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Firefox 2 Alpha 2 Reviewed
Posted by
CmdrTaco
on Sun May 14, 2006 11:32 AM
from the guess-what's-coming dept.
from the guess-what's-coming dept.
pcabello writes "Firefox 2 Alpha 2 was released yesterday. Check what's new in this review at mozillalinks.org with screenshots."
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Memory (Score:3, Insightful)
(http://www.siplus.org/)
Re:Memory (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Memory (Score:5, Informative)
Whenever you close a tab or window and a leak is detected, you'll get a message about it. I used it for a few days and discovered several minor extentions I'd been using were causing some very large leaks.
Re:Memory (Score:4, Informative)
(http://del.icio.us/Abcd1234/)
Re:Memory (Score:4, Informative)
(http://del.icio.us/Abcd1234/)
Then I shall amend my statement for both you and the other poster. The vast *vast* majority of extensions are written in Javascript, with a few exceptions.
It just needs to maintain references to unused objects or create cyclic references.
Certainly, but I don't believe most extension leaks are caused by such things, as they're rather difficult to trigger in practice. As far as I'm aware, most leaks caused by extensions are due to interactions with the XPCOM layer.
Re:Memory (Score:5, Informative)
Even web pages can create circular JavaScript references that result in leaks. FF isn't alone in this area either. IE has always been vulnerable to memory leaks via JavaScript, theirs are just confined to bad pages. However, FF 3 will have a cycle detector that identifies unused cyclic references and frees the objects. But that still won't fix sloppy extensions that hang on to large objects for no goood reason.
In my experience, Plugins are pretty bad too. They operate outside the scope of the garbage collection and often don't clean up after themselves. For instance, my installation of Acrobat eats up a large chunk memory just for loading, and doesn't let it go after I navigate away from the page. The PDF Download extension helps, but it isn't perfect.
Re:Memory (Score:5, Informative)
(http://mistshadow2k4.deviantart.com/ | Last Journal: Wednesday May 31 2006, @02:37PM)
Poorly coded extensions definitely are the biggest memory leak problem. I was using forecastfox for a while and Firefox was leaking like a rusty bucket, even with the sessionistory fix. One day, forecastfox popped up with the latest temperature over an hour after I'd closed Firefox. I uninstalled it right then and Firefox has been pretty well-behaved memory-wise ever since; I haven't seen it's memory usage go over 85 mb.
Also, this fix helps too:
1. Open Firefox and go to the Address Bar. Type in about:config and then press Enter.
2. Right Click in the page and select New -> Boolean.
3. In the box that pops up enter config.trim_on_minimize. Press Enter.
4. Now select True and then press Enter.
5. Restart Firefox.
Re:Memory-- collective? Contradictory? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Memory (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Memory (Score:5, Insightful)
(http://routebuilder.org/)
Everytime a Firefox article gets posted, I see someone post a hack to fix the memory leak problem. I've tried every one of them and none of them fix it on my end. The only externsion I'm running is Google's Toolbar. Regardless though, no one except the most hardcore Firefox users would ever know to look in about:config to turn off this "feature". And they shouldn't have to either.
Re:Memory (Score:4, Interesting)
I would suspect Google Toolbar, which many Firefox users report leaks memory.
Re:Memory (Score:5, Insightful)
And as mentioned before [slashdot.org] there are bugs for memory leaks that predate the fast back-forward feature. And to say that memory probelms are all becuase of this feature is revisionist history.
Couple of questions (Score:3, Interesting)
(http://calum.org/)
Is anyone having a problem with recent versions where the URI autocomplete sometimes doesn't work, even if it's an address you often go to (e.g. google.com).
Or when you click on a tab, it doesn't "release" fast enough, and start moving the tab around?
Still the best browser though.
Re:Couple of questions (Score:5, Insightful)
(http://slashdot.org/)
I know that my processor is "only" 1.3 GHz, but I swear there was a time when a gigahertz-plus CPU was enough to operate a GUI smoothly. But maybe I'm remembering incorrectly...
this is nice, (Score:2, Funny)
(http://www.spatialknowledge.com | Last Journal: Thursday September 23 2004, @01:54AM)
to beat IE (Score:4, Funny)
Browser Speed (Score:3, Informative)
He concludes, " So overall, Opera seems to be the fastest browser for windows. Firefox is not faster than Internet Explorer, except for scripting, but for standards support, security and features, it is a better choice. However, it is still not as fast as Opera, and Opera also offers a high level of standards support, security and features. "
Wilton-Jones tested both version 1.0 and version 1.5 of Firefox. Does anyone have any thoughts on the performance of version 2.0?
