Firefox version 1.5 released

[Markel]

Time to upgrade (or finally switch over, if you haven't yet):
http://www.mozilla.com/

[Markel]

After updating, I lost the scroll bars in my windows. The "remedy" I found was to start firefox from the Run box with a -p to get into the profile editor, i.e.
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -p
in the Start/Run box
and create a new profile. I then copied over my bookmarks, extensions, cookies, etc. from my old profile and deleted it (saving the files just in case) so that the new profile would be the default. Got me prefered theme back, and I'm in business.

[ArkiStan]

I'm finally switching over now. What plugins/addons do people recommend?

[Markel]

A few that I like:

IEView - lets you right click and open the current page in IE, for those cases where the page producers are too lazy to write standard code

BugMeNot - tries to fill in username/password fields for "free registration" sites

ForeCast Fox - puts nice weather info in the bottom bar

AdBlock - eliminates ads (psst: there are no ads at the top of this page )

MapIt! - highlight an address and open up a page mapping it

SpellBound - adds spell checking for things such as forum reply messages (highight text, right click, and get it spellchecked)

Dictionary Search - highlight a word and open Dictionary.com to that word

View Cookies - shows the cookies for the current web page

Popups Must Die - stops more of the popups

Also, be sure to check out the variety of themes - there's a bunch. My favorites? Littlefox for my work 17" monitor, and Noia extreme at home (I use both with small icon sizes).

I love the Personal Toolbar - just drag the icon of the web page you're on to the toolbar, and you've got a quick icon to your favorite sites.

[zero2dash]

You know, I was a huge Firefox supporter since the .7 beta days...and over the last few months, I've switched back to IE 6 sp2. Why? I started having crash problems with Firefox, completely out of the blue. In addition to that, Firefox is horrible with Java; absolutely horrible. It's impossible to play Java based games off a website (ie Pogo.com) with Firefox; it doesn't work. I've been using Firefox 1.5a3 at work on the Mac because I've had a few Safari issues lately, but for the most part...if you're running IE 6 sp2, I don't know why you'd bother switching. I'm sure I'm opening myself up to a beating here, but that's ok.

IE 6 sp2 has the Information Toolbar that helps keep crap off your computer (it always warns you of ActiveX/installers). It also has much better cookie control (not as customized as FF, but nonetheless, the main thing I'm looking for is not allowing 3rd party cookies) and much better image control (only load images from originating site). It's still fast...neglible with FF (except for going fwd/back in already loaded pages).

The only thing I really miss is Adblock and Flashblock but there's a bug with those two coexisting...it's sorta fixed (found a workaround at work on the Mac FF) but still not 100% (I still have problems at home on the Windows FF). I go back to Firefox and all the things I had with it (extensions...Adblock, Flashblock, Forecast Fox, Smooth Wheel, Target Alert) and get really 'meh' and just go back to IE 6. Hell I even reinstalled FF 1.5a3 the other day and only tolerated it for 10 minutes before the (aforementioned) Flash problem (with Adblock/Flashblock) got under my skin and I uninstalled it again.

(If you're wondering what the problem is...ok...I have up-to-date Flash player, Adblock, & Flashblock. The glitch is that when Flashblock blocks a Flash item and replaces it with the *F* and then you click on it, the Flash item doesn't play. The workaround to this was that you had to uncheck "Obj-Tab" within Adblock's preferences, and then after closing and restarting FF, the Flash item would play as it should once you clicked the *F* placeholder. Well, this worked on my Mac at work, but on my PC at home, it still doesn't play the Flash item. This *is* a documented problem (or at least 'was') on the Mozilla support forums, and it's a mishmash of information; some people claim to have fixed theirs and others say the fix doesn't work. I am in the latter group since I've used the same FF on 2 platforms it only works on 1 of them...strangely. You can uninstall one or the other and not have this problem but then you're either a) not blocking Flash ads or b) you're blocking Flash ads but no other ads.)

[Jenny]

My major issue with Firefox is the memory leak, which is also a well documented problem. Other than that, I'm good with FF.

Afraid to upgrade. I always am. lol Not sure how to back stuff up, in case something happens, etc.

[zero2dash]

My major issue with Firefox is the memory leak, which is also a well documented problem.

MAJOR problem...I forgot about that one.
Mac FF at least (haven't experienced it on Windows FF)...
I've had Mac FF open for...roughly an hour...viewed (roughly) 40 web pages (not sites, just pages)...RAM usage (according to Activity Monitor) is 235 megs.

