Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Discussion of general topics about Mozilla Firefox
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The Penguin
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Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by The Penguin »

I am using FF 51.1, 32 bit, on Win7 Pro, and I am thinking of going back to 47 or ??? I need user recommendations. Since the Mozilla folk have gone berserk even more than in the past, and keep making changes that eliminate more and more of the sites I like to visit and add-ons I like to use. I just cannot figure out their motives to ruin what used to be the best browser for Windows. I understand security concerns but there has to be a better way to deal with security than doing stuff that ruins Firefox completely.

So I look forward to your recommendations of versions that offer the best combo of most things still working the way we're used to and meeting most security concerns. :shock:
Brummelchen
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by Brummelchen »

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/o ... tions/all/
until june'18 - then its outdated.

such questions... so many times answered :roll:
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The Penguin
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by The Penguin »

Thanks for the response. I've seen many of such recommendations in the past but I'm trying to get current info from someone who has really kept up on all this nonsense. This is only involving me and my home desktop PC. I am long retired and, while I used to be tech support at companies in my day, I just can't deal with complex problems, workarounds, etc. That's why I'm looking to see what the opinions are ... back to 47, stay with 51, or?? Chrome is also out of the picture, although it has been a couple years since I tried it.
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Brummelchen
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by Brummelchen »

not sure what answer you expect for now - good luck
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DanRaisch
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by DanRaisch »

The link that Brummelchen posted above takes you to the latest iteration of the ESR version of Firefox. It supports the old extension format but has the latest security fixes included. Staying with 47 or 51 would just expose you to security concerns and a lack of fixes for any problems that are found and fixed. After June of next year it may be different but for now, version 52.4.1esr is "state of the art" for those not prepared to go forward with version 57 and the new extension format.
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The Penguin
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by The Penguin »

The link that Brummelchen posted above takes you to the latest iteration of the ESR versions of Firefox.
Thanks - I'll give it a try.
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GB34
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by GB34 »

Ketchup22 is right. Regardless of how much better Mozilla thinks the new versions are the fact remains that they have turned a great browser into something that is very nearly unusable. (56.x.x / Windows 10 Pro) Too many sites apparently haven't gotten the word that they need to update to Mozilla standards. The site may open but doesn't display all the site or the links within won't work and the fault is NOT in the extensions. Without any extensions in safe mode the result is till the same. For some reason both Chrome and Edge don't have that problem. I've tried downloading older versions of Firefox to use and the older versions no longer download. First byte timeout error.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by DanRaisch »

Nope, not seeing any of that here. It's more likely something in your profile or security software rather the program itself.
Have you tried a new profile? ( http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager
and
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Creating_a_ne ... on_Windows )
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therube
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by therube »

GB wrote:The site may open but doesn't display all the site or the links within won't work
URLs?
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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the-edmeister
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by the-edmeister »

Ketchup22 wrote:... That's why I'm looking to see what the opinions are ... back to 47, stay with 51, or??
IMO, Firefox 47 has the advantage of being the last version that allowed unsigned add-ons to be installed without a lot of fiddling around. But my most used version is now Firefox 38 ESR; it supports a number of extensions that I have used for many years that quit working properly in the Fx39 thru Fx44 versions. Those that quit working by Fx44 is the reason that that I didn't update to ESR 45 or ESR 52 with this Profile. Plus I got damn tired of losing extensions with every new release version between (like) Firefox 39 and 47.

Overall, I run 3 different versions of Firefox, each with its own unique Profiles. Firefox 38 ESR for my activities in support fora; Firefox 47.0.1 for some general surfing and at YouTube; Firefox 56.0.2 to be familiar and to "test" changes to Firefox and extensions with the current release versions to prepare for the future of Firefox, and to help me decide if or for how long I continue to use Firefox.

Currently I plan on trying to get Firefox working to my satisfaction by (around) the Firefox 60 or 61 versions before I decide if Firefox is the future for me. IMO, the "extension eco-system" might be stabilized by 60 or 61; i.e., WebExtension replacements for Legacy extensions are either available or they're not an I'll need to look for replacements for those extensions that aren't.

Overall, I just got tired of spending more time "fixing" what Mozilla broke between Fx 39 and 48 than I was spending actually using Firefox, so I "stood pat" with what I was using, But overall that was my fault, I just took advantage of the superior extensibility of Firefox that "we" had enjoyed for so many years to a greater extent than what Mozilla was aware of or what they expected from their users. Up thru Firefox 2.0 I had gotten used to running close to 100 extensions; then decreased to like 60 extensions (or so) until Firefox 4.0 came out; then down to like 30 or 35 extensions (depending upon the Profile) with like Fx 10 thru 28; and after like Firefox 32 or 33 I started losing an extension or two with every two new release versions; so by Firefox 44 I decided "enough with this madness"!

BTW, I have been using "Firefox" since Aug 2002 with Phoenix 0.3, and by Firebird 0.6 "Firefox" became my primary web browser. Used Opera when it was Presto-based; Chrome lasted only a few hours before I uninstalled it (tried it a few times over the years).
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lovemyfoxy
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by lovemyfoxy »

Are you not concerned about the security issues in old versions?
2 Desktops--Win 7 Ult.SP1 x64/6GB RAM /Firefox 52.9ESR/Waterfox64 2022.11/Thunderbird 52.9ESR/BitWarden PW Manager/Verizon FIOS wired network
efox99
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by efox99 »

the-edmeister wrote:Up thru Firefox 2.0 I had gotten used to running close to 100 extensions; then decreased to like 60 extensions
Good gosh. :shock:
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the-edmeister
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by the-edmeister »

LoveMyFoxy wrote:Are you not concerned about the security issues in old versions?
Nope, not with using NoScript in all my Profiles.

.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Mine has wandered off and I'm out looking for it.
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the-edmeister
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by the-edmeister »

efox99 wrote:
the-edmeister wrote:Up thru Firefox 2.0 I had gotten used to running close to 100 extensions; then decreased to like 60 extensions
Good gosh. :shock:
I wasn't so much the number, but rather what each one did or added to Firefox. At that time I would guess that 75 to 80 were "one trick" extensions that added one or two features. I have always avoided the "everything including the kitchen sink" extensions like TabMix Plus and after Firefox 28 the Classic Theme Restorer extension.But I did have problems though from time to time, but they were relatively minor problems that were easily 'fixed'.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Mine has wandered off and I'm out looking for it.
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lovemyfoxy
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Re: Need Good FF Version Recommendations

Post by lovemyfoxy »

the-edmeister wrote:
LoveMyFoxy wrote:Are you not concerned about the security issues in old versions?
Nope, not with using NoScript in all my Profiles.
.
I wish it were that easy. I tried NoScript some years ago, and never mastered how to use it. I didn't know which scripts should be allowed and which disallowed, and finally removed it.

@ketchup22-
Can you master NoScript?
2 Desktops--Win 7 Ult.SP1 x64/6GB RAM /Firefox 52.9ESR/Waterfox64 2022.11/Thunderbird 52.9ESR/BitWarden PW Manager/Verizon FIOS wired network
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