Re:Browser Speed (Score:4, Informative)
CoralCDN - just in case (Score:4, Informative)
Here's something to fix (Score:5, Insightful)
That's been broken for years now. I don't care about how it renders RSS, I want basic functions to unsuck.
For new users (Score:1)
(http://www.gen.newrandom.com/)
Re:For new users (Score:5, Informative)
(http://slashdot.org/ | Last Journal: Thursday April 12 2007, @09:41AM)
I used to think this too, which is why I used to use the TabX extension. However, since at least Firefox 1.5 I've been able to "middle-click" a tab to close it (without giving it focus.) Once I learned that, TabX was gone.
Close button at same tab (Score:5, Informative)
There's no reason to not let the user be able to pick the old way of handling a UI functionality that a reasonable amount of people don't agree with.
Re:Close button at same tab (Score:5, Informative)
(Last Journal: Monday September 11 2006, @09:36AM)
There's an extension for the alpha already that turns it off.
I like extensions, but sometimes it seems like you have to have 80 of them just to get options that seem like they should be common sense.
Questions . Features. (Score:2)
2. Why does firefox need XUL gui ? Why not use gtk or something else ?
Updating the plain default gui would be cool.
The big question is... (Score:2, Interesting)
Public Download? (Score:1)
Good Work (Score:3, Insightful)
(http://www.macondobits.com/)
Slashdot will never be the same (Score:2, Funny)
It's about time they incorperated a spell checker! Vary nice.
Download manager still broken? (Score:5, Insightful)
This bug has been outstanding for several years.
There are numerous other missing features in the download manager, just compare to the download manager in Opera.
Firefox too slow... (Score:1)
Firefox with extensions (Score:4, Interesting)
It seems that future development of firefox should be on the core application and let the extension developers handle the pretty stuff.
I just went trhough the changelog... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I just went trhough the changelog... (Score:5, Informative)
It does. I like Firefox a lot, but i'm not blind - every single feature that it's available in both and works better in Opera. With a fraction of the memory usage, and much faster to boot. Much more stable too - i only had Opera hangning on me a couple of times (both on Windows and Linux) - when it happens, it promptly apologizes and offers you to open the windows you were browsing at the moment of the crash. Priceless!
Also, Oprera has a shitload of functionality not available on FF or not needing extensions (gesture browsing, searches in the url bar, etc...). Those are the reasons it has been my main browser of choice for years now.
Re:I just went trhough the changelog... (Score:5, Interesting)
Most importantly, I didn't have to install any extensions to get it to work acceptably.
If there's one functionality that should be built into FF 2.0, there should be a brainless way to export and import your extensions, forms, passwords and bookmarks in one "FF2go" zipped bundle so that when you reinstall it on another computer, you can get started right away with your old configuration.
location/status (Score:1)
That's easy (Score:5, Funny)
(http://cliveholloway.net/ | Last Journal: Saturday February 28 2004, @05:54PM)
Oh wait, you want a way to do this with one hand. Err, can't help you there, I'm afraid.
use a permalink... (Score:5, Insightful)
http://mozillalinks.blogspot.com/2006/05/bon-echo
if you want to link to an article of a blog and not just point to the main page...
Spell Check (Score:5, Funny)
Search plugin order (Score:5, Insightful)
(http://slashdot.org/)
Why the hell are there buttons ('Move Up' and 'Move Down') for reordering the search plugins. They should be able to be dragged and dropped. It's not like the developers can't do this; the bookmarks can be. Why not this?
(It would also be nice for Firefox and Mozilla to understand URL files generated by IE. Safari seems to manage.)
Re:Search plugin order (Score:4, Funny)
(http://swerdfeger.com/ | Last Journal: Sunday May 25 2003, @12:25AM)
Downloads screen (Score:1)
Download link (Score:3, Informative)
Firefox focus problems (Score:3, Interesting)
Firefox steals focus constantly under enlightenment. Older versions of Firefox (0.8) do not have the problem.
