Firefox 2.0 Update

[D76]

I found the two extensions — SmoothWheel and PrefButtons — that had stopped me from loading Firefox 2.0.  Although SmoothWheel says it tops out at 1.5, it loaded into 2.0 with no problem. I finally found a site with PrefButtons  for 2.0 — in French. I don't care; it works.

I didn't load 2.0 over 1.5. I wiped all traces of the old one, including the plist and the FullCircle file, and downloaded nearly all the extensions I wanted. A couple of them have been abandoned, so I made a few changes in about:config.

After a couple of hours, the thing seems to be rock solid. All the plugins work properly, as do the extensions. Safari can't hold a candle to it.

[Steve_J]

Why does requesting a "check for upates" in Firefox 1.5.0.7 not show 2.0 is available?

[sluggo]

QUOTE(Steve_J @ Oct 30 2006, 03:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why does requesting a "check for upates" in Firefox 1.5.0.7 not show 2.0 is available?

I was just thinking the exact same thing. Went to "Help"/Updates/ and found that version 1.5.0.7 currrently on the machine seems to be the current version.

[Ken]

For me FF 2.0 is a mixed bag.  I like the integrated spell check, but browsing with a single button mouse is more difficult.  I miss double clicking on a tab to open a new one, clicking and holding on links doesn't open a new tab like in 1.5 and finally each tab requires you to mouse over to it's own "X" to close it where in 1.5 you could just go to the end of the tab  bar and close each one by multiple clicks on the fixed "X".


Maybe I'm just in a rut, but the old version just seemed easier to surf with.  I was able to find a couple of themes that I could live with, and it has been a solid upgrade for me with no suprises.  I just did the normal install over 1.5 with no apparent issues over the last week or so.


If any of you FF guru's out there have solutions for the above single button issues (I hate using the ctl/click) let me know.

Thanks

Ken

[D76]

QUOTE(Ken @ Oct 30 2006, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If any of you FF guru's out there have solutions for the above single button issues (I hate using the ctl/click) let me know.

There are some complaints on the Mozillazine forums site about the disappearance of click and hold, and tab closings.

Why not dump that mouse for one with a right-clicker and a scroll wheel? Any old USB mouse will work. I've got a Logitech that's so old it has a ball.

[kimmer]

QUOTE(Ken @ Oct 30 2006, 11:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For me FF 2.0 is a mixed bag.  I like the integrated spell check, but browsing with a single button mouse is more difficult.  I miss double clicking on a tab to open a new one, clicking and holding on links doesn't open a new tab like in 1.5 and finally each tab requires you to mouse over to it's own "X" to close it where in 1.5 you could just go to the end of the tab  bar and close each one by multiple clicks on the fixed "X".

Oh, I'm glad I read this before I downloaded and installed. I have a one button mouse - the original apple mouse that came with my *mac* and I love it. I've tried several other mice - 1, 2 and more buttons - and come back to this mouse. It fits my small hand and doesn't cause cramps or pain.

[D76]

QUOTE(Ken @ Oct 30 2006, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I miss double clicking on a tab to open a new one

I found this extension that's supposed to bring that back.

(EDIT: I had said it didn't work for me. Suddenly it does. Maybe it takes two restarts.)

The link above is to the extension's description. To load it, go to Tab Clicking Options at the top of the page in the middle, and click on installation.

QUOTE

each tab requires you to mouse over to it's own "X" to close it where in 1.5 you could just go to the end of the tab bar and close each one by multiple clicks on the fixed "X".

This did work for me. Open a web page, and in the browser URL strip type in

about:config

and hit return. The strip that appears across the top is a search bar. Type or paste into it

browser.tabs.closeButtons

That setting will immediately be isolated. Double-click it, and a window will appear. Change the number to 3 then close the window. This will return the close-tabs behaviour to the old one after you restart Firefox.

QUOTE

clicking and holding on links doesn't open a new tab like in 1.5

A Mac forum has the following suggestion — but this one didn't work for me, either, maybe because of the previous changes I made.

QUOTE

go to about:config and search for "context". There's a value called "ui.click_hold_context_menus" which is set to false by default. Double-click on it to set it to true, thereby re-enabling the old click-and-hold thingy.

[Ken]

These are great ideas.  With my t-Book and Aluminum P-Books, I'm limited to the touchpad and one button.  Short of plugging in an external mouse and loosing a USB port, I would like to restore the missing features.  It's the main reason I moved from Safari as my main browser.  Too many Ctl clicks to get things done.


I'll give your suggestions a try on my t-book first and then if things go well, I'll do the 15" Pbook.  Thanks for the info.  It looks like a good place to start until FF responds to the people's wishes.

Best,

Ken

[Steve_J]

QUOTE( @ Oct 30 2006, 03:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why does requesting a "check for upates" in Firefox 1.5.0.7 not show 2.0 is available?

QUOTE(sluggo @ Oct 30 2006, 05:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was just thinking the exact same thing. Went to "Help"/Updates/ and found that version 1.5.0.7 currrently on the machine seems to be the current version.

Still getting the same response at Firefox/help/updates. Version 1.5.0.7 seems to be the current version, not 2.0. Whazz up?

[D76]

Here are a couple of links to MozillaZine's Firefox about:config knowledge base, in case you'd like to fiddle with it.

This page is an overview, and includes among its links one to this page,  a list of entries and what they do.

A user.js file in Firefox's alpha-numeric folder inside the Profiles folder would do the same things that changes using about:config would.

Some, if not most would work in SeaMonkey, as well, though there probably are similar MozillaZine pages exclusive to it. Many of these settings exist in the old Mozilla browser I use in OS 9, so a lot of the code is old.

[Dreambird]

What's with under Tools>Add-ons>Extensions>DOM Inspector>the preferences button? My button is "non-active"... what preferences are you supposed to be able to set? For that matter... so is the Talk Back one. But I may choose to uninstall that one anyway.

[D76]

This page and its links explain the DOM (Document Object Model) Inspector. It's for the geek at heart.

I don't know why it and Talkback would be greyed out. Mine weren't, but I disabled them both, anyway.

[Dreambird]

Thanks... can't really see what I'd do with it off hand, think I'll just disable both for now too.

It's just the "preferences" buttons on the two extensions that are non functional for me... the extensions themselves aren't greyed out... just wondering what preferences you can set for them... no biggie.

[D76]

I see what you mean now. Talkback's preferences are greyed out because there aren't any. It kicks in automatically and phones home to report crashes.

The DOM Inspector is way over my head, so I ignore it. I doubt it has preferences, either. If it does nothing with a double click on it, all the more reason to pretend it doesn't exist.

[Dreambird]

QUOTE(D76 @ Oct 30 2006, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If it does nothing with a double click on it, all the more reason to pretend it doesn't exist.

 

I like your way of thinking!