Firefox 4 thoughts and impressions so far?

[yoda313]

I just downloaded and installed firefox4.

It seems pretty nice. I like the larger screen without that bar at the bottom - even though it was small it still took up room.

It does seem a bit faster. I'm using it on an old single core celeron using a wireless connection to my cable internet through a wireless router in another room. So far it seems like videohelp.com is loading just a tad faster.

It also seems streamlined more. It doesn't look cluttered at all.

Do you have it yet? Do you like it?

Edit - yahoo email definitely loaded faster with firefox 4. It seems like its loading the ads and stuff like that more quickly and efficiently. Thumbs up!

[lordsmurf]

FF4 loads quicker and is more stable than FF3.
The only issue is a lot of plugins don't yet work on FF4 -- not ones I want, at least.

I like it, and it's on all but my main computer.

[pepegot1]

Fast and efficient and is on all my computers. The sync function works well and saves work. Way to go FF!

[yoda313]

Did it just release today or was it already out?

[Ai Haibara]

I thought FF4 was still in RC releases? Huh. I'll have to go check.

It seems pretty nice. I like the larger screen without that bar at the bottom - even though it was small it still took up room.

I'm not at a system with FF3 installed, so I'll have to check this, too... but couldn't you have just turned the status bar off in the View (> Show >) menu, or used full-screen mode? I prefer to have the status bar visible, anyway.

[yoda313]

@ai haibara - I'm not a firefox expert so I wouldn't know. Heck I don't even know where to get most of the add ons. I just use a few that I've searched for on purpose.

[intracube]

I tried Firefox4 some time ago and liked it - particularly the 'panorama' feature to organise the tabs.

But as lordsmurf says, it had limited plugin support. This seems to have changed recently as the plugins that I use are now available for it.

I've just downloaded the latest version and it does indeed feel significantly more responsive. Looking good so far.

Did it just release today or was it already out?

I thought FF4 was still in RC releases? Huh. I'll have to go check.

Looks like the final version was released today, according to Wikipedia and the directory dates on this site:
http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/
The last RC2 release was dated the 18th March.

[JimmyS]

So far, I like FF4. It does seem to have a lot quicker response and the layout seems much cleaner. The plugin suport is not an issue for me, but I'm sure it they will catch up in due time. Overall, I give it a "thumbs up".

Also, this is pretty cool. It looks like FF4's acceptance is quite strong.

http://glow.mozilla.org/

[DarrellS]

I installed it on a friends computer that I use when I'm at his house and I uninstalled it because it looked like Chrome. Got home and installed the portable version on a thumbdrive and played with the settings until I got it to look like I had 3.6 looking (like IE6) and decided to upgrade my version to 4. My Tabkiller plugin and a couple of DivX plugins didn't work but I checked the speed in IE and Firefox 4 and the download speed was 3 MBps faster in Firefox 4. Firefox 3.6 seemed to be about the same as IE before.

It doesn't have the information bar on the bottom like 3.6 had but real estate is one of my biggest concerns with a browser so that's OK, I guess.

[yoda313]

It's weird I just installed it on my vista pc and it had me reboot after the installl! I didn't have to do that on my xp machine. Weirdness.

But hey it works great and thats all I want.

[guns1inger]

It doesn't have the information bar on the bottom like 3.6 had but real estate is one of my biggest concerns with a browser so that's OK, I guess.

By default, no, but you can put it back. FF4 reports status of page loads etc in a small tab that appears as needed in the bottom left corner. However if you like having the old style status bar, especially because it contained the status icons of various plugins, you can right-click your mouse next to the tabs at the top, and select Add-on Bar from the list.

[intracube]

Also tried to install FF4 on an iBook G4 - didn't get far, as Firefox has dropped support for PowerPC based systems.

[dare2be]

On Windows 7, do I need to save the installer and "Run as Administrator", or will just running from the download link suffice?

[jman98]

On Windows 7, do I need to save the installer and "Run as Administrator", or will just running from the download link suffice?

I installed the 64 bit Windows compile from a few weeks ago and I don't recall having to run it as Administrator to get it to install correctly on Windows 7 64 bit. I'm also using the Adobe Flash 64 bit beta and that has worked fine for me too in Firefox.

[DarrellS]

It doesn't have the information bar on the bottom like 3.6 had but real estate is one of my biggest concerns with a browser so that's OK, I guess.

By default, no, but you can put it back. FF4 reports status of page loads etc in a small tab that appears as needed in the bottom left corner. However if you like having the old style status bar, especially because it contained the status icons of various plugins, you can right-click your mouse next to the tabs at the top, and select Add-on Bar from the list.

Thanks! When I'm using the Stylish plugin then I need to be able to easily enable and disable styles.

I found a plugin called Menu Editor that allowed me to get rid of "open in a new tab" so by turning off tabs and using the menu editor, I don't need the Tabkiller plugin that FF4 does not support.

[jman98]

I installed the 64 bit Windows compile from a few weeks ago and I don't recall having to run it as Administrator to get it to install correctly on Windows 7 64 bit. I'm also using the Adobe Flash 64 bit beta and that has worked fine for me too in Firefox.