*sick*
I'm surprised (with how many people know about/have this problem) that this hasn't been fixed yet in FF...

Sorry...I'm not trying to go all anti-FF here. I'm really not, it's a great browser, truthfully...it has flaws but then again so does IE. It's definitely something everyone should try though...even if temporarily.

[shocky123]

..have they fixed the mysterious memory leak problem associated with the betas?

I'm tired of leaving a window open overnight, and in the morning having firefox using 60+MB of memory..

~Kyle

[Jenny]

No, no fix yet for the memory leak. When I'm working, I regularly have 2 WINDOWS of FF open with multiple tabs open each. After a couple of hours, it's using nearly 100MB memory easy. Bleh.

[Hiro]

I've had too many problems with Firefox, as listed above by both Jenny and Zero, that I am unwilling to go back to Firefox at this particular point in time.

When it was running, FF worked great. But I noticed too many little nuances that bothered me and one too many crashes. I'll probably switch back when Microsoft pushes IE7 on everyone...IE7 just looks and feels like a child's plastic toy.

[PrObLy]

To those that aren't happy with FF:

Have you guys tried out Opera?

They give the registered version out for free now. Also, I love its ability to remember what tabs I had open when I last closed the program so I don't have to leave a browser that is possibly taking up 100+ megs open all the time.

For those that still use IE:

Do you guys just use regular IE or a variant such as Maxthon?

I used to use Maxthon before switching to Firefox and Opera...it's basically a tabbed and mouse gesture version of IE.

[zero2dash]

I forgot about Opera...good mention, PrObLy...I might give that a shot and see what I think.

As for IE...I just use plain 'ol vanilla IE 6 sp2. All I've added is the Google toolbar...never leave home without it. I'd like to get tabs again but I don't know if you can disable/uninstall the MS Desktop Search but keep the IE tabs feature; I wish MS would just offer the tabs add on as a single individual download without packaging it with their stupid desktop search. *sigh*

[Kevster]

I have been a staunch Firefox user for a while. I have dealt with the bugs pretty well, and there are fixes/workarounds for many of them if you look in Firefox's bug forums. I love the amount of control I have in Firefox, and I despise explorer. I only use it when I absolutely have to.

[Jenny]

No good fix or workaround for the memory leak. I found one that supposedly KIND OF works, but it's soooo long and drawn out that **** it.

[Airencracken]

I'm using FF 1.5 and Opera. I like both, but FF has a lot more in the way of 3rd party support.

[Jenny]

OMG.

I upgraded this afternoon and suddenly the memory leak is about 5x as bad! I have had 1 window with 2 tabs open for about 30 minutes and it's already over 123MB. Plus, when you minimize the window, it no longer releases the memory. OMG.

[Jenny]

****in pos

40 minutes later and up to 181MB.

[Kevster]

****in pos

40 minutes later and up to 181MB.

hmmm... I upgraded as well and I don't have this leak. I've had 4 tabs open for about an hour and it's only using 34MB. What OS are you using? Java? What extensions?

[Jenny]

XP

Yeah, java.

Extensions:
(At the time, the Gmail Checker)
IE View
Tabbrowser Preferences
Signature
Open link in...
Favicon Picker
Screen grab!
SessionSaver .2
Auto Copy

[bachviet]

I am using FF 1.5 right now but I have not tested the memory leak problem yet. I am going to test it now.

[speedracer120]

Sorry to resurrect this thread. Like most others I have a memory leak too. I think mine once went up to 260 megs. But I don't care. Just use Task Manager to end the processes and reload FF again.

What I really want to know is there a way to make even popups open in the same window in a new tab instead of in a new window?

[wung]

Here's what's new in Firefox 1.5.0.1:

* Improved stability.
* Improved support for Mac OS X.
* International Domain Name support for Iceland (.is) is now enabled.
* Fixes for several memory leaks.
* Several security enhancements.

http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/releases/1.5.0.1.html

[Jcranmer]

Here's what's new in Firefox 1.5.0.1:

* Improved stability.
* Improved support for Mac OS X.
* International Domain Name support for Iceland (.is) is now enabled.
* Fixes for several memory leaks.
* Several security enhancements.

http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/releases/1.5.0.1.html

I was suprised when my 1.5 version prompted me to auto upgrade to 1.5.0.1 last night. I didn't know it had that feature OR that it was even turned on.

[wung]

I was suprised when my 1.5 version prompted me to auto upgrade to 1.5.0.1 last night. I didn't know it had that feature OR that it was even turned on.

yeah, i was surprised also ... had to double-check to make sure it was really firefox prompting me ...