Warning (if you use Firefox esr) do not update to Firefox 60 unless...

Wed, 09/05/18 | daniel1212

[daniel1212]

unless you want to loose the extensive capabilities provided via classic Firefox extensions.

If you did not want to loose you extensions with the advent of (the fast but relatively handicapped) Firefox Quantum, do not update to Firefox 60 esr, which will actually be an "update" (downgrade for power users) to Quantum. Which means most of your extensions will not work, including,

Tab Mix Plus 0.3.8.6 https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tab-mix-plus
Reduce tab width; Enable multiple tab rows; Change how active tab looks, etc.

Memory Restart https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/memory-restart/ Shows how much ram FF is using, and enables easy restart to flush memory.

ColorfulTabs https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/colorfultabs/?src=search/ Make tabs distinctive. Options to change color per site, etc.

GlobalFindBar Save search across pages. Keep search box open, etc. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/globalfindbar/?src=api

FindBar Tweak https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/findbar-tweak/ Did was the above does but was not maintained.
Save search across pages. Keep search box open, etc.

Session Manager 0.7.5 https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/session-manager/ Saves multiple sessions

BBCodeXtra https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/bbcodextra/ An extension which adds to the context menu new commands to insert BBCode/Html/XHtml codes in an easy and fast way...
Very useful for FR.

Count word Toolhttps://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/word-count-tool/?src=search/
Select text and see how many characters and words. Useful for forums with character limit.

Signature https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/signature/ insert custom text into posts and emails.

Menu Editor http://menueditor.mozdev.org/ Change items in menus

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/checkcompatibility/ Disable Add-on Compatibility Checks (may be needed for last 2 extns above)

Googlebarlite https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/492/addon-492-latest.xpi?src=search More options and customization than Google Toolbar

Send Tab URLs https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/send-tab-urls/?src=ss Copy and send list of all open tabs URLs.

Copy as HTML Link https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/copy-as-html-link/?src=search R. click and Copy as HTML Link

Google/Yandex search link fix https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/google-search-link-fix/ The actual full URL is copied.

Form Lazarus: Form Recovery https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/lazarus-form-recovery/ Saves text of most comboxes like FR, Has saved me loosing much typing after crashes.

Clippings https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/clippings//
Copy and save text for pasting.

FlashGot https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/flashgot/?src=search

Google-translator-for-firefox/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-Us/firefox/addon/google-translator-for-firefox/

FT DeepDark https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ft-deepdark/ Best theme i found.

Noiascrollbars https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noiascrollbars A work of beauty and far better visibility,. .

Classic Theme Restorer https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/classicthemerestorer/
stay-Open Menu https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/stay-open-menu/ Opens Bookmarks in tabs without losing the menu.

And if you do update to Firefox Quantum and want you old functionality back, then do not restart your browser after it updates, and instead, shut it down and uninstall Firefox Quantum. Then download and install the last true esr version Firefox Setup 52.9.0esr.exe 4

For Linux and other OS environments, see https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/52.9.0esr/

If you did restart with Quantum, and find that all of your extensions do not work even after doing the above, then go the add-on (extension) page and scroll down and enable them, or reinstall them from the previous versions page of the extension.

Thank God for such tools and options o be used for Good!

If you want to prevent Firefox from updating (not recommended for security reasons, where needed), go to Toll>Options>Advanced?Update and choose Never.

[CatOwner]

Crap! The wife and I are in the middle of packing and cleaning before the sale of our house. I'm tired, sore, and hate the whole process. Long story short, I didn't catch the difference in the ESR update and currently am stuck with 60.2 (Win 7 Pro). I really liked the look and feel add-ons I had prior to this update.

Just another reason to hate this house and the process of selling it. :mad:

[TomGuy]

I still use FF ER 52. It retains most of the older extensions.

With FF 57, many of the old extensions quit working. Their new versions, if any, just do not work like the old classics. Many programmers quit updating their apps a long time ago due to FF/Mozilla’s rapid release.