Follow up comment on my own post...
After posting this I did a little research and found that FF4 is not officially released in 64 bit for Windows, although you can download and use the 64 bit Windows builds they do on a nightly basis. The reason is that "not enough plugins are available in 64 bit". As one guy put it something like this - "Your refusal to officially release a 64 bit Windows version is why few 64 bit plugins are available. People aren't going to make 64 bit plugins until you release a supported browser that people start using and there ends up being demand for 64 bit plugins". So since I live plugin free I have no reason to not try the 64 bit compile, but those of you who use plugins will have to wait.

Word is that FF5 will officially support 64 bit Windows, but I wouldn't even guess when that will come out.

[yoda313]

what happened to the little drop down list of the previously visited websites in the back arrow? You could drop the list down and choose the page from a list of like 8 or 10 recently visited pages. Is that still doable?

[intracube]

what happened to the little drop down list of the previously visited websites in the back arrow? You could drop the list down and choose the page from a list of like 8 or 10 recently visited pages. Is that still doable?

Clicking and holding the left mouse button for a second, or using the right mouse button brings up the menu.

[yoda313]

Clicking and holding the left mouse button for a second, or using the right mouse button brings up the menu.

Great thanks!

[Seeker47]

I installed it on a friends computer that I use when I'm at his house and I uninstalled it because it looked like Chrome. Got home and installed the portable version on a thumbdrive and played with the settings until I got it to look like I had 3.6 looking (like IE6) and decided to upgrade my version to 4.

I think I'd like to test-drive the portable version for awhile first as well. (I do use a pretty good roster of Add-Ons / Extensions / Plug-Ins that I consider to be must-haves for MY use of a browser.) So now I have to see where to find this portable version.

[DarrellS]

I installed it on a friends computer that I use when I'm at his house and I uninstalled it because it looked like Chrome. Got home and installed the portable version on a thumbdrive and played with the settings until I got it to look like I had 3.6 looking (like IE6) and decided to upgrade my version to 4.

I think I'd like to test-drive the portable version for awhile first as well. (I do use a pretty good roster of Add-Ons / Extensions / Plug-Ins that I consider to be must-haves for MY use of a browser.) So now I have to see where to find this portable version.

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

EDIT: The portable version was very slow to start up which is why I went ahead and installed the normal version.

[Seeker47]

I installed it on a friends computer that I use when I'm at his house and I uninstalled it because it looked like Chrome. Got home and installed the portable version on a thumbdrive and played with the settings until I got it to look like I had 3.6 looking (like IE6) and decided to upgrade my version to 4.

I think I'd like to test-drive the portable version for awhile first as well. (I do use a pretty good roster of Add-Ons / Extensions / Plug-Ins that I consider to be must-haves for MY use of a browser.) So now I have to see where to find this portable version.

http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

EDIT: The portable version was very slow to start up which is why I went ahead and installed the normal version.

Thanks for that link.

[TBoneit]

I have to wonder why they put the Home button so far on the right. It belongs next to the WOT and NoScript buttons. Anyone know how to move its location? Thanks

[intracube]

I have to wonder why they put the Home button so far on the right. It belongs next to the WOT and NoScript buttons. Anyone know how to move its location? Thanks

What's the WOT?

Right mouse click on the home icon and select customise. While the 'customise toolbar' dialogue box is visible you can click and drag the icons on the toolbar to a different place.

[DarrellS]

Greasemonkey plugin with Youtube HD Ultimate script doesn't work but I found another plugin to replace it with. Scriptish with Youtube HD Suite.

[CapeKO]

I just installed IE9, I must be the last person that still uses IE.

[jman98]

I just installed IE9, I must be the last person that still uses IE.

Your numbers are declining, but a lot of home users still use IE. Keep in mind that we are a technical website so our members are more likely than the average person to use things like FireFox. I have to take my victories where I can get them. I've gotten my brother's family to get away from IE, but my dad refuses to leave IE and he knows that it had plenty of security problems in the past.

[16mmJunkie]

I use Opera to surf on my Windows PC (Safari/Camino on the Apple) ...FireFox became to bloated(Much like IE). Opera is still IMO faster and a better overall browser. I'll skip Firefox again.

PS I still miss Netscape

[TBoneit]

I have to wonder why they put the Home button so far on the right. It belongs next to the WOT and NoScript buttons. Anyone know how to move its location? Thanks

What's the WOT?

Right mouse click on the home icon and select customise. While the 'customise toolbar' dialogue box is visible you can click and drag the icons on the toolbar to a different place.

Thanks that did it. WOT is web of trust, http://www.mywot.com/ WOT’s traffic-light style rating system Green means safe, yellow means caution and red means stop. It’s easy, and it’s free

[DarrellS]

Almost all of my replay media catcher recordings have generic file names (8D3F7A54_videoplayback.mp4) from Youtube and VEVO when using Firefox 4. They all have their original file names when recorded using Internet Explorer. Usually if I got a generic file name, I could copy the file name from the url in the properties window but it's not showing it there either.