SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

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therube
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SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by therube »

Just to note...

SeaMonkey 2.46 requires a CPU with SSE2 support

Currently, what happens:


AMD Sempron 3000+ "Barton"
Features: MMX, 3DNOW, SSE
XP SP3

*MISSING: SSE2

Existing: SeaMonkey 2.40

Help | Check for Updates...

Says 2.46 is available
Downloads
Restart to install
Installs

Result: "This application failed to initialize properly (0xc000001d)"


No crash or anything like that, simply does not run.


So, if you have a dated machine, if you suspect your CPU does not support SSE2, check before proceeding.
CPU-Z, http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html, will tell you.
(Go with the ZIP version.)
Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
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James
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by James »

Intel CPU's since Pentium 4 (since 2001?) have supported SSE2 and AMD was later.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSE2

The SSE2 was actually listed as a recommended since Firefox 4.0
https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/4.0/sys ... uirements/
4td8s
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by 4td8s »

although Firefox 49 & higher actually require SSE2 based CPUs and they refused to install/run on systems using non-SSE2 CPUs like the AMD Sempron 3000+ "Barton" and the AMD Athlon XP 3200+ processor chip on my relative's Compaq SR1303WM desktop computer.

edit: I'm still using Adrian Kalla's unofficial SM 2.45 release build on the Compaq machine that I downloaded back in late August 2016 as well as the official Firefox 48 release.
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BenoitRen
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by BenoitRen »

Inexcusable. There's no good reason for requiring this. Instruction support should be detected, and similar instructions should be used that aren't as fast if SSE2 isn't supported.
frg
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by frg »

SeaMonkey just picked it up from Firefox. At the time Firefox 49 was in Beta VS2015 update 2 had a bug which put SSE2 instructions into the generated code. Instead of going back to VS2013 it was decided to make SSE2 mandatory for Windows. VS20215 Update 3 fixed the bug but it was too late. And seriously its 2016 almost 2017 not 2001 and there are good reasons to do this. Generated code especially HTML5 support will benefit from it.

Same with the XP and Vista removal. Support libraries (I think LIBICU and maybe others) used by the backend removed XP and Vista support. Makes it hard to support a product when you can't use newer versions. I don't like it because I use XP on another PC with special hardware. Upgrading is not an option. But the next ESR release will probably support it till 2018.
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BenoitRen
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by BenoitRen »

frg wrote:And seriously its 2016 almost 2017 not 2001 and there are good reasons to do this.
No, there are not. Nothing will be lost by not requiring SSE2 and making it optional instead.

Also, 2001? My CPU is from 2004, as AMD was really late to the SSE2 party. And it's not like I can just pop a newer CPU into my motherboard that has SSE2 support.
cuppettcj
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by cuppettcj »

So for those of us with legacy machines that don't support SSE2, what are our options? Are we stuck on SeaMonkey 2.40 forever?
frg wrote:SeaMonkey just picked it up from Firefox. At the time Firefox 49 was in Beta VS2015 update 2 had a bug which put SSE2 instructions into the generated code. Instead of going back to VS2013 it was decided to make SSE2 mandatory for Windows. VS20215 Update 3 fixed the bug but it was too late.
Why is it too late? Won't later compiles with VS2015 Update 3 not include SSE2 instructions if the bug is fixed? Or did the developers decide to force the inclusion of SSE2? If so, why would they do that? Does anybody plan to compile a version of SeaMonkey 2.46 (or later) that doesn't force the inclusion of SSE2?

For the record, all of my machines have SSE2 support except one legacy machine running Windows Vista. It would be nice to continue to use SeaMonkey on this machine, but if not I'll have to consider other browsers. What are my choices among other browsers that are still being updated?
frg
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by frg »

>> What are my choices among other browsers that are still being updated?

Vista and really old platform. I would say your choices are 0 and Null. Maybe blank but not sure about this one :D

I think Firefox / Seamonkey were one of the last browsers to support Vista. Pale Moon also needs SSE2. Sorry really doesn't look good.
Mouse5
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by Mouse5 »

stick to IE? or Edge? or your better off to buy a cheap updated Budget Computer from Amazon or somewhere else
frg
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by frg »

> stick to IE?

Vista only has IE9. With NoScript and an Adblocker you are even safer and more compatible to todays websites with an outdated SeaMonkey / Firefox.

> or Edge?

Win 10 only. If you use Win 10 you have other problems :D

> or your better off to buy a cheap updated Budget Computer from Amazon or somewhere else

Jup. My old T30 with XP still runs 2.46 and up just fine. 2.49 will be the last version supported on XP and Vista but its not the end of the world if you have an adblocker and Noscript.

FRG
Mouse5
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by Mouse5 »

frg wrote:>

> or your better off to buy a cheap updated Budget Computer from Amazon or somewhere else

Jup. My old T30 with XP still runs 2.46 and up just fine. 2.49 will be the last version supported on XP and Vista but its not the end of the world if you have an adblocker and Noscript.

FRG
personally i'd prefer Browser Security updates an the others than just the 2. the way i look at it. if people can afford to pay for there internet, they can afford a cheap Budget computer, just install Windows8 on it, your not forced to use Windows10 if you dont want it.
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James
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by James »

Linux is a option also however Firefox version 53.0 (Gecko 53) and later on Linux will no longer support SSE also so SeaMonkey versions using Gecko 53 and later will likely not work if CPU does not support SSE2.
frg
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by frg »

>> they can afford a cheap Budget computer, just install Windows8 on it,

XP still has its uses. I need e.g. need it for some special hardware without later drivers. Kepp a laptop and desktop just fore these but the need for Internet browsing is limited on them.

>> and later will likely not work if CPU does not support SSE2.

I can confirm this. SeaMonkey 2.50 and up will not work without SSE2 support under Linux. There is a check in it which will even prevent you to try it. It will just quit and show an error message. And before someone quacks:D SeaMonkey had to follow Firefox / Gecko here. Not possible to just build without SSE2 any longer.

2.49 will also now show a proper error dialog during installation under Windows.
cuppettcj
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by cuppettcj »

Thank you all for your replies. I should point out that everybody focused on my last question without addressing my earlier questions. Apparently there is no good reason to force SSE2 instructions other than every other browser developer is doing it.

I should also point out that Windows Vista is still an officially supported OS, albeit for only a couple more months. I find it strange that many applications continued to support XP for years after support ended, but are quick to drop support from Vista even before it's support window closes.

As far as buying a cheap budget computer, that's not the issue. As I said, I have other machines that are newer and have been upgraded to Windows 10. I only need this machine to run certain legacy applications that will not run on Windows 10. It's not super important to have an up-to-date browser on it, but it does make it more convenient when I'm using it to be able to browse the web. Still, it's no great loss, I'll just keep a pre-2.46 version of SeaMonkey on it.

Which brings me to my last question. 4td8s mentioned that he's still using "Adrian Kalla's unofficial SM 2.45 release build" on his relative's older Compaq desktop computer. Does anybody have a link to this build?
Mouse5
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Re: SeaMonkey 2.46 requires CPU with SSE2 support

Post by Mouse5 »

James wrote:Linux is a option also however Firefox version 53.0 (Gecko 53) and later on Linux will no longer support SSE also so SeaMonkey versions using Gecko 53 and later will likely not work if CPU does not support SSE2.
i should be ok. as i have the AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1100T Processor which came out in 2010

however i might upgrade the processor eventually an Mobo
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