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OS/2 - Technical => Internet => Topic started by: Ben on 2011.06.20, 14:00:37

Title: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.20, 14:00:37

What's going on with Firefox?

Just recently version 4 was released, and now version 5 is on the ramp with no significant changes over version 4.

Does anyone know the reason for this strange numbering? I would "assume" that it is because of some sort of aligning, but I have no knowledge of this.

I'm quoting here from "OS/2 Warp News and Rumors (http://www.os2bbs.com/os2news/)";

QuoteFirefox 5.0 is scheduled for release on Tuesday, and the directory structure on the server is already in place for it; it's not expected to be significantly different from 5.0 beta 7  - the differences between Firefox 4 and 5 are minimal.


Anyone?

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: miturbide on 2011.06.20, 15:23:36
Here it is an article about it.  (http://www.conceivablytech.com/7622/products/firefox-version-number-degraded-to-implementation-detail)

It says that "the current betas are "much closer" to being a traditional release candidate," and that we should not care anymore about the versions, only using firefox. Just like Chrome does.

I'm don't think it is good or bad, just different.
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: ivan on 2011.06.20, 15:26:36
There are also articles in the Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/16/firefox_5_release_candidate/ and several others on the site.

ivan
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.22, 17:41:58

Small upgrade?

It appears that I must define small.

Does small mean no big changes?

Do a lot of small changes count?

If so, how many?

What about 1,000 small changes?

Firefox 5 Now Available with 1,000 Small Improvements, Better Tab Closing (http://lifehacker.com/5814024/firefox-5-now-available)

This does not make me anxious to get Firefox 5, but it does make things a little bit clearer... well, lots of little bit(s) clearer, if nothing big.

8)
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Mike on 2011.06.23, 21:33:34
Quote from: Ben on 2011.06.20, 14:00:37

What's going on with Firefox?

Just recently version 4 was released, and now version 5 is on the ramp with no significant changes over version 4.


Well they somehow went a little bit crazy by following the chrome release mode. We waited long for 4 but now already version 5 and 4 won't get any improvements. Interesting how mozilla will support all these monthly releases  ;)


Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.24, 04:30:16
Quote from: Mike on 2011.06.23, 21:33:34
Interesting how mozilla will support all these monthly releases  ;)

Yep.

And very closely related...

...from where is Mozilla getting all their funding? Is AOL still feeding them?

And if so, why?

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: miturbide on 2011.06.25, 20:52:51
According to Wikipedia they got a lot of money from Google.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla_Foundation
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Mike on 2011.06.26, 13:47:25
Quote from: Ben on 2011.06.24, 04:30:16

Yep.

And very closely related...

...from where is Mozilla getting all their funding? Is AOL still feeding them?

And if so, why?


AOL quit the game a long time ago with the latest 'Netscape' releases. 
Some thoughts from Mike Kaply about this: http://mike.kaply.com/2011/06/21/firefox-rapid-release-process/ (http://mike.kaply.com/2011/06/21/firefox-rapid-release-process/)

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.27, 02:08:41
Quote from: miturbide on 2011.06.25, 20:52:51
According to Wikipedia they got a lot of money from Google.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla_Foundation

Thanks for the link, Martin.

But I have to say that's a bit interesting and a lot scary.

Google uses predatory practices both highly illegal and severely immoral and forced themselves into the same vein opened by M$, both of who's records run rampant with privacy violations and invasive intrusions into one's personal space and private papers, often openly admitted to if not indeed, bragged about.

I gotta say that I like Mozilla... especially Firefox version 4, but I'd drop it in a flash if I had a fully functional alternative, based solely on that piece of knowledge that you kindly provided.

Here's a few quickie links to refresh the viewers memories.


Not a company that I'd feel comfortable letting into my private files.

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.27, 02:10:47
Quote from: Mike on 2011.06.26, 13:47:25
AOL quit the game a long time ago with the latest 'Netscape' releases. 
Some thoughts from Mike Kaply about this: http://mike.kaply.com/2011/06/21/firefox-rapid-release-process/ (http://mike.kaply.com/2011/06/21/firefox-rapid-release-process/)

A neat little blurb in which he raises a couple of good points.

It wouldn't have hurt if he had gone into it a bit deeper, but good never the less.
:D
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Pete on 2011.06.28, 02:08:17
Hi Ben

Your "quickie links" looked interesting but everyone gives this result:-

Address Not Found   
       
news.self-wrighting.net could not be found. Please check the name and try again


Regards

Pete
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.28, 13:58:31

That's peculiar, Pete.

Server logs show continuous activity throughout the day, throughout the week, throughout the month, et al.

I'm wondering if your DNS has a stale IP address for the site; I check them every day.

Do you see my signature, (and graphic?), at the bottom of each message? It comes from the same site. Clicking on that will get you to another site on the same server.



Is anyone else encountering this problem?

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: melf on 2011.06.28, 16:18:19
Yep, I have the same problem as Pete, "server not found". Your graphics on the other hand are fully visible.
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: abwillis on 2011.06.28, 17:03:02
Unable to reach the site here as well, same server address not found.
Actually, your banner was the key to figuring it out... the address should be sf-w instead of self-wrighting
as:
http://news.sf-w.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=747&Itemid=1
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.28, 17:32:34

SF-W (http://www.sf-w.net) and Self-Wrighting (http://www.self-wrighting.net) point to the same IP address... right now.

So, what you have actually found out, abwillis, is that Pete's, (and yours it seems), DNS has the right IP address for SF-W (http://www.sf-w.net), but the wrong IP address for the Self-Wrighting Network (http://www.self-wrighting.net).

