New Firefox Browser

The new Firefox browser is greeeaaat! There are apps that let you keep and use your Chrome bookmarks, block ads and so forth. I know this is a chess site and Firefox is great to use to browse this site and other chess sites.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's probably really nice but it's new security setup is incompatible with a number of the programs the company I work for is running. We've had to roll back to version 28 and I get to try keep a few hundred PCs and users from upgrading to the new version.

Ever tried to herd cats? Pretty similar.

Are any of those programs likely to be used by your average guy? I haven't noticed any problems from my end.

No, not at all. They're strictly internal programs and databases but require Firefox. We've learned that Chrome is compatible for most but not approved for use. Internet Explorer is, well, it's good for downloading one of the other browsers.

Is there smth like this in the new Firefox: http://geekpic.net/pm-COW2R8.html

This is a start page of the Opera browser where you can create bookmarks for fast access to webpages.

The reason I like Firefox so much is that my computer has been slowing down, especially when I use Chrome and usually when this  happens I have to wipe the hard disk and re-enter my XP os. But today I tried using Firefox instead of Chrome and with an ad blocker in place it ran fast and smooth. Don't tell anyone but the ad blocker also gets rid of the ads from this site also.

It'll just be our little secret.

One new thing I discovered about Firefox. There is a button in there that restores Firefox back to its pristine condition when it was first downloaded, in case you installed an extension that you no longer like or some bad person tries to foist malware on you. 

How about giving us a name for that button, so we don't have to perform a Vulcan mind meld on ya?

But who is better, Firefox or Magnus Carlsen?

I wouldn't want a Magnus Carlsen browser. Who wants a browser that decides to take a nap during working hours?

OK, so he was bored, so nappy time?

OK, found it.

Under "Help --> Troubleshooting Information", there's a "Reset Firefox" button.

I'm glad you found it! I was thinking Windows should have a similar button! I'm using XP and there's a way to go back a few days in case you're stuck with a program you can't delete such as a virus or malware or something you downloaded and no longer want but lacks an uninstall program. But they should make it so that you can go back to the time you first installed the os when it was as clean and pure as a virgin. I know XP is now obsolete, but if you don't use IE and have a good anti-virus, XP is the best os available, it's compact and runs fast,  and doesn't require me to learn anything new or spend more money. But maybe if they came out with an os with a total reset button like Firefox has, I might be willing to unflint my skin and get it.

Yep, XP IS obsolete. I'd be very nervous about using it on the internet, since Microsoft is no longer patching it. Imho, I don't think that simply running Firefox and using an antivirus program is enough to protect you. Since the bad guys will continue to find exploits against the XP OS, I don't think an AV package is good enough. (And they're not perfect, anyway.)

There is a registry hack out there that supposedly fools Microsoft into thinking that your XP OS is an embedded XP OS, which will then let you get continuing XP patches. However, I don't know if it *really* works, and you gotta know what you're doing, since you'll be modifying the registry. (If you don't know that you need to image the hard drive and create a restore point before editing the registry, you shouldn't even try this hack.)

If I were you, and if I had any sensitive data on my PC or did online banking with it, I'd dump XP for a newer OS.

For further reading:

http://blogs.microsoft.com/cybertrust/2014/03/24/cyber-threats-to-windows-xp-and-guidance-for-small-businesses-and-individual-consumers/

http://blogs.microsoft.com/cybertrust/2014/07/01/windows-xp-registry-hack-will-not-protect-your-pc-against-all-threats/

http://www.zdnet.com/registry-hack-enables-continued-updates-for-windows-xp-7000029851/

http://www.networkworld.com/article/2226994/microsoft-subnet/registry-hack-enables-free-windows-xp-security-updates-until-2019.html

Or you could just run the Firefox Developer Edition (used to be the Aurora / alpha-Firefox version, currently version 35.0a2) if you want the newest and greatest (and potentially buggy) :D

I never developed a taste for bugs...I'll stick with the stable releases.

I'll have to install ver 34.0.5 (my 3rd update in a month). Maybe I'll play with the "Hello" communication client to see if it's at all useful.

As long as they don't force a metro interface on us.  I had to undo a CCleaner update because of the garish metro.