XUL in Python? (Score:3, Interesting)
(http://www.example.net/)
I'll switch, but only ... (Score:1)
(http://127.0.0.1/)
It's the only extension I use with FF.
How to get Bookmarks out of Alpha 1 (Score:2)
(http://www.jazz-sax.com/)
I don't use the Search Engine feature (Score:2)
(http://nakedape.cc/wiki/)
so I'll just keep asking...and getting no answer (Score:5, Interesting)
(http://tumbleweed.smugmug.com/)
Bueller?
The longer this is put off, the harder I suspect it's going to be to put it, due to a more complicated codebase.
Lay the foundation first, folks, PLEASE.
Re:so I'll just keep asking...and getting no answe (Score:5, Informative)
(Last Journal: Monday February 16 2004, @03:55PM)
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3262
Did I miss this feature? (Score:2)
(http://www.dangercollie.com/music/)
Re:Did I miss this feature? (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.google.com/ [google.com]|http://www.slashdot.org|ht
And when you open firefox, the urls you put in the home page box will be tabbed.
Is Firefox just incorporating extensions? (Score:1)
(http://technyou.supersized.org/)
Apart from Microsummaries, there appears nothing that is sparkling new. 'Places' could have been the one thing that would have pulled it up.
Don't get me wrong, I love the browser, but I guess the developers have spoilt everyone as they have been quite innovative in the past.
Where are the rants? (Score:2, Insightful)
1. the close button was moved to each tab
2. you can spell check forms
I'm still excited about it and realistic regarding the fact that getting a product of that importance out the door ain't easy.
Something is missing though. When IE7 was announced, we had hordes of Slashdotters rant how the upgrade is totally trivial just adding tabs and skinning the interface, and how Microsoft is idiotic and IE7 will be just the same piece of shit.
Where are those hordes of Slashdotters now when FF2.0 doesn't seem to live up to what was initially announced, with major features delayed or cut forever?
Or is being objective too hard for most of you, immature ranting pests
Haha, hope some of you have their filter set at -1 to read this one
Right Click Printing Here Yet? (Score:2, Insightful)
(http://www.mynetsetup.com/)
I would personally like a friggin r-click option to print. I mean every other thing i use has a r-click option to print. Not just web browsers but regular applications have options to print or print preview. This is a pretty damn ignorant thing to do, this is supposed to be open source so that you can configure it "your way" and they refuse to add it. Bug 204519 [mozilla.org]
What might be better though is an entire context menu options preferences page that allows you to select what options/dividers you want and where. They already have this for the bookmark toolbar folder and bookmarks in general. INASD (i'm not a Software Developer) so i wouldn't know the first thing about wrighting something like that, though i would if i could. I just think it would make a lot of people happier, hell they could even leave off the print option for a default install.
Well enough ranting, if your like me, they made an extension for printing from the r-click context menu here: Right Click Firefox Extension [mozdev.org]
here are you dl links (Score:2, Informative)
I know I'm not alone here but... (Score:1)
(http://www.ericdfields.com/)
Hope they fixed copying & pasting text... (Score:1)
(http://tiddly-pom.com/)
I've had to stop using FF as my main browser because I simply can't reliably copy and paste URL's from the address bar or, frequently, text from anywhere else in Firefox's UI. I've tried to find a place to report a bug or more likely add to an existing bug report, and I get stuck in a maze of twisty little bugs, all the same [mozilla.org].
Apart from this supremely frustrating bug, Firefox is great and I look forward to 2.0. Until then, well, Opera is growing on me and it's really really fast.
WebDav? (Score:2, Insightful)
(Last Journal: Wednesday March 31 2004, @07:02PM)
So why version 2.0? (Score:3, Insightful)
(http://slashdot.org/)
We've just had a massive jump from 1.1 to 1.5 with little improvement. Why aren't they calling this version 1.6?
think before you install (Score:1)
If the bugs are not fixed, why roll out 2.0? (Score:3, Insightful)
1. plugins should have their own thread priorities. Ever wonder why a lot of Flash applets can slow down Firefox but not IE? IE runs flash applets in a lower priority thread than the UI.
