Firefox 2 Released

[byRo]

Well, seems that it's official now. Firefox 2.0 is ready for download.

I installed mine yesterday and up to now the only big difference that I have noticed is that I keep trying to close tabs with the button at the right instead of the little red "X" on the tab.

Another thing I've seen is that there is a zoom avaliable on images -which as I remember wasn't there before.

Also my old "skin" dosn't work and the interface has reverted to the default.

Please post your findings here (and maybe we'll free some folks from I.E. )

Rô

[Gary Richardson]

It also has a new security feature added. Sites you visit are compared to an online blacklist and you will be flagged if you visit a known "phishing" site. You'll also be flagged if a site you visit tries to add "add ons" to Firefox.

These can be found in Tools > Options > Security and are switched on by default.

FF2 also comes with spell check (based on a US dictionary I'm afraid, so its spelling is atrocious, but there is an English Dictionary extension for those who truly want to spell correctly ).

There's a new addition to the Tool menu that allows you to set sites to permanently open in IE, for the odd site that still doesn't recognise FF.

On the odd side, I've noticed that the Mail button is now missing from my toolbar, and is not to be found in the Customise section either, so I can no longer launch my mail client directly from FF.

[Kraellin]

FF2 also comes with spell check (based on a US dictionary I'm afraid, so its spelling is atrocious, but there is an English Dictionary extension for those who truly want to spell correctly

what was that quote from Churchill? something about one people separated by a common language?

[Gary Richardson]

what was that quote from Churchill? something about one people separated by a common language?

Wondered who'd bite. http://bestsmileys.com/fishing/4.gif

PS. Found a plug in to resolve the missing Mail button, for anybody who like me likes having it on their FF toolbar.

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/3591/

Note: Once installed you'll have to click on View > Toolbars > Customise then drag the mail button to your toolbar.

[byRo]

Another thing that I discovered today is the session recovery.

Sometime's I forget that my machine isn't exactly "Deep Blue" and I push it a little too far (3-D render, torrents, Photoshop, Thunderbird and Firefox with a bunch o' tabs open )

Firefox decided to call it a day and, after asking me permission to write home, closed itself.

Usually that means that everything that was open would be lost forever.
Now, when I opened again I got a question if I wanted to cotinue the last session. I did - and everything was back again.

Nice surprise!

Rô

[ogee]

I'm waiting before I update...seem to be a lot of problems with the new version and people are complaining of "server not available" problems...I always try to hold off until they get the real bugs worked out.

[Gary Richardson]

The option to reject cookies from 3rd party sites has now been removed from the Tools > Options > Privacy menu. It is switched off by default.

If anyone is bothered by this and wants to know how to switch that option on, let me know and I'll post details. (It doesn't place an option in the menu, but does activate the function).

[raniday]

My son has been after me for a couple of years now to use FireFox. Maybe I'll install version 2.

[Gary Richardson]

Originally Posted by raniday

My son has been after me for a couple of years now to use FireFox. Maybe I'll install version 2.

It's like driving a Rolls-Royce after being used to a Model T when compared to IE6. I love the tabbed viewing, and the customisation that's possible with extensions and add ons.

Whilst no browser can claim to be fully secure, it's a lot tighter than that security sieve IE.

[raniday]

Gary, is it time to install version 2, or should I wait a few weeks to see if any bugs show up?

[Gary Richardson]

I've been using it without any apparent problems since it was first released.

FF are a lot quicker than M$ at rectifying any problems that do occur, so since there's been no updates, it's reasonably safe to assume there haven't been any major faux pas.

FF is an additional browser (you do NOT uninstall IE), so if you do have any problems you can still use IE.

If you go ahead and install it, and have any problems, just ask here I'll be happy to help (if I can).

[cardmnal]

I dunno about this. I love my firefox browser and am particularly fond of my theme (I use the "little fox" theme which seems to have the smallest tool bars and take up the least amount of screen space). I hate to give that up for a newer version.

Alan

[Gary Richardson]

Do you mean miniFox, which is also available for FF2. https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/607/

You might also try miniFoxFlat which is even smaller https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1202/

If anyone's like me, and doesn't like the default theme for the new FF, then this add-on will restore the old FF desktop to your box. https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/3479/

[raniday]

Ok, I've downloaded and installed it; so far, so good. I like the spell checker. Otherwise, it's sort of like moving into a new house and getting used to where everything is. I see there are lots of add-ons, and I'm not sure which ones I'll want yet.

[Gary Richardson]

Here's a few that I use. (Click to go to DL site)

No Script Used to permit javascript on a site by site basis. Useful security for when you're not sure whether a site is "reputable" or not.

McAfee Site Advisor Gives you an icon in your Status Bar indicating the safety rating of the site you're on (green=safe, red=risky), also colour codes items in your google searches, so you can easily avoid going to sites with risky content (Malware).

Get Mail 2.5 Adds a button to your toolbar allowing you to access your mail. For some reason FF2 removed this useful button, this puts it back. (After installing you'll have to go View > Toolbars > Customise and drag the icon to your toolbar).

CustomizeGoogle Allows you to customise Google in all sorts of ways. One of the ones I like is that it allows you to open full size pictures direct from Googles Image Search, without first taking you to the webpage where the pic is. Makes searching for images much more convenient. You can also add links to other image search sites into Google, so you can do all your searching from one page.

[raniday]

Thank you, Gary. These look really useful. I'll check them out. I may not install Get Mail just yet because I've begun using EPrompter. I have 4 email addresses (one for business, one for friends who send tons of forwards, etc), and Eprompter sits on the desktop and quietly tells me when I've got mail in any of them; I rarely check my mail from the browser.
http://www.eprompter.com/download.htm

I'm trying to get used to tabs. They'll be useful, but so far, I keep clicking the red X button and closing all my windows!