I keep trying to fend off updates and the need to upgrade. However, many websites demand browser upgrades.

==

To retain old upgrades and stop them from updating, so to FF Tools >> Add-ons or CTRL+SHIFT+A

Select the pull-down at the Settings Icon [top of add-ons page]

Uncheck ‘check for updates’

[daniel1212]

https://www.palemoon.org/roadmap.shtml

[CarmichaelPatriot]

I’m running Firefox 61.0.2. I didn’t notice any change when it went from 59 to 60, but then I use a web browser for the content, not as a sandbox to make all kinds of pretty sand castles in.

[litehaus]

Amen to that one..I just ‘quit’ FF...Still have #4 on an old desktop tho !! LOL !

Brave is quick after loading....

[atomic_dog]

Try Waterfox Download Waterfox full support for all those legacy extensions broken by Firefox.

[daniel1212]

Long story short, I didn't catch the difference in the ESR update and currently am stuck with 60.2 (Win 7 Pro). I really liked the look and feel add-ons I had prior to this update.

You should be able to get the old esr back as the OP explains. Hope you find God's grace to handle the stress. I

[CedarDave]

No, but unless you’re highly customized, you won’t need to.

I'm using many of the add-ons listed by daniel1212, so it sounds like "Brave" won't be useful for me.

[TomGuy]

Have not tried WaterFox.

Tried Palemoon, but it would not work with some of the older add-ons. Same with Cyberfox.

I now use FF ER 52 and Comodo IceDragon 42 because they still retain the ‘classic’ GUI and most old add-ons still work.

Tried Brave, but they changed the GUI and it requires a special install of Flash and it did not have many customizing features.

I have also tried several other browsers with mixed-to-horrible results.

I am still using Win7, so more and more websites don’t like.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

For FTP try UltraEdit.

Pretty much seamless FTP integration with native files.

Their Telnet is very good too and together makes PC->Unix pretty easy.

[CatOwner]

You should be able to get the old esr back as the OP explains.

The first thing I did was perform a system restore. I needed to reinstall the Win 7 updates from yesterday, but after a couple of reboots, I have back most of 52.9.

My main concern is I use this PC to log into my various financial accounts. With the lack of security updates, I think I need to make a decision and quickly. I may have to bite the bullet and live with a less than friendly user interface.

Hope you find God's grace to handle the stress.

Thanks. It probably doesn't help that we're about to sell a house we've lived in for 23+ years. Between the accumulation of "stuff" and the fact that I've pretty much disliked this house the whole time (my wife and daughter loved it), I am nervous about it being sold.

The good news (I think) is this starts the process of us moving from California to Texas to be near our daughter.

[CatOwner]

Tried Brave, but they changed the GUI and it requires a special install of Flash and it did not have many customizing features.
I have also tried several other browsers with mixed-to-horrible results.

Same here with regards to Braze.

I really wanted to use Opera, which I found I could customize well enough for my uses. But given it is now a Chinese-owned entity, I don't have a warm fuzzy about logging into any important accounts with it. Then again, I am not sure how much worse that is compared to Google and Microsoft overseeing users' activities.

[CedarDave]

Firefox ESR updated to Quantum (Remaining FF legacy add-ons broken).

[CatOwner]

I'm using many of the add-ons listed by daniel1212, so it sounds like "Brave" won't be useful for me.

I'm not using many add-ons with Firefox, but enough to matter. Brave does not have enough customization and script control flexibility for my liking. Which is too bad because it seems like a very secure browser.

As I indicated before, Opera would be my choice were it not under Chinese control. I now need a browser to use with Win 7 Pro for as long as Microsoft provides security updates. I'm probably done logging into my financial and other important accounts under Firefox ESR 52.9.

[Wuli]

Have never used any of the addons that you are concerned with, so updateing to 61.02 64bit has not affected my use of Firefox.

And to the FF 61.02 64bit I have installed the addon “Gostery” which can block all trackers, and does, unless I go to Gostery and unblcok something it has blocked.

