60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

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kenmorgan
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60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by kenmorgan »

OS: CentOS 6

I get Firefox updates from the CentOS repo with regular yum updates. I had been running "firefox-52.8.0-1.el6.centos.i686" until this latest update when all of a sudden I'm faced with "firefox-60.1.0-6.el6.centos.i686." Yes, a sad day indeed. :cry:

Clicking Help ---> About Firefox gives the strange name, "60.1.0esr Firefox Quantum." I have never heard of "Oesr," but "quantum" is a physics term. As a retired physics teaching, I do know what "quantum" means and it has nothing to do with software, computers, or data processing. But this version of Firefox has unfortunate changes unrelated to its misappropriated name. By changing long standing features, it has made daily use more awkward.

I will list some of these unfortunate changes, but first I would like to ask my question. I can reinstall Firefox-52.8.0-1.el6.centos.i686 and stop yum from future updates of Firefox. What I would like to know is this: will continuing to use this excellent version of Firefox put me in any sort of danger--danger related to security. I would much appreciate comments on this question.

For those interested in what I have found to be changes for the worse rather than for the better, here are four of them.

(1) For reasons unfathomable, the scroll bar on the right has been degraded in two different ways: (a) it has lost its convenient little arrow heads at its top and bottom, and (b) the width of the scroll bar itself has been cut in half, making it more difficult to put the mouse on it.

(2) When multiple tabs are open allow multiple Web sites at one time, instead of having the available space on these tabs for all the letters in the Web site names that can be accommodated clearly visible, the last two or three letters that used to be easily read are now faded out--on purpose!

(3) Going to "Edit ---> Preferences" is a shocking experience. Its organization is much inferior to the way it used to be arranged.

(4) Going to "File ---> Print Preview" is a shocking experience. If you decide not to click "Print" and to go back to the Web page, the "Close" button has disappeared!! Yes, I know you can click the "x" at the very top, right-hand corner to get back the the Web site you were thinking of printing. However, for those who don't know this will work, that "x" would normally close Firefox itself! Therefore, many uses would sit there very puzzled thinking, "How do I get back to the Web site page without closing Firefox itself and having to bring everything up again?"

Perhaps if enough of us write that we much prefer the features as they were in 52-8, Mozilla will realize they made a number of undesirable changes when the old versions worked much better. 8-)
Last edited by kenmorgan on July 28th, 2018, 5:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Brummelchen
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day

Post by Brummelchen »

You are victim of the long ago announced upgrade from esr to esr- quantum, the next major esr build. Come on, you wont tell us that you never heard about quantum? If you want to rant - this is not mozilla ;)

There is less we can do for except to find solutions. After august esr dont get any further update means insecure!

Btw refresh profile after backup can help. A new profile and copy places is better. This avoid remnants making quantum fail.
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kenmorgan
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by kenmorgan »

If I stay with "firefox-52.8.0-1.el6.centos.i686," how serious is the security issue? I have always thought that there were very few ways to attack a Linux OS compared to a Windows OS.
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by Brummelchen »

Issues are issue, no matter how serious, you are not able to fix it or control it. OS do not matter. Sorry cant tell you other. 52.9.0 esr will be last.
the magic number is 51 and you are probably part of it :p
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kenmorgan
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by kenmorgan »

A new outrage!

I haven't gone back to "firefox-52.8.0-1.el6.centos.i686" yet, so I just discovered another problem with the "new" Firefox. For a couple years now I've had an extension that enables downloading Youtube videos. It always worked fine...until now. I checked--the extension is still on the "Quantum." But when I now try to use it, Firefox in its entirety crashes, with ALL the Web sites I have open, not just Youtube.

Anyone know how to fix this?
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therube
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by therube »

What extension?

Does centos send crash reports (thinking not)?
Does centos at least log crash reports, & if so, what information does that give?


If you use Mozilla build rather then centos, does the problem persist?
Fire 750, bring back 250.
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kenmorgan
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by kenmorgan »

Here's the extension:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... load-team/

I doubt the problem has anything to do with CentOS.

I don't have the Mozilla-build version of Firefox...if there's a difference.
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therube
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by therube »

Looks to work without issue here.


(Note: it does want every permission under the sun.)
Fire 750, bring back 250.
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by c627627 »

A fairly large percentage of Firefox users will not upgrade beyond Firefox ESR 52.9 because it is the last most updated pre-Quantum version of Firefox on which old extensions and modifications work.
People will rely on antivirus and firewalls to intercept security breaches or they simply decided to trade security for being able to modify Firefox and use old extensions.

You are better off using Quantum of course.
So the first thing you want to do is find replacements for old extensions that don't work under Quantum. If you can't, then ask yourself if you can live without them?
I personally cannot, but the majority of users can.

Next, your user interface modifications will be limited, so you may have to give up certain mods, again ask yourself if you can live without that?
There is some work ahead for you, but you'll have to either revert to Firefox 52.9 ESR or preferably find replacements and use Quantum.

If you stay on 52 ESR, then you may want to disable updates:
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... &t=3040399
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James
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by James »

Firefox 52.9.0esr was the last major update for the legacy 52 ESR so after Sept 5 there will be no more updates for Security and allowed stability fixes so the 52.9.0esr will potentially get more and more vulnerable over time.
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by ronbo »

I am another user who does not like the Quantum versions when it first came out. Others had posted about the 52 esr, so I opted for that. I am currently on 52.9.0 esr. Note to the OP--there should be a space between the 0 and esr.

My understanding is the purpose of the esr is to allow system admins time to replace the 52 style browser in their company. I would be interested to read what admins on this board posted their feeling about Quantum.

I've been a long time user of FF AND Chrome, but I will not sacrifice security for looks and familiarity. If push comes to shove--I'll probably switch to Chrome. Bad me--this kid needs a spanking for posting such stuff on this forum!

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Frank Lion
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by Frank Lion »

ronbo wrote:If push comes to shove--I'll probably switch to Chrome. Bad me--this kid needs a spanking for posting such stuff on this forum!
You need a slap for not putting this in the first post, then no one would have needed to waste time reading the rest.
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Re: 60.1.0esr "Firefox Quantum" -- a Sad Day (Linux)

Post by DanRaisch »

And so we're done here. Locking.
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