However, the news site at News.Self-Wrighting.Net (http://news.self-wrighting.net) is the correct URL, and not News.SF-W.Net (http://news.sf-w.net)... and while the latter works now, it may, (and eventually will), change with the passage of time whereas the former will not.

An easy solution for Pete, (and you), is to wait until your DNSs catch up.

If anyone wants to do an NSLookup I'm sure they'll find that the majority have the correct IP addresses.

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Pete on 2011.06.28, 17:46:33
Hi Ben

I could load self-wrighting.net but could not load the News section as it gave the same server error.

However, all seems to be working now  :-)

Regards

Pete
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.28, 18:05:11
Quote from: Pete on 2011.06.28, 17:46:33Hi Ben

I could load self-wrighting.net but could not load the News section as it gave the same server error.

However, all seems to be working now  :-)

Regards

Pete

Er... are you saying that the news section works OK for you now? or that it still does not?

I cannot see how self-wrighting.net (http://self-wrighting.net) works, but news.self-wrighting.net (http://news.self-wrighting.net) does not... or could not... they are both on the same machine and run under the same software.

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.06.28, 19:19:42

Also, now (http://www.os2bbs.com/os2news/) Firefox 6 and 7 are both being worked on.

I cannot say that I agree with this new numbering system.

In a few years they'll either have to rename the product or start using century+ digits.

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.07.04, 15:17:49

Here's another link to similar on Google "

Google forced to change privacy practices after report the search giant publicises the home addresses of wi-fi users (http://news.self-wrighting.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=911&Itemid=1)",

...for the observers and thinkers on the thread.

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: DawnnaDukes on 2011.07.13, 07:59:39
I didn't see any changes in this version. It just looks like Firefox 4. But there are some minor changes or up gradation can say are

     Support for CSS animations
     Better visibility for the Do-Not-Track header preference
     Improved canvas and JavaScript support
     Better standards support for canvas, HTML5, XHR, MathML and SMIL
     Better tuned HTTP idle connection logic
This sounds good for this new version.
What you think on this guys? Need your views.
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: warpcafe on 2011.07.13, 11:03:55
Hi,

although I can't say anything about the status of implementation regarding the OS/2 port, I think HTML5 is the important aspect.
I really appreciate a lot of companies going away from Flash in favor of HTML5. In the long run, Flash will be dead - which solves one of the biggest problems we have right now with regards to "internet".

Cheers,
Thomas
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Ben on 2011.07.13, 13:54:48

So, what are we going to have in a few years? Firefox 295?

I have to wonder what their motivation is, (confusion?), though sooner or later it will surface.

With regards to HTML 5, I have to agree with warpcafe, it will solve a lot of problems for OS/2 web surfers... and I was never a fan of Flash... not the product, nor otherwise, for by definition, it lacks substance. Good riddance to it.

Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Pete on 2011.07.13, 17:02:09
Hi Ben and Thomas

Yes, I think html5 is important.

Sadly I seem to recall reading somewhere that Apple and M$ will be pushing support for h264 - I say sadly because Mozilla will not be supporting h264, see http://shaver.off.net/diary/2010/01/23/html5-video-and-codecs/

So, we will end up with html5 video support that cannot play some html5 videos.

I guess I'll just follow the procedure I use to watch flash vids if I bump into a h264 video that I want to watch: download using clipgrab (or similar) and play with (s)mplayer or vlc.


As to Firefox version numbers: I think I'm glad that I stayed with Seamonkey   :-)

Regards

Pete
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: ppgrainbow on 2011.08.20, 23:17:04
And now Firefox 6 (http://ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/6.0/contrib/firefox-6.0.en-US.os2.zip) and SeaMonkey 2.3 (http://ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/seamonkey/releases/2.3/contrib/) for OS/2 and eCS has been released.

It can be found on Mozilla's FTP site. I sure hope that there will be a Firefox 7, 8 and even Firefox 9 for OS/2 and eCS to close out this year. :)

I will be installing it on my Warp 4 VM real soon!
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: melf on 2011.08.21, 00:57:38
Disregarding numbers I can see that the speed is better and better. For some year when using the 3.x releases Peacekeeper speeded me at about 500 points. With the first release of FF 4 i was up in 1400 I think, the 1.4.2 release gave me 1700 points and FF6 in fact gives me 1913 points. Not a bad developement!
Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Pete on 2011.08.21, 18:43:13
Hi All

Thanks to ppgrainbow for pointing out the new mozilla releases.

However, before we all rush off and install any of them Rich Walsh (mozilla os/2 team) states that we should not install as there is at least 1 bug (cannot type into url bar after printing; a focus problem). He is currently working on this and expects to upload fixed builds soon.

If, like me, you rarely print from a mozilla browser then I guess you will not see the problem  :-)  - but it may be a good idea to wait for the fixed builds though.


Regards

Pete


Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: Pete on 2011.08.24, 01:45:35
Hi all

Just to let everyone know that the fixed builds are now available and have file dates 2011-08-21
http://ftp//ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/6.0/contrib/firefox-6.0.en-US.os2.zip
ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/seamonkey/releases/2.3/contrib/seamonkey-2.3.en-US.os2.zip
ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/6.0/contrib/thunderbird-6.0.en-US.os2.zip

On a related note: the fixed/patched tcpip32.dll seems to have resolved the problem of mozilla apps crashing (an SMP related problem) and is available from  http://e-vertise.com/misc/tcpip32-safe.zip


Regards

Pete


Title: Re: Firefox 4? Firefox 5? Huh?
Post by: melf on 2011.08.24, 10:20:45
Thanks for info! I saw these builds but thought they were the same. The url-bar problem is away.