Mozilla starts preparing developers for Firefox 3.6

Brace yourself for the vanishing menu bar because Mozilla has published an official feature list for Firefox 3.6 in the form of a guide for programmers who need to know about the changes.

The Firefox 3.6 developer guide mentions an ability to automatically hide the menu bar, a change that dovetails with sparer Firefox user interface designs that Mozilla has begun exploring for Firefox versions 3.7 and 4.0. That's important for plug-in developers and others who use the menu bar to control their add-ons.

For those developing Web applications, there's a feature for adding sounds that can play in response to specific events. That sounds useful for notifying people of new e-mail, instant messages, or any number of events in Web applications that today have trouble getting your attention as easily as software running natively on the operating system.

Another change lets the browser supply not just latitude and longitude coordinates but also human-friendly address terms such as street, city, and postal code. The addition of geolocation features, which enable authorized Web sites do things like show your location and nearby coffee shops on a map, is one of the significant features in Firefox 3.5.

Eric Shepherd, who oversees Mozilla documentation work, called the plans just an initial sketch, so don't consider this the final word on Firefox 3.6 features.

Mozilla released Firefox 3.5 in June. Future work on the upcoming Firefox, code-named Namoroka, emphasizes performance, integration with system services such as dictionaries, and Web applications. It's due in early to mid-2010.

[zivart]

my firefox opens - but I cannot see it - what is wrong? - the only time I know it is open when I try to turn off the computer - it says firefox is running

[G-Skaf]

Try killing the firefox.exe process through task manager. For some reason, it sometimes hangs and can also cause problems if you want to start Firefox again.

[Migraine]

I want Firefox 64 bit! it's all going to be a 64bit world soon Firefox should get on the 64 bit bandwagon as ASAP Microsoft already has IE 64bit.

[Mr. Dee]

And people hardly use 64 bit IE, why, because of the lack of add on's and native 64 bit activex controls.

[tektaktyks]

64 bit firefox huh...how about google it ,or google Shiretoko (thats what im using)

[tektaktyks]

http://wiki.mozilla-x86-64.com/Download there

[ca5ter]

I hope there is a Twitter Tool bar. Without it I'm lost.

[firefoxluva95]

Not until Adobe develops 64-bit flash for Windows.

[Mr. Dee]

I am beginning to wonder if I should just skip 3.5 and go from 3.0 to 3.7 or even 4.0. Although its just a browser, upgrading to new Ff releases have a penchant for breaking your add-ons and with Mozilla's aim to match Google for every release of Chrome, I think it makes sense I stay out of this *** for tat upgrade fiasco.

[danielkza]

First, a great deal of the add-ons are not actually broken, but are just not labeled as compatible with the new version. You can bypass it by editing the files yourself, tweaking a single about:config setting, or just wait a few days 'til it gets fixed.

Second, there are not even plans for launch dates for the future versions, don't expect anything for at least the next 6 months. Just take 5 minutes to Google how to solve your problems before upgrading, and you'll be fine.

[G-Skaf]

Firefox is not to blame for this. Instead, you should contact the developers of the add-ons you use and ask them to update them. Many add-ons are made compatible in time before the final version of a major Firefox release comes out. However, for some of them, it seems to take a bit longer.

Have a look here on how to force compatibility:
http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/05/how-to-force-fi/

[pianom4n]

The "vanishing menu bar" is a great idea, except I still want to get to it by hitting alt of something (a la IE and Safari). I just can't ever find things in chrome.

I've used the "Hide Menubar" addon for years now. It is the least exposed great addon, especially for widescreen laptops.

[FF2009]

awesome. Go Mozilla team.

Also, they should do the same with Tabs. Automatic hide and Show Tabs when pointing at them.

[Jomoz]

How about taking a cue from Apple (with Snow Leopard) and Microsoft (with Win 7) and focusing on performance and stability rather than new features. Stability has gotten worse with each new recent Firefox release -- so much so that I've switched back to Safari. A half-dozen or so crashes a day is not acceptable.

[ddesy]

The option to hide the menu bar is fine, but I hope they make it only an option. I prefer to keep mine where it is.

[yankeeforever]

I tried Firefox but I hated it. It does not have the personal toolbar like Seamonkey. Also. it says my password manager was imported and it is nowhere to be found. I cannot keep shutting down FF and going to SM for a password everytime I need a password for a website. It has far too many clicks to find something that is easily found with SM. I hate IE but found FF to be even worse. I kept FF for a few days and got sick of the wasted time so uninstalled it.
I know a lot of people do like FF but it is too garbled up for me...

[TheWiiKid]

I usual I will wait a few weeks to let the bugs get worked out.

[guest86]

Yay! Mozilla is rocks! I need figure out what have good features on Firefox performance and speed.

I stick both Firefox and SeaMonkey.

[akasyap]

Gmail does not support the new Firefox browser? Anyone else having this problem?