Whoa, Nelly! Is that a
Firefox 4 download button we're looking at? Why yes... yes it is! We can't think of a much better way to wrap up one's workday than by finding out that Mozilla's own Firefox browser has finally made the official leap to 4.0, with Beta 1 going live for the adoring public today. It's ready to be sucked down and installed for those with Windows, Linux and OS X-based machines, and the changelog itself is far too lengthy for this space (though it's linked below for your perusal). You'll obviously notice an overhauled look hitting you front and center, with a new add-on manager, support for the new
WebM format, improved privacy settings and crash protection headlining the "
big chart o' features." Give 'er a download and toss your thoughts on the new build down in comments below, cool?
P.S. - Be warned that this may very well not work with your stable of add-ons right away, so we'd keep that stable 3.x.x build installed as a backup!
posted July 6th 2010 6:00PM
Nice. Running smooth too.
@slipdisc That looks awfully similar to the new Opera 10.60.. the little menu on the top left.
@gargle That's because Opera copied Firefox. Mozilla had a bunch of mock ups for that theme much before the FF4 beta came out and much before Opera released their version with the same design.
@prewreckless haha funny.
@prewreckless No. Just no. Mozilla showed those mock-ups, one day before Opera released a *fully functional* preview build with this style of menu in it. So no, they did not copy it, both developers just followed a similar and most logical train of thought.
@slipdisc
But will it blend?
@max1c No it's isn't funny but okay?
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/4.0_Windows_Theme_Mockups
@JasonDassh Yeah, so if Chrome, Safari and IE ever come out with a similar UI we'll all just say they followed the "most logical train of thought."
@prewreckless That proves nothing. That page is one month old. it looks like opera 10.5 also and that was out at the time. Anyway, I look the new look of firefox. I still love firefox and use it often but Opera 10.6 is so much faster.
@JasonDassh I smell corporate espionage.
@Edobe Correction. It was last edited a month ago, it isn't a month old though but since I can't seem to prove it and everyone would like to believe otherwise I'll leave it alone because honestly who the hell cares? It's a damn theme.
@prewreckless http://design-noir.de/log/2009/12/opera-firefox-ui/
This has been discussed a while ago kid so if you don't know get your facts straight.
@slipdisc
I find it interesting that the Firefox web page says:
"At this time many Add-ons may not yet have been tested by their authors to ensure that they are compatible with this release."
.. yet we don't hear about that latest buzz word .. fragmentation.
i dont see the close/min/max button on the right top corner
using 64 bit win 7.
anyone facing the same issue?
@JasonDassh
I really do not care if they copied each other or not, but if it means more consistent UI across browsers, it's great!
FF4 feels pretty smooth on OSX though there's not as radical a change as the Windows version has. The buttons for Home, Refresh, Forward have been tweaked a bit. Other than the feedback button (which I assume will go away with the final release) and the bookmarks management button, which is now to the right of the search box, there's not much change as far as the UI goes, for OSX.
Overall, it seemed pretty stable and fast during general browsing for a while.
@max1c Your moronic, you just proved my point. The damn title of the page on that link is "Opera approves of Firefox UI ideas" and I ain't a kid, son.
@who said what This. Who cares that much, as long as the performance and speed of either browsers is improving?
@prewreckless well your unbelievably stupid. If your so dumb that you can't read I'll explain. Opera Pre-alpha leaked 2 days before official release and Firefox mock ups appeared next day.
@slipdisc
Running smooth here also, but I don't have any potatos to compare speeds.
@prewreckless lol, sure...next thing you know you'll be telling me Opera was copying tabs when they invented it years before Firefox put them in.
Opera's UI might not always make the most sense (that stupid tab gap as default is pretty wack) but it's definitely original.
@slipdisc Been running minefield for sometime already :-P
@prewreckless o yea just forgot to mention Opera 10.10 had exactly same layout only you had to set it manually in options. Cheers Fanboi!
@slipdisc
WHat... it's 2 versions behind IE6... wait.. no....