Performance wise the biggest change with FF Quantum is it moved some of the performance processes from the FF “conversation” (back and forth in the Internet transmission) to multiple executables of FF running in the processor of the computer as individual and distinct “processes”.

With my pc’s AMD A4-3420 2.8 Ghz processor with 4gig of ram FF 61.02 has had events where it really slowed down, compared to the same Internet experiences under the last non-Quantum version of FF.

I think there must be something only tech elitists consider as “better performance” when it comes to FF Quantum. My actual FF peformance experience has been generally no different than before Quantum, with a few occassions of FF, with all its individual processes working in the CPU’s ram, litterally “bogged down”, even though Task Manager does not register the event as FF “not responding”. That is rare, so I have not gone back to pre-Quantum FF.

[CedarDave]

Do you have a replacement preference Pale Moon or Water Fox or something else?

[henry66]

.. >> Warning (if you use Firefox esr) do not update to Firefox 60 unless...

daniel, much easier said than done - if not impossible. since yesterday FIREFOX59esr updates to QUANTUM, whatever your no-updates-settings are.

have also tried entries in about config (( app.update.auto - false app.update.enabled - false app.update.silent - false )) - they do stick, but FF59 updates anyhow.

any suggestions, any ideas?

greets - henry

[daniel1212]

The first thing I did was perform a system restore. I needed to reinstall the Win 7 updates from yesterday, but after a couple of reboots, I have back most of 52.9.

I did a restore, but that did not work, but I uninstalled Firefox 60 and installed 52, and then reinstalled extensions or enabled them, and now it is back to normal.

Go to to Tools>Options>Advanced>Update and choose Never. And deselect the background serve below it.

Thanks. It probably doesn't help that we're about to sell a house we've lived in for 23+ years. Between the accumulation of "stuff" and the fact that I've pretty much disliked this house the whole time (my wife and daughter loved it), I am nervous about it being sold. The good news (I think) is this starts the process of us moving from California to Texas to be near our daughter. Well, after 20 years of accumulation of ministry materials and practical items, 5 years ago our LL sold the building and we had 2 months to find a place and move 2 floors, and did not find affordable place till 2 weeks before D-day.

It was like moving a business. Stress, yes, but our prayer was basically God to place us where He wanted us to be for the work He had us to do, and for what is needed for that, and a better place than what we had. Which he did, even by supernatural direction, thanks be to God (though not all trials were or are over).

But Texas sounds spiritually better and the people's republic of CA.

[daniel1212]

daniel, much easier said than done - if not impossible. since yesterday FIREFOX59esr updates to QUANTUM, whatever your no-updates-settings are.

Did you go to Tools>Options>Advanced>Update and choose Never? And deselected the background service below it?

If FF has downloaded the update before you did this, and wants to restart it then deselect the start or run Firefox option after it installs the update. Then uninstall it (do not uninstall the profile files if that option appears).

Then install the legacy version you want. Then make sure the update options are still as above. Then Disable Add-on Compatibility Checks

Then go to the about:addons page and enable your add ons, and restart. That should fix it.

[daniel1212]

Have never used any of the addons that you are concerned with, so updateing to 61.02 64bit has not affected my use of Firefox.

Then i think you are missing out. Colorful tabs (do not use the Quantum ver.) and TabMixPlus (multiple tab rows) for two.

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And to the FF 61.02 64bit I have installed the addon “Gostery”

Ghostery

With my pc’s AMD A4-3420 2.8 Ghz processor with 4gig of ram FF 61.02 has had events where it really slowed down, compared to the same Internet experiences under the last non-Quantum version of FF.

Good to know. If I wanted just speed, then FF would not be the browser.

with a few occassions of FF, with all its individual processes working in the CPU’s ram, litterally “bogged down”,

It happens to me with hundreds of tabs on a AMD 4350 4.2ghz and 16GB ram and one SSD (thank God for all, may it be used all to His glory). But with only 4GB ram then it is not surprising to see you get bogged sown. That is barely enough to run the OS itself, if 64 bit.

But ram is expensive. and will likely get more so.