2. actions on file types should not have anything greyed out. people should be able to choose custom actions based on MIME type, extensions, or both, and there must be a text box to type the application path, plus its parameters.
3. cancelling a save of a file over something with the same name should take you back to the dialog to rename the file, not cancelling the action altogether.
4. Find toolbar closes on its own after a *hardcoded* 5 second timeout.
If you check the conversations on bugzilla, the developers don't seem to like to listen at all.
That's weird!!!! (Score:1)
(http://repeatuntilkeypressed.blogspot.com/)
Re:winter release (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Dumbed down again (Score:3, Interesting)
No, you're trolling. Criticizing would mean you had some semblence of an idea about what you were talking about, which you clearly do not.
"Too bad neither the fanboys nor the development team realizes this"
Yes they do. Firefox is being simplified in order to appeal to the greater market. You know, the ones who make up 85% of the market and matter alot more than you do. IE is a simple browser, it's one of its successes, and Firefox aims to be something that IE users can feel comfortable switching too without being bombarded with anal retentive geek features. Firefox can be customized and as geeky and powerful as you want it to be with extensions, so how simple it is is up to you.
Since version 1.5 it hardly leaks at all. Firefox has high memory requirements, complain about that if you must but stop spinning your tired, ignorant, uniformed, arrogant bullshit. K, thnx.
Re:FIREFOX MESSAGE OF IMPORT (Score:1, Funny)
Re:I hope the developers said a big thank you to (Score:2)
(http://theravensnest.org/ | Last Journal: Sunday October 07, @07:05AM)
Mod Parent Up (Score:5, Insightful)
1. Under the XP home theme (reduced functionality without reason) - No "Block images from this server" in context menu - available in Mozilla forever, this prevents kids from seeing the constant AdultFriendFinder crap that comes up on some non-pornographic sites.
2. On my system, it does seem to be smaller and faster than Mozilla, though I am not sure about the new Seamonkey developments. I tried it when they first started, and their first task was apparently to introduce lots of bugs and change the icon to something they created in Microsoft Paint. Not impressed with their priorities.
3. Renamed to Firefox - Wow. This was a bad move. I get a questioning look almost every time I bring up the "better browser to use" argument to businesses. Plus, everyone ends up calling it Foxfire. There are too many "cool" names involved. Mozilla was hard enough to explain, but at least I could connect it to Netscape's mascot (since people still remember Netscape). But Firefox, Firebird, Phoenix, Thunderbird and SeaMonkey? Surely someone came up with something better, but it was turned down as too practical. Think about the words "Internet Explorer" or "Netscape". The title describes the function.
4. Memory leaks - Running latest Firefox Stable build for Win32, one window, no tabs, no extensions, haven't visited any sites with Java, one Live Bookmark (default BBC World News thing). Browsing around for a few hours, memory use creeps up by several megs. Even as I type this (watching Task manager, memory has gone from 37,??? to 39,132. Weird.
5. Incomplete, annoying interface - Well, I would call a "resume button that has not ever apparently worked an annoying interface feature. I would also say that losing favicons for no apparent reason is annoying. No built-in function for removing or re-ordering search engines (you shouldn't need an extension for this simple task.
6. Offtopic Thunderbird complaint - Signatures now have a stupid "--" in grey that cannot be turned off, and the signature is in grey too (no option to disable) which has annoyed countless customers. Some people don't feel like typing their own name 50 times a day. Email is not Newsgroups. Don't try to make it that way.
7. Memory usage is now up to 40,648. Eventually, Firefox will crash on me. Not a huge deal for me (I used Mozilla M9, M10, etc. all the time). But pretty lame for a browser that has had this much development time. No, it's not just this machine either. 40,860 now.
So stop modding people as troll, just because they didn't feel like they should have to type all this junk out, when the accusations hold water.
Vidar
Re:MY DONG YOUR TONGUE (Score:1, Offtopic)
(Last Journal: Wednesday September 07 2005, @04:08PM)
I am so going to hell when I die.
Re:I hope the developers said a big thank you to (Score:2)
(+1, Funny)
Re:I hope the developers said a big thank you to (Score:1)
(http://xenu.net/)