableApps.com [as opposed to others]).

GlennA

@Mike Beltzner: Hi, Mike. We've updated the post to reflect your comment, thanks.

@GldRush98: One of the many reasons I'm glad I switched back to Safari/WebKit. Addons are nice, but I couldn't reconcile my need for addons and my need to constantly have the newest software. Props to those of you that can.

I was actually a little misquoted in that PC World article; I said that we expect the cumulative number of Firefox downloads to surpass 1B sometime after we ship Firefox 3.5.

Though, 1B downloads of Firefox 3.5 itself would be nice. Let's make it happen!

Mike Beltzner

I think I already have the full version on the mac. It updated over the weekend.

dubmick

I have been waiting for this for quite some time. Wonder if the Linux release will be at the same time?

Jimmy From The Block

@Christian Velasquez: as far as I know, all your add-ons will still be compatible in 3.5

I'll just stick with the portable version, just in case any of my favorite add-ons are incompatible with 3.5

Christian Velasquez

Wow, I didn't think we'd see it before 2012.
Glad they are finally getting it out.
Prepare for extension breakage in 3... 2...

GldRush98

Sweet! I can't wait!