Mozilla Proposes Firefox ESR Versions for Businesses
Mozilla has posted its first idea how make Firefox much more acceptable for businesses as a rapid release cycle release.
Instead of supporting a particular browser version for just six weeks, an "extended support release" (ESR) would be supported for a total of seven Firefox release cycles, or 42 weeks.
Mozilla would still be updating an ESR version every time a new Firefox is released, but would only apply security patches, according to a proposal. If Mozilla starts this idea with Firefox 8, then ESR versions would be called 8.0 ESR, 8.0.1 ESR, 8,0.2 ESR until 8.0.6 ESR with release dates that coincide with Firefox 9 - 14. Mozilla also said that business that choose the ESR version will have 12 weeks to qualify a new Firefox ESR version once it becomes available. The current proposal suggests that Firefox 8 ESR will be introduced on January 1, 2012 while the will not have to switch to the successor Firefox 13.0.1 ESR (including two qualifying cycles) until August 28, 2012.
Mozilla is currently asking for feedback on the proposal, but said that it is planning on launching the ESR versions with Firefox 8 or 9.
i am on 8 right now, there were only a few extensions that didn't work, and thats because support was dropped around ff3.5
the only extension that flat out failed to work was down them all, and a alpha version of tab mix + that was a pre release for 3.5, otherwise everything else if just fine.
basically if an extension works in 4, it works in 8. you just have to turn version compatibility off.
take a look at version 6-8 and tell me the old model was working fine? tell me in a post chrome internent, that casual consumers don't want the best right now?
what plugins do you use? in a business sense, that don't work?
you are either a troll, or have something wrong with your FF settings. as i speak, i have a youtube video going (1080p of course) along with about 8 other tabs including this one. and im only getting about 275MB usage out of it.
This is all they need, give us MSIs and GPO and we can deploy firefox how we want, when we want. There has been a ticket about creating MSIs for firefox and thunderbird open for years and still nothing instead we get a crappy 6 week release cycle with minimal new features and still no major that would actually help corporate users use firefox in business.
JUST DON'T BREAK MY ADDONS.
Take all the components and code that tie in with addons and don't touch it. All the "improvements" can be 4.X and anything that WILL break addons can be 5.0.
From my consumer browser user point of view:
1) Frequent FireFox updates = Little or no Addon use.
I've almost completely stopped using Addons long ago, with each new (frequent) FireFox update breaking a number of Addons, it's a huge chore just to keep my collection of formerly useful Addons compatible with each and every FireFox updates.
Since I've stopped using Addons for the most part, I've switched to Chrome instead.
1a) Improvements: Attempting to install Offline *.XPI addon files onto newer (incompatable) FireFox, FireFox should be smart enough to point user to the Addon's home page to download newest version (and hope that it's compatible!).
1b) I still have one Addon that I'm still using, and Addon still breaks frequent, to the point that I've had to save both the *.XPI addon file, and the current FireFox build so that I can ensure my addon works when I need it to!!!!!! This is how bad things have become, users are always wondering if their addon will work with the next FireFox update...
Pity the Addon developer...
2) I switched to Chrome because of this bug that has been around for a looooonnnng time: "When I open link in new Tab, switch to it immediately." This option box is broken, I'm surprised this bug had not been fixed yet despite so many "frequent updates"!
3) FireFox developers are losing touch with its users, implementing things that are not intuitive for newer users--meaning that this would not help entice new users to use FireFox:
3a) Example: [F11] full screen mode, one would expect hitting [Escape] would abort this full screen mode. NO, you *must* press [F11] !
What if user had hit [F11] by accident, he would not know how to revert back to normal FireFox mode!
3b) My latest pet peeve with FireFox, why did FF developers leave out [F4] or [F6] hotkey for quick focusing onto URL address bar (for much faster typing in URL for faster navigation)??? Now you must use the mouse??? Internet Explorer can use both [F4] and [F6] for this function. Chrome uses [F6] for this function. FireFox does not do this at all now (hotkey shortcut removed)???
4. Don't get me wrong, I'm a former FireFox who would love to get back into using FireFox. But above detailed reasons and detailed suggestions demonstrate why I'm *forced* by FireFox developers to switched to other browsers.
******Hope FireFox developers are listening!
I'm tired of dumb users bitching about FF. "Oh it's a memory hog" "oh it crashes" "oh XXXX doesn't work". Do a clean install, stop downloading porn and virusing your computer, and it works fine.
1) enable mod uses without version check, almost everything passed 4 runs flawlessly.
1a) thats a download at your own risk deal... and on the addon page for it, or in the addon itself it directs you to the home page.
1b) than don't upgrade right away, and if you need to, look for an alternative... if an addon isn't supported for 2 build of firefox, presume its dead.
2) is it realy that hard to get something like firegestrures? map switching tabs to right click left and right? now im speaking from someone who loads a crap ton of tabs, and opens new links mid articles, such as on wikipida. i don't want to go to a new tab every time i open a new one. also, tab mix +, everyone else uses it, may fix your problem.
3) i know no one who uses fullscreen, so lets leave that out. now with the f keys, that must have been a bug in beta 7, because beta 8, what i'm using now, f6 is the key... also still need to press 11 again. i'm assuming this is for a compatibility reason with a html5 possible function.