[Gary Richardson]

Two ways to close a tab, in FF2 click the red X on the tab, OR (and this is the one I use most) click the tab using your mousewheel.

Similarly, if you mousewheel click a Bookmarked item in your side bar, it'll open in a new tab. It works on links too.

The great thing about tabs is you can have a bundle of sites open at the same time, so switching between them is really easy. You'll really appreciate it if you have to do any research.

[1STLITE]

GARY!!!



Thanks for the mouse wheel tips! I have been using FF for some time now and never knew that. I suppose what's what I get for not reading the instructions.

I suppose I will go ahead and try FF2. I am hoping maybe it will fix a problem I have been having with FF and Yahoo. We'll see.

[Gary Richardson]

You're welcome.

What problem have you been having with Yahoo?

[CJ Swartz]

Gary, Ro

My hearty thanks also -- I'm shy of upgrades unless there's an obvious improvement, and even then I hate to go thru all the changes that are sometimes necessary to set things up the way that I was used to having them on the old version.

Ro, you explained useful reasons for making the upgrade; Gary, you made it possible to get thru the upgrade easily and reestablish my mail button, know how to add some security add-ons and get back to USING my browser without losing an evening to figuring out HOW to set-up my browser. (I'm finding that the spell checker is at work even without me having to turn it on -- that's nice.)

1stLite, I didn't know about the mouse wheel either -- it's a lot handier, isn't it!

[Kraellin]

i installed this tonight also. seems pretty good, but then i was used to mozilla. i do like some of the plug-ins and extensions.

but what is this google analytics? i keep getting script blocking on it. when i allow it then i don't get any.

and how do i add words to the spell checker? it keeps hitting on things like google and mozilla.

[Ausimax]

Does anybody know how to make the spell checker work, I've tried switching it on and off in the preferences dialogue, still doesn't work.

By the way tabs are now included in IE7, still trying to get used of the changes to the layout, still has security holes, though I think Firefox only escapes that problem because it is only a small part of the market, and there is probably more kudos in taking the piss out of Microsoft.

Max

[Gary Richardson]

Craig,

The script is one added to the web page to allow google to track how many hits the page gets, used for marketing processes. Blocking it will not affect you receiving page content, but will prevent you being another google statistic. (Personally I block it).

http://www.google.com/analytics/

To add a word to the dictionary move your cursor over the word that's underlined, right click it, and select add to dictionary from the drop down menu.

Just as an aside, is it me, or has the BG for RetouchPro changed, could have sworn it wasn't orange yesterday.

[raniday]

Just as an aside, is it me, or has the BG for RetouchPro changed, could have sworn it wasn't orange yesterday.

At least one of us is noticing stuff! HAPPY HALLOWEEN, everybody!

Thanks for the wheel click tip, Gary! I'm settling into Firefox nicely, but I'm with Ausimax. I was happy at first to see that suspect words were underlined in red, but now I'm not sure how to check them.

[Kraellin]

well, i think i overloaded firefox with add-ons. it wont boot up today, at all. i can see it in task manager, but it wont bring up the interface and has crashed from that once. so, for the moment, i'm back on i.e. i'll spend some time later today debugging.

and thanks, gary (no, that wasnt sarcasm )

[Gary Richardson]

Hi Raniday,

To check words that are underlined, just put your cursor on the underlined word and right click it, and there will be a list of alternatives in bold in the right-click menu. Click on the appropriate one to replace it in your text.

By the way, the alternates for Raniday are Cyanide, Cyanides, Cyanide's, Cyaniding, Cyanided (I think whoever compiled my dictionary has dyslexia).

[Kraellin]

no way to get firefox going again. worked fine yesterday... couldnt get it to boot without it crashing or not just sitting with no interface. so, uninstalled everything and will try it again on a new install. i suspect it was some conflict with some of the add-ons or possibly that i've turned off some of the windows services prior to installing (back when i set this computer up).

i tried double clicking the desktop icon, starting from windows explores by double clicking the .exe and from start\programs, both in normal mode and in firefox safe mode with all add-ons disabled. no go in any of them.

so, could still be some bugs in this thing.

[1STLITE]

Well, I haven't had a chance to try the new one yet, but as soon as I get caught up on this work I will. (multichannel psd's anyone? )

My site is hosted through yahoo, and when I go to geocities, and try to bring up my site stats or the file browser, it crashes FF. No problems with it in IE. It is reallllly annoying. Even weirder, it doesn't happen every time - but maybe like 6 or 7 out of 10.

BTW Gary - I use Google Analytics to view stats on my site. It is really a neat tool. I am sure I don't know all the ways to use it, though. Just for my amusement mostly.

Dawn

[Gary Richardson]

My site is hosted through yahoo, and when I go to geocities, and try to bring up my site stats or the file browser, it crashes FF. No problems with it in IE. It is reallllly annoying. Even weirder, it doesn't happen every time - but maybe like 6 or 7 out of 10.

Easiest way would be to use Tools > Always view this page with IE when you go to geocities. That way you can use FF, but that site will always open in an IE window.

I'm sure Google analytics is a very useful tool for the site owner and for Google of course, but of little interest to the visitor, and a definite case of "Spyware" (in its most loose definition, I'm not suggesting its malicious) in as much as it can be used to track movements across the internet. I certainly see no reason why I should allow it to operate scripts on my browser.

[raniday]

Thank you, Gary. I knew it would be something super simple, but sometimes it's easier to ask than research

By the way, the alternates for Raniday are Cyanide, Cyanides, Cyanide's, Cyaniding, Cyanided (I think whoever compiled my dictionary has dyslexia).

Probably as good an alternative as any. I chose my username in my early days of discovering digital art and forums. Rani is my granddaughter's name. Should have just used my own name.