Hold off on Firefox version 3

I love Firefox. Usually it goes hand-in-hand with Defensive Computing, as Firefox is more secure than Internet Explorer. But not today, not with the release of version 3 of Firefox.

Don't install Firefox version 3. Not today. not for a while.

Like all new software, Firefox 3 is best kept at arms length. Version 3 was a long time coming and, no doubt, features lots of new code. At the risk of repeating myself, all new software contains bugs and design flaws. Let the rest of the world debug it for you.

This is not to pick on Firefox or Mozilla. Recently in this blog, I suggested waiting on Windows XP SP3, which turned out, in retrospect, to be the right thing to do. I also suggested holding off on Vista and Leopard when they were new. How long to wait is a matter of opinion. However, waiting rather than rushing, is always the right defensive approach.

And, when the time comes to try Firefox version 3, go with the portable version available at portableapps.com. It can happily co-exist with a normally installed copy of Firefox. The only limitation I've found is that if the normally installed copy of Firefox is running, the portable version won't run (see below).

Finally, another repeat suggestion. Windows XP users should run all their web browsers under the free DropMyRights program. I wrote three postings about this last August. See Every Windows XP user should drop their rights.

Update June 17, 2008: Let me clear up some confusion about portable applications in general - they are not "installed", at least as far as Windows is concerned. When you run an EXE file downloaded from portableapps.com it looks like a normal installation and they even use the word "install" (an unfortunate choice). But, all that is really happening is the application is unpacked/unzipped into whatever folder you point it at. To delete the application, delete the folder. There is no un-install.

Update June 18, 2008: Today, Robert Vamosi wrote Firefox 3 suffers its first vulnerability. This is not what I was referring to here, as the problem, whatever it is, also affects version 2 of Firefox.

Update June 19, 2008: Firefox version 3 is now available as a portable application at portableapps.com. Even if you are not concerned about major new software releases, running the portable version 3 on the same computer as a normally installed copy of version 2 is a great way to compare the two.

Update July 2, 2008: Firefox version 2 is a great web browser. Today, they released an update, version 2.0.0.15. I mention this here because version 14 of Firefox 2 contained 13 bugs, five of which Mozilla rated "critical." That the 14th go-round still contained 13 bugs confirms my reluctance to convert immediately to the first release of a major new version.

Firefox 3 users will find that secure HTTPS web pages no longer display with a yellow address bar. To restore it see Firefox 3 gotcha: No more yellow address bars

See a summary of all my Defensive Computing postings.

[thabassman]

We can all help to fix the bugs. Even if you just report them.

[lnotenboom]

One minor correction:

"all new software contains bugs and design flaws."

should read:

"all software contains bugs and design flaws."

Perfection does not come with age. (Sadly true in many other arenas as well . The key is that the number and obviousness of bugs, presumably, decreases over time. Like some algebra function, it approaches, but never reaches, zero.

Leo

[FrankTurd]

Hmmm...I usually agree with your thoughts on many subjects, but here, I'll have to part ways. I upgraded my version of Opera to the latest (9.5) and plan to do the same with Firefox. The problem is that too many people NEVER end up upgrading their browsers. People are lazy by nature and paranoia by convenience just feeds that part of the brain.

Better to upgrade now, help the debugging and patch old security holes in the process. The longer people wait to upgrade, the less likely they well ever do it.

~Frank

[Yuhong2]

That inspires me to compile FF3 from source when it is released, just so that if any bugs or problems are encountered, I can do debugging by myself.

[Keith X]

Firefox has been in public beta and RC testing for months now and is very well-tested and secure. The entire article is baseless, not one single fact about Firefox 3 is presented.

Don't install the Horowitz FUD meme. Not today. Not for a while.

[morlamweb]

Hold off on FF3? Ain't gonna happen, bud, especially since I've been using the it as my primary browser, at home, since Beta 2 or 3 - when they fixed compatibility with the new Yahoo! Mail interface. I've found the latest RCs to be much more stable than the earlier preview releases. FF3 Beta 1 would've been a more appropriate time for this post, since that was much more unstable in my experience than RC2.

Oh, and I also upgraded my Opera the day 9.5 came out, and guess what? Nothing broke. Ditto for the XP service pack upgrades.

[spunkybart]

No reason to hold back.

Holding off on some software releases is smart. But this one has had so many beta and release candidates that I think it's pretty rock solid now. And it's nicer than FF2.

I've been using FF3 for the last 3 (on the Mac) release candidates and for probably 2 or 3 of the betas before that. I haven't had any problems (other than my extensions not working on the new version.)

[partytildawn]

I don't think that we have to worry about holding back. At 10:00AM when the new version went live for download, Mozilla's servers crashed from the overload. For a company trying to "break a world record" and putting out marketing materials everyone begging everyone to download the browser today, they were ill-equipped to handle the load. I give them a thumbs down for this failure.

[possumboy12]

I very much disagree with you here.
Firefox 3 is far superior to firefox 2.
In fact - honestly: firefox 2 is a load of b011ocks.

When they released it - I stopped using firefox.
In fact until the BETA's of version 3 came out - I've happily been using Opera.
I love Opera - but Firefox's extensions brought me back.

On that note - extensions aren't a problem. It's easy to get incompatible extensions to work for firefox 3.

Firefox 2 - can not render properly.
On the contrary - I would consider it almost as bad as IE when it comes to rendering correctly.
in Firefox 3 this has been fixed. In fact the browser renders almost identically to Opera. Which is obviously a brilliant thing for designers - because it means that we can design without having to worry about **** browsers as much.

Sadly IE is still lagging behind - so designing for browsers which cant render is still a problem.

FF2 is SLOW. In fact if I remember right - it's actually slower than IE.
FF3 is FAST. In my experience - it's faster than Opera, which is really saying something.

Firefox 3 is a huge step up from firefox 2.
Firefox 2 should NEVER have been released. And I am happy to see it move to the archives.

Firefox 3 - is faster, safer, renders codes PROPERLY, from my experience is LESS buggy than FF2 - my advice: download firefox 3 the first chance you get and never look back.

[pepperboi222]

I really didn't read enough negatives to cancel out the positives. Maybe a few bugs that will never affect me. I already have a good firewall and protection, which is more than enough as I don't travel to harmful sites. The article states there are bugs but I do not know what these bugs will do. And I have read far too much about all the new features to hold off because of some bugs that I will most likely not even notice.

"But not today, not with the release of version 3 of Firefox."

Does that mean that it is going to be easier for harmful content to gain control of Firefox 3 than Firefox 2? So someone is more prone to such threats when running Firefox 3 than Firefox 2? Where is some proof on that?

Thanks for the notification but this is a pretty good example for why I don't use CNET anymore.

[Tylor3000--2008]

B-O-R-I-N-G

Firefox is a web browser. It doesn't launch missiles it brings up web sites. You probably never eat at new restaurants, drive a different way home from work or change anything in your life. That's totally fine, but this is CNET. You guys are suppose to be all about new stuff. If it was full of known bugs and someone screwed up, that's a different story. But I think grandpa needs to get out more.

[palmieriphil]

old fashion way of thinking.... its just a browser - not your entire OS.
And Mozilla (like Apple) i upgrade the second its out because i trust them and have been using the beta for ages. - Mozilla isnt MSFT, moz is out to make an awsome browser - not try to reclaim their footing as fast as possible.

[andyroo2000]

Seriously, I can understand waiting to update to a new OS, but holding off on upgrading your browser seems overly cautious to me. I know you need to keep cranking out articles to get paid, but this really seems like a stretch.

A bad OS update can brake other apps, but if you find that Firefox (which has been in public beta for a while) ruins your life somehow, you could just uninstall it or use another browser if it's not working with a particular site. Or if you're on a Mac, you could do as I have done and rename your old Firefox and keep both side by side for testing purposes. It's really not that big of a deal.

[Williame789]

i don't agree with you firefox 3 is very stable I have never have a problem with ff3 and I have used ff3 since alpha 8.

[PockyBum522]

This is what I sent to a friend upon reading this article:
Thirty four months of testing by everyone and their mother and he's still not satisfied. Three release candidates, a company that vows to hold of until they're ready, a track record of producing secure and great software at first release...

With microsoft, I hold off.

With firefox, you're just a troll.

There are many fallacies and logic faults here. One previously pointed out is that you think bugs are going to go away with age, which has, fortunately been pointed out already.

Another is that firefox has never had major problems on release (Again, do to a huge beta that's open to everyone) I've been playing with RC3 for a while and never had a problem with it.

I also find it odd that you suggest running FF portable alongside your current installation, but you still say to hold off even when doing that. Isn't the purpose of that to check if it works properly for you without worrying about replacing your current installation? What harm could come from this method, since it is designed to be independent of your other installation(s)

Suggesting to hold off on download day is just mean, but fortunately it looks like nobody is listening.

In summary, I enjoy the comparion between Microsoft's and Mozilla's coding practices, build process, debugging and bugfix standards, track record, beta test size, dedication, and overall quality. There really is no contest.

[waxwing]

"I love Firefox. Usually it goes hand-in-hand with Defensive Computing, as Firefox is more secure than Internet Explorer. But not today, not with the release of version 3 of Firefox.

Don't install Firefox version 3. Not today. not for a while.

Like all new software, Firefox 3 is best kept at arms length. Version 3 was a long time coming and, no doubt, features lots of new code. At the risk of repeating myself, all new software contains bugs and design flaws. Let the rest of the world debug it for you."

I think it's safe enough, been through 5 beta's and 3 Release Candidates

[anon232]

Comparing Mozilla to Microsoft??? I pray this is a troll or late April fool's joke, or I have now lost all confidence in you sir.

[nihilandvoid]

hm... could you possibly have posted this due to the fact that Mozilla has planned to try to break the record for number of downloads in one day... with that day being TODAY?

[declau]

Holding off?? nonsense! I have been running Firefox 3 beta on Windows and Mac OS X since January 08 down to the latest release canditate RC3. I even forgot that it was a beta until 2 days ago when I read in the news about the official release of 3. Runs smoothly and it's the most solid incarnation of the browser so far. It's a tremendous improvement ove Firefox 2. I'd say get 3 ASAP if you haven't done it already.

[boyCommaThat]

they totally didn't run it through beta periods and give people nightly builds to test. it's completely unstable. don't download it!!!!! OMGZZZZ IT WILL INSTALL A VIRUS INTO YOUR PROCESSOR AND YOURE COMPITER WILL SHUT OFF AND BEST BUY WILL HAVE TO SEND A TOP AGENT GEEK SQUADER TO YOUR HOUSE TO UNINSTALL FIREFOX3 AND REMOVE THE TROLLS THAT HAVE GATHERED AROUND YOUR HOUSE IN ANGER, THANK YOUS CNET!!!!

firefox 1 is BETTAR!!!! STAY STABLE, YALL