4) you werent forced, you based your hate off of a beta build than picked up chrome. you want to make sure your addons work without forceing them to work despite version... dont upgrade till your extentions are up to date.
you want f4 f6 or escape to close out of full screen, look into grease monkey and stylish. one of those should instill the functionality you want.
um i think your math is VERY wrong...
Funny, because I have 25 tabs open, 2 of which are youtube, with 14 addons, and it's been open for several hours and still only using just over 500k.
1a) Improvements: Attempting to install Offline *.XPI addon files onto newer (incompatable) FireFox, FireFox should be smart enough to point user to the Addon's home page to download newest version (and hope that it's compatible!).
1b) I still have one Addon that I'm still using, and Addon still breaks frequent, to the point that I've had to save both the *.XPI addon file, and the current FireFox build so that I can ensure my addon works when I need it to!!!!!!
This is how bad things have become, users are always wondering if their addon will work with the next FireFox update...Pity the Addon developer...
2) I switched to Chrome because of this bug that has been around for a looooonnnng time: "When I open link in new Tab, switch to it immediately." This option box is broken, I'm surprised this bug had not been fixed yet despite so many "frequent updates"!
3) FireFox developers are losing touch with its users, implementing things that are not intuitive for newer users--meaning that this would not help entice new users to use FireFox:
3a) Example: [F11] full screen mode, one would expect hitting [Escape] would abort this full screen mode. NO, you *must* press [F11] !What if user had hit [F11] by accident, he would not know how to revert back to normal FireFox mode!
3b) My latest pet peeve with FireFox, why did FF developers leave out [F4] or [F6] hotkey for quick focusing onto URL address bar (for much faster typing in URL for faster navigation)??? Now you must use the mouse???
Internet Explorer can use both [F4] and [F6] for this function. Chrome uses [F6] for this function. FireFox does not do this at all now (hotkey shortcut removed)???
4. Don't get me wrong, I'm a former FireFox who would love to get back into using FireFox. But above detailed reasons and detailed suggestions demonstrate why I'm *forced* by FireFox developers to switched to other browsers.
******Hope FireFox developers are listening!
Ok, let's see
1) More likely then not the Addons still work, Firefox does disable any Addon that is not set to be run in Firefox *new version*, that does not mean it does not work, it's a fail safe. If the dev does not set their Addon for new version compatability (some are set to be compatible through many versions tested or not to get around this) then they get disabled until Firefox knows it will work.
2) I just texted that setting and guess what? It worked perfectly, it's not broken at all.
3) I decided to do a little test, I opened Chrome, IE9 and Firefox, hit F11 on each in turn then hit ESC, guess what happened? Nothing, they all required hitting F11 to turn off full screen, as far as I know this has been the case since browsers had fullscreen added (MANY MANY years now).
4) Seems to me you are complaining for the sake of complaining since the only semi valid reason is the Addon thing and while annoying it is to avoid crashes and problems in case an Addon does become a problem with an update.
1a) Improvements: Attempting to install Offline *.XPI addon files onto newer (incompatable) FireFox, FireFox should be smart enough to point user to the Addon's home page to download newest version (and hope that it's compatible!).
1b) I still have one Addon that I'm still using, and Addon still breaks frequent, to the point that I've had to save both the *.XPI addon file, and the current FireFox build so that I can ensure my addon works when I need it to!!!!!!
This is how bad things have become, users are always wondering if their addon will work with the next FireFox update...Pity the Addon developer...
2) I switched to Chrome because of this bug that has been around for a looooonnnng time: "When I open link in new Tab, switch to it immediately." This option box is broken, I'm surprised this bug had not been fixed yet despite so many "frequent updates"!
3) FireFox developers are losing touch with its users, implementing things that are not intuitive for newer users--meaning that this would not help entice new users to use FireFox:
3a) Example: [F11] full screen mode, one would expect hitting [Escape] would abort this full screen mode. NO, you *must* press [F11] !What if user had hit [F11] by accident, he would not know how to revert back to normal FireFox mode!
3b) My latest pet peeve with FireFox, why did FF developers leave out [F4] or [F6] hotkey for quick focusing onto URL address bar (for much faster typing in URL for faster navigation)??? Now you must use the mouse???
Internet Explorer can use both [F4] and [F6] for this function. Chrome uses [F6] for this function. FireFox does not do this at all now (hotkey shortcut removed)???
4. Don't get me wrong, I'm a former FireFox who would love to get back into using FireFox. But above detailed reasons and detailed suggestions demonstrate why I'm *forced* by FireFox developers to switched to other browsers.
******Hope FireFox developers are listening!
Ok, let's see
1) More likely then not the Addons still work, Firefox does disable any Addon that is not set to be run in Firefox *new version*, that does not mean it does not work, it's a fail safe. If the dev does not set their Addon for new version compatability (some are set to be compatible through many versions tested or not to get around this) then they get disabled until Firefox knows it will work.
2) I just texted that setting and guess what? It worked perfectly, it's not broken at all.
3) I decided to do a little test, I opened Chrome, IE9 and Firefox, hit F11 on each in turn then hit ESC, guess what happened? Nothing, they all required hitting F11 to turn off full screen, as far as I know this has been the case since browsers had fullscreen added (MANY MANY years now).
4) Seems to me you are complaining for the sake of complaining since the only semi valid reason is the Addon thing and while annoying it is to avoid crashes and problems in case an Addon does become a problem with an update.
I really wish they'd make a good Opera build for sparcv9 Solaris 10, make my job easier.