Firefox 6 released early (a.k.a. Firefox 5 is now EOL'd)

[Arthur]

Although Firefox 6 is officially scheduled to be released on 16/08/2011, you can now download the final version from Mozilla's FTP servers. As you can see from the list below, v6.0 has quite a few exciting new features.

 

Download Links:

[b]Windows[/b]:  [url="ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/6.0/win32/en-GB/Firefox%20Setup%206.0.exe"]en-GB[/url] / [url="ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/6.0/win32/en-US/Firefox%20Setup%206.0.exe"]en-US[/url] / [url="ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/6.0/win32/"]Other Languages[/url]
[b]Mac OS X[/b]: [url="ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/6.0/mac/en-GB/Firefox%206.0.dmg"]en-GB[/url] / [url="ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/6.0/mac/en-US/Firefox%206.0.dmg"]en-US[/url] / [url="ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/6.0/mac/"]Other Languages[/url]

 

What's New

* about:permissions, a permissions manager. The user can choose what information can be shared with other sites, e.g. passwords
* New tab scrolling feature
* Domain highlighting in address bar
* [url="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?resolution=FIXED&classification=Client%20Software&query_format=advanced&target_milestone=Firefox%206&product=Firefox"]133 bugs fixed[/url].

 

http://i.imgur.com/zkpGK.png

[FN-GM]

They really need to slow down with these major releases!

[localzuk]

That's ridiculous! A new major release 2 months after the last one? Major version changes used to involve major changes, not incremental changes. I miss those days.

[FN-GM]

That's ridiculous! A new major release 2 months after the last one? Major version changes used to involve major changes, not incremental changes. I miss those days.

 

The gap between 4 & 5 was smaller!

[synaesthesia]

Keeping up with the jones, although they're not. It's stupid really, the only reason the numbering is like it is, is to pander to the absolute idiots that equate a higher number to a better product when comparing 2 or 3 very different items.

Those same people would probably assume their 1.8ltr Mondeo is therefore quicker than a 1.6ltr F1 car. Mozilla should stick to their original plans and guns and do it their way. Trouble is they want to keep up with Google.

[kmount]

Looks like they are doing a chrome - Google Chrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[ZeroHour]

I have to say Chrome is getting flakier and flakier for me, I was on the dev stream 9 months ago until it go so unstable and buggy I switched to beta and now the beta is just as bad... back to normal for me now.

 

I think mozilla's versioning is pointless, I really think its a bad idea tbh.

[featured_spectre]

Chrome is getting flakier, I agree, in fact all browsers are starting to get stupidly flakey

[mac_shinobi]

Chrome is getting flakier, I agree, in fact all browsers are starting to get stupidly flakey

 

99 Flake with some ice cream ?

[SYNACK]

Chrome is getting flakier, I agree, in fact all browsers are starting to get stupidly flakey

 

Thats because they are not supposed to be browsers anymore, they are aiming to be operating systems according to most of their media. The most inefficient and flakey OSes in history the rate they are going including Windows ME. Just wait till Chrome's update cycle includes driver packs and you'll need a whole extra net connection just to keep downloading the updates in the background.

Edited August 14, 2011 by SYNACK

[sted]

ffs again if only ie had a spellcheck id ditch firefox im fed up of the updates oh and the sync has failed for an unknown reason. at least if its going to fail give me an error code or something

[Arthur]

if only IE had a spellcheck

Speckie?

[thepineapplehead]

I've been using nightly versions of firefox for as long as I can remember ... been using what will be firefox 8 for the last month or so

 

AT sums it up well: angrytechnician.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/this-is-not-a-major-version-increase/ (I'm Paul in the comments)

 

firefox jumped from 3.6 to 5 in a matter of months. Then it jumped from 7 to 8 overnight. I'm sure there's been a lot of changes under the hood but the only difference I can see between my machine running 8.01 and our training network running 3.6 is the more chrome-like interface - the ability to move tabs on top and condense the menu bar into a button.

[Arthur]

I think Mozilla's versioning is pointless, I really think its a bad idea tbh.

Apparently Mozilla are now thinking of removing the version number altogether. I wonder if they have been reading Jeff Atwood's blog recently?

 

http://www.ghacks.net/2011/08/14/mozilla-plans-to-hide-firefox-version/

[localzuk]

Apparently Mozilla are now thinking of removing the version number altogether. I wonder if they have been reading Jeff Atwood's blog recently?

 

Mozilla Plans To Hide Firefox Version

 

What on Earth? What kind of bizarre thinking is that?

[CyberNerd]

The Linux Kernel has also changed its numbering system.

3.n+1 instead of 2.6.n+1. kind of makes sense to me when trying to spot the difference between minor version in 2.6.32-131.6.1.el6.x86_64

[sidewinder]

I'm sure we'll get used to it in time but it is quite annoying (and pointless) for the moment. Chrome has done is since the beginning (I think?) whilst Firefox hasn't, which makes it seem all the more silly - to have the first few major releases on a traditional numbering system and then to suddenly change. Years with FF3 and then suddenly go to 6 in a year.

 

It's nonsensical because the traditional system works perfectly, major releases and minor updates are easily differentiated.

[CAM]

Mozilla have lost the plot IMO. I use IE9 at home, less problems with these stupid updates every few seconds. Guess I have to test SLG with FF6 at work now when I have only recently finished with FF5!

[ZeroHour]

I'm sure we'll get used to it in time but it is quite annoying (and pointless) for the moment. Chrome has done is since the beginning (I think?) whilst Firefox hasn't, which makes it seem all the more silly - to have the first few major releases on a traditional numbering system and then to suddenly change. Years with FF3 and then suddenly go to 6 in a year.

 

It's nonsensical because the traditional system works perfectly, major releases and minor updates are easily differentiated.

 

Tbh I have never been happy with chrome not informing the user of version changes, they could at least give you an idea, that way when something breaks you know your browser just changed and thats when the bug came in.

Edited August 15, 2011 by ZeroHour

[thepineapplehead]

See bugzilla bug 455694. Fixed in the 2011-07-31 builds. The bug is basically:

 

'make tab drag and drop animation look like chrome and safari.'

 

First logged in 2008 and bumped in 2010. The 2010 bump was 'can we put this in firefox four.'

[ZeroHour]

See bugzilla bug 455694. Fixed in the 2011-07-31 builds. The bug is basically:

 

'make tab drag and drop animation look like chrome and safari.'

 

First logged in 2008 and bumped in 2010. The 2010 bump was 'can we put this in firefox four.'

 

LMAO!!!

[localzuk]

LMAO!!!

 

At least they're honest about pinching ideas from other browsers. lol

[catchmeifyoucan]

Thanks for the info. upgrading my Firefox 5 now. =)

[kernewek-sam]

Years with FF3 and then suddenly go to 6 in a year..

 

It's silly but it looks like theres going to be a new release every 6 weeks. Here New Firefox 6 belies rapid-release complaints | The Download Blog - Download.com has a good diagram made by mozilla of the release schedule. (Yes I know you can get it from their website in TIFF format.)

[thepineapplehead]

Loaded up firefox at work this morning ... we're up to 9 ... I'm sure there's a spinal tap joke in there somewhere Edited August 22, 2011 by thepineapplehead