Mozilla Has Released Firefox 13

[ThaiLife]

One day ahead of schedule, Mozilla has released Firefox 13 to the public, bringing with it two major changes to the default home page and new tab page. The new home page has been updated with a redesign, and thumbnails of shortcuts to downloads, bookmarks, history, etc. The new tab page has been updated to display a user's most visited websites.

Firefox 13 also includes a new feature dubbed "Tabs on Demand." The feature will load individual tabs from the previous browsing session as the user clicks on them, instead of loading all of the tabs at once and slowing down the computer.

http://makingwindows...h-new-features/

[h90]

Firefox is getting more fat with every release. That number game is also boring....

More and more I use Chrome instead.

[dddave]

Firefox used to be my default but since Chrome settled in, I find Chrome to be much faster and more dependable.

[cooked]

chrome is ok but I couldn't live without the addons from firefox. Chrome hasn't quite got there yet. I am on Firefox Aorora 14.2 and it is noticeably faster than before.

[NomadJoe]

FF13 is not available from their website as of June 5, 1430 Thailand time . Even the link in the article goes to v12. Was there already a recall?

[Darrel]

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/products/download.html?product=firefox-13.0&os=win〈=en-US

for anyone who can't wait.

[Joop50]

Just downloaded Firefox 13 from Filehippo.com

[ThaidDown]

Darrel for me your link points to ff 12.

Have not done a full search but does not seem to be easily available from Mozilla, but have not read of any problems with it though. FF 13 is working for me, for what its worth.

Got my download from DownloadCrew site at http://www.downloadcrew.com/article/24333-firefox if you really want to try it.

[Baloo22]

IMO and from lessons learned (I worked in the IT field for 15 years); It's usually a wise procedure to wait a at least a few weeks after a new software release before installing it yourself. Let someone else experience the problems and bugs. Just about all new software has bugs. In fact, for any Microsoft Operating System, I would always wait until after the first "Service Pack" was issued before installing it myself.

[ThaidDown]

Would certainly agree to not being a first user with os.

But with Firefox browser (possibly with the exception of ie which might not let you return to a previous version) I back up the profile with Mozback and if there is a problem can easily remove new version and revert to previous in a couple of minutes. If you waited a few weeks with firefox there would be a even newer version available.

But that's only me , just personal choice, not right or wrong.

[Darrel]

Darrel for me your link points to ff 12.

Strange. For me it still gives V13 just as it did a couple of hours ago.

[urandom]

ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/13.0/

[ThaidDown]

Darrel, Apologies my bad. With 'Noscript' enabled your link shows version 12 which you have to click to dl.

With 'noscript' allowing all, ff 13 downloads directly.

First tried it with noscript enabled so that's where I got my error, sorry again.

[dddave]

I know this is OT but would someone explain what "NOSCRIPT" is and why it is often recommended as a security precaution?

[cooked]

no script is an add-on to Firefox ('tools' > 'Add-ons' > 'Get Add-ons'. It stops programs running on your computer that you haven't given permission to (either temporarily or permanently), that stem from websites. Some of these programs would not be evident to you, and some of them may be spyware or worse. I didn't have the patience to give permissions every time I visited a website and sometimes some of the programs that were running were unknown to me and I didn't have the desire to look them up on the web. (Always many Google programs, probably tracking me). So I got rid of it. Give it a go.

There is also Flashblock, that stops automatically those horrible animated, flashing ads that you can't get rid of, but unfortunately also blocks my BBC internet radio. (have to give permission every time). Try it.

[Gary A]

I'm used to right clicking the mouse to copy and paste but that doesn't work with FF 13. You have to use customize and add the copy and paste icons to your tool bar. It works fine that way.

[MJCM]

^ Gary,

For me right click and select Copy or Paste still works.

Edit: //

Just tested it between FF <> Notepad++ and between FF and FF and Right Click Copy and Paste still works as before

Edited June 6, 2012 by MJCM

[Darrel]

For me right click and select Copy or Paste still works.

Me2.

[Gary A]

After I have used the copy on the right click and try to do the paste with the right click, the paste option isn't there. It works fine using right click with Chrome. ???

[MJCM]

^ Initially it ain't there either but when I move the cursor somewhere else and right click again it appears. Strange !

Before Mouse Move

After Mouse Move

Edited June 6, 2012 by MJCM

[Tywais]

I just got notice of automatic update to 13.0 for Firefox today so not necessary to do a fresh download if you are running FF currently and have updates enabled. Just click on Help > About and it will check and update if you didn't get the message automatically.

[Tywais]

Just found something that I don't like and that is opening a New Tab shows the 9 most visited sites as thumbnails. I prefer a clean page so looked around and found the solution below in case others feel the same.

How do I turn the new tab page off?

If you don't want to see top sites when you make a new tab you can easily hide them:

• Click the button in the upper-right corner of the page to toggle the new tab page off or back on.
  

If you are concerned about your privacy, you can turn this feature off completely:

1. In the Location bar, type about:config and press Enter.
   
   • The about:config "This might void your warranty!" warning page may appear. Click I'll be careful, I promise!, to continue to the about:config page.
     

• Type browser.newtab.url in the search box.
  
• Double-click the browser.newtab.url preference and change the url from about:newtab to about:blank.
  