Looks like butt on OSX. :P
(I'm sure they're working on it)
@max1c Yes, because a fan boy (not fanboi) would have Chrome, FF3.6.3 & 4, Safari and Opera all installed, really... You just the one slamming the keyboard trying to seem, when I already said I don't care anymore, honestly shut up.
@coolkams03 go to the default theme. mine was like that
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/6188/lolfoxlol.jpg
@prewreckless http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Fanboi
Obviously you admit I'm right here.
@slipdisc
Is it just me, or does this new Firefox look quite a bit like Chrome?
@max1c Yes, I'll give you credit for using "urban dictionary" Lol Honestly? Now your just making me laugh. I guess I'll have to throw my dictionary out the window and go get me one of those urban dictionaries!
@coolkams03 Try using the default theme instead of any other themes you might have on.
@DS1495
That was my first thought
@max1c
That post is overly focused on 1 tiny UI element. Mozilla had similar mock ups months before that.
This is an article from July '09 showing the mockup;
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/07/28/firefox-40-redesign-mockups-released
Firstly, what is all the complaining about UI similarities? I guarantee you, no matter what browser is your favorite, that browser "stole" a feature from another browser that "created" it. If it's the better UI, then it's the better UI, doesn't matter who had it first. I'm sure some browser besides Opera/FF/Chrome had tabs before any of those 3, but no one complained when those 3 adopted the tabs feature.
And yes, Personas will cover up the minimize/maximize/exit buttons in the upper right corner, it's a known bug listed on the site.
@coolkams03 I am facing the same issue.
@MysticLeviathan How do you blend software, idiot
@DarrellJ88
Oh and people making comparisons of speed and such, why don't you consider the fact that you most likely had add-ons that aren't even available or capable of being installed on the other browsers you are saying are better. I'm not saying they aren't better, but that isn't even a good comparison. Chrome is faster than Firefox, but Chrome also doesn't have my NoScript Add-on so I don't use it. It doesn't have an add-on to customize the tabs near to what I have for Firefox. It may be faster but the reasoning could be because it lacks the features that Firefox has.
@slipdisc
Canvas performance on Linux is very impressive too !
Tested with MS http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/
Basically on my machine, everything runs at 60FPS at maximum settings except FishIE Tank with 1000 fishes (33fps) at with a 1920x1200 desktop.
Great :)
Positively impressed :)
@DarrellJ88 "Chrome is faster than Firefox, but Chrome also doesn't have my NoScript Add-on so I don't use it."
Chrome doesn't need a NoScript add-on, because it has equivalent functionality built in. Ditto CookieSafe, Firebug and Web Developer. That's why I switched to Chrome--no need to load it down with 4 or more add-ons just to get basic security and development tools.
Yeah, engadget is about a week late in reporting this, as is every other major blog. http://www.macslice.info/2010/06/29/firefox-4-beta-live-now/
@pishmish delete some of the source code and then apply the changes. Or if you cant change the source code in FF then just use a JavaScript like "Google go crazy"
@slipdisc well i used to like Firefox but the last to versions before this were so unstable tht i switched to chrome. and things run a lot beter now.
@coolkams03 Nope, the three buttons are there for me on 64-bit W7 Ultimate. Try installing again?
@JasonDassh
Which is....
MORE SCREEN REAL ESTATE FTW!!!!
@coolkams03
For those who can't see your close/minimize buttons, REMOVE YOUR PERSONA!
It's a known issue: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=574833
FF ftw :)
@coolkams03 I'm running on Win 7 Pro x64 and haven't been seeing that issue.
@coolkams03 Not sure if anyone replied, but Personas remove those buttons for some reason. I had to uninstall all versions of Firefox for it to properly remove. Odd bug.
looks like chrome. and opera for that matter. i retired from firefox when chrome came out, never looked back.
@gozerxp
Definitely looks like Chrome.
@Bud92
Agree, looks a hell of a lot and functions a hell of a lot like chrome does.
@Bud92
Im running it now, It looks like a Chrome and Opera had a baby.