Why is scrolling on Linux so much slower than on Windows?

Post by **BenBasson** » March 22nd, 2008, 5:54 am

Ok, scratch the linear thing. I'm getting results all over the place as a result of window resizing. There's definitely something wrong here.

Bazon · Post by **Bazon** » March 22nd, 2008, 6:44 am

OK, I'll file it....

....here's another demonstration of the same effect:
The "sroll.to" Plugin of the jquery Javascript Framework:

http://flesler.webs.com/jQuery.ScrollTo/

Espacially the lower Demonstration ("Options") looks much more jerky on Linux as on Windows XP....

Bazon · Post by **Bazon** » March 22nd, 2008, 7:25 am

Bug report:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=424529

Bazon · Post by **Bazon** » March 22nd, 2008, 7:30 am

Additionally, it would be very interesting for me to know, why scrolling is equally fast for steviex on Windows and on Linux!

What graphic card do you use, steviex?

And which driver?
(I use the restricted Nvidia driver..)

Post by **steviex** » March 22nd, 2008, 8:04 am

Ive got a Nvidia NV44 [GeForce 6200SE TurboCache (TM)] using the Restricted Driver
Using GNOME Desktop with the DarkLooks Theme (from gnome-themes-extra which uses the Compiz Negative Module)
I have the Full Effects option selected.

2 x Pentuim 4 3.2 GHz Processors
512 MB Ram (and 1.3 GB Swap allocated)

Also on screen are Thunderbird & Pidgin....

By the way I'm using the Ubuntu supplied version of Firefox and Blue Moonlight Vista as the Theme...

It could be a patch supplied by Ubuntu ??

Have you tried the version from Synaptic ??

Post by **BenBasson** » March 22nd, 2008, 8:13 am

Bug confirmed. Stevie, any chance you can see what happens on a recent Linux trunk build?

Post by **steviex** » March 22nd, 2008, 8:34 am

On the latest Minefield Build Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9b5pre) Gecko/2008032204 Minefield/3.0b5pre (just updated)
Down 1201 Up 1156
Firefox 2.0.0.12 Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-GB; rv:1.8.1.12) Gecko/20080207 Ubuntu/7.10 (gutsy) Firefox/2.0.0.12
Down 2453 Up 1373

Using ClearLooks Linux theme.

Bazon · Post by **Bazon** » March 22nd, 2008, 9:43 am

@steviex:
Thank you for that information!
So I suppose it's better for you because you really have much more CPU speed than I have (2 x Pentium 4 3.2 GHz Processors compared to one AMD Geode 1,4GHz....)

Yes, I also tried the Ubuntu-Firefox Version from the repos, that made no difference in this (scrolling speed), but in stability: the original Mozilla Firefox is much more stable for me! :-)

(The Ubuntu Firefox lost Extension Functionality all the time, that was too anoying....)

Post by **steviex** » March 22nd, 2008, 10:28 am

Hmmm remember that the Ubuntu version has the Ubufox extension, that ties in the repos to the extension manager... It is possible that you have some problems associated with that.....

It may be that the scrolling is more efficient in the Windows version than the Linux one, and that might only be noticeable with a slower processor.
However, it could be the actual OS screen drawing systems, rather than Firefox that is less efficient in Linux.
Do you have slow responses anywhere else....
How does SeaMonkey or Opera compare between Linux and Windows ?

Also it might be an idea to try the BETA of Hardy Heron on Live CD to see if anything has been enhanced ...
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardyHeron/Beta

VanillaMozilla · Post by **VanillaMozilla** » March 22nd, 2008, 10:32 am

You should change the OS to Linux. This bug is not about Mac or PC. If you identify the OS correctly, the bug has a chance of rising above the noise (>424,000 bugs filed).

Also, StevieX is right. Ubuntu Firefox is not exactly Mozilla Firefox. Maybe you should try with the Mozilla version.

Post by **steviex** » March 22nd, 2008, 10:39 am

^ He was using the Mozilla version, I just suggested the Ubuntu version, in case Ubuntu had patched it to improve performance in their system.

Bazon · Post by **Bazon** » March 22nd, 2008, 10:40 am

@steviex:
Don't worry, I'm not using both Versions, I only use Mozilla Firefox.... :-)

(I did that by renaming /usr/lib/firefox to /usr/lib/fierfox-ubuntu and extracting the original mozilla package to /usr/lib/firefox instead, copying the neccesarry plugins and locking everything with Firefox in Synaptic, so there won't be any manipulations from Ubuntu to the original Mozilla Firefox...)

@VanillaMozilla:
I DO use the original Version from Mozilla, not the Ubuntu Version.
See the User-String on Demopage and in the Bug-report: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; de; rv:1.8.1.12) Gecko/20080201 Firefox/2.0.0.12

I mentioned all OS because Cusser reported this regression also from 2.0.12 Windows to 3.0b5pre Windows (see above), but maybe that should be handled as a seperate bug?

VanillaMozilla · Post by **VanillaMozilla** » March 22nd, 2008, 10:56 am

Yes, it sure sounds like a separate bug. On the one hand, you are saying Linux version 2 is worse than Windows version 2. On the other hand, Cusser is saying Windows version 3 is worse than Windows version 2.

Unless you've got a major player all lined up to jump right into it, I think you and Cusser need to spell this out accurately, or it will likely just get lost in the noise. I think 424,000 bugs does count as a lot of noise. If you have trouble changing the OS, let me know.

Bazon · Post by **Bazon** » March 22nd, 2008, 11:02 am

OK, OS changed to Linux only.

Bazon · Post by **Bazon** » March 22nd, 2008, 11:14 am

Can't file bug for Windows trunk, because I'm not using it and don't have the right User Agent.
Cusser?