• Click OK and close the about:config tab.
  Source
  

[BB1950]

Just found something that I don't like and that is opening a New Tab shows the 9 most visited sites as thumbnails. I prefer a clean page so looked around and found the solution below in case others feel the same.

How do I turn the new tab page off?

If you don't want to see top sites when you make a new tab you can easily hide them:

• Click the button in the upper-right corner of the page to toggle the new tab page off or back on.
  

If you are concerned about your privacy, you can turn this feature off completely:

1. In the Location bar, type about:config and press Enter.
   
   • The about:config "This might void your warranty!" warning page may appear. Click I'll be careful, I promise!, to continue to the about:config page.
     

• Type browser.newtab.url in the search box.
  
• Double-click the browser.newtab.url preference and change the url from about:newtab to about:blank.
  
• Click OK and close the about:config tab.
  Source
  

I agree with you Tywais. I don't like the 2 new features of Firefox 13. The home page and the new tab page.

Neither are useful for a serious web surfer.

The new tab page is kind of a waste since it only supports 9 links. It also prevented my Hide Bookmarks Button extension from working properly on a new tab. Just hiding the links still interfered with the proper operation of allowing the Bookmarks Toolbar from appearing on a new tab. The new tab is actually a web page (about:newtab). Rather than a blank page.

Now I'm much happier since they're gone.

I found I could also disable the new tab page by using the Tab Mix Plus extension.

The thing I like most about Firefox is the ability customize it to my likes and preferences rather than accepting the default.

[BB1950]

^ Initially it ain't there either but when I move the cursor somewhere else and right click again it appears. Strange !

Before Mouse Move

After Mouse Move

It's not strange at all. There are two context menus. One for right clicking within a dialog text box and one for right clicking outside a dialog text box.

No difference from earlier versions of Firefox.

Where the cursor is located does not determine which context menu is used. It's determined by where the mouse pointer is when you right click.

In the instance of using the TV editor, the narrow margin on the left side of the text is not within the text dialog box, which has been the case since TV updated their software.

[BB1950]

no script is an add-on to Firefox ('tools' > 'Add-ons' > 'Get Add-ons'. It stops programs running on your computer that you haven't given permission to (either temporarily or permanently), that stem from websites. Some of these programs would not be evident to you, and some of them may be spyware or worse. I didn't have the patience to give permissions every time I visited a website and sometimes some of the programs that were running were unknown to me and I didn't have the desire to look them up on the web. (Always many Google programs, probably tracking me). So I got rid of it. Give it a go.

NoScript was highly recommended in the early days of Firefox. But security with Firefox has improved quite a bit since then. In the old days Java scripts had to be run using the Java Run-time module which had access to the system outside of the browser.

The new versions of Firefox use a Java interpreter built into Firefox itself, so it is far more secure against Java attacks.

Anymore NoScript is more of a pain then it does good. It also doesn't allow the use of some of the functions on TV. Primarily the HTML editor, and quote buttons. It's far too complex for the average computer user to use or understand. Lately it has had a lot of bugs. Not to mention all the constant updates. I did away with it for these reasons.

A better recommendation would be to use the Ghostery extension. Very simple to use and it blocks the unwanted trackers and cookies. With Ghostery installed I don't need a 3rd party cookie blocker which also is a pain.

Anymore websites require Java scripts enabled and 3rd party cookies to allow them to function properly.

Another good extension for security and privacy is the Better Privacy extension.

I use Ghostery, Better Privacy, and another two extensions (which can't be mentioned in TV posts) to handle all my security concerns, privacy, and annoyances. It's much easier to try to block the bad guys rather than to unblock the good guys.These extensions use the services of dedicated professionals who's goal is to make the internet safer by identifying the bad guys. Hench making it much easier for the average user.

Edited June 6, 2012 by BB1950

[samuijimmy]

To get new updates from Firefox, just click Firefox in Menu bar then click "ABOUT FIREFOX" and it updates automatically... no need to go to other sites.

13 just downloaded on my Mac .... now to see what problems that causes!

[Darrel]

To get new updates from Firefox, just click Firefox in Menu bar then click "ABOUT FIREFOX" and it updates automatically... no need to go to other sites.

Only once it is officially released. They also roll it out via the update link progressively in order to restrict the load on their servers.

The other channels worked before that time, hence the point of using them.

[bangkockney]

IMO and from lessons learned (I worked in the IT field for 15 years); It's usually a wise procedure to wait a at least a few weeks after a new software release before installing it yourself. Let someone else experience the problems and bugs. Just about all new software has bugs. In fact, for any Microsoft Operating System, I would always wait until after the first "Service Pack" was issued before installing it myself.

Or you could install the dev build side-by-side and actually support the open source software you use by helping with bug reports etc.

You can do the same with Chrome Canary.

[Gary A]

I had given up on FF and was using Chrome as my default browser. I decided to try FF 13 and have found that FF just may have finally gotten it right. FF is now my default browser again.

It always seems to me that the new versions of FF and Chrome start out OK but develop glitches as they go along.

[Gary A]

I'm afraid that I judged too quickly. FF 13 is now stalling and hanging up when opening some posts on Thai Visa.

I just tried Chrome and it updated so back to Chrome as my default browser.

Edited June 11, 2012 by Gary A