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Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Testing Firefox 3.5 ... mind your add-ons!

By | June 30, 2009, 12:52pm PDT

Now that Mozilla as finally released Firefox 3.5, I know that many of you will be eager to take it for a spin … but be careful as upgrading might mean you end up with fewer features, not more.

I’m getting report from a number of Hardware 2.0 that Firefox 3.5 is incompatible with a number of popular add-ons. I don’t have a list affected add-ons, but I suggest that if you rely on add-ons to improve your browsing experience, then you should probably take things slowly and test.

If you find that a must-have add-on is hosed, you can always download the latest version (3.0.11) from here.

I suggest you also read the release notes.

Tip: You might be able to tweak an add-on to work by following the instructions on the Mozilla knowledge base … it’s quite involved and there are no guarantees that the add-on will work, but it’s worth a try!

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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Testing Firefox 3.5 ... mind your add-ons!
upinson 11th Oct
@Steve_STR Pulauweb Web Hosting Murah Indonesia
Blogger Nusantara Blogpreneur Indonesia
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Testing Firefox?
Steve_STR Updated - 30th Jun 2009
Adrian, your entry here dated 30Jun09 is all over the place. First, do you realize that Firefox 3.5 was officially released today, 30Jun09? If yes, then what is the deal with this sentence, "If you find that a must-have add-on is hosed, you can always download the latest version (3.0.11) from here." And concerning the link, it points to v3.5 download, not 3.0.11, which is here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html. OK, maybe you were referring to v3.5 RC3. But then you provide a link to the v3.5 Release Notes. Lastly, the term "testing" relates better to betas and RCs. Upgrading/using/adopting better relate to official releases. Like I said, all over the place.

Steve_STR
@Steve_STR Pulauweb Web Hosting Murah Indonesia
Blogger Nusantara Blogpreneur Indonesia
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Glasser will not work with 3.5!
Cylon Centurion 30th Jun 2009
I just lost my glass effect sad
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Not only that -
nizuse 30th Jun 2009
I also lost access to about 20 of your posts. Deleted!
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- If you have the latest Glasser installed just navigate to your profile, then the extensions folder, then the glasser (thankfully it is named glasser) folder and edit the "install.rdf" so the maxVersion line reads 3.5 instead of 3.1b1.

If you are installing from scratch:

- Download the latest Glasser beta from the mozilla site. You want version 1.1.1. Here:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addons/versions/7336

Now don't click on the button, right-click on it and save the file to your desktop. You should have a file named "glasser-1.1.1-fx-win.xpi".

- Change the extension from xpi to zip.
- Open up (don't bother decompressing the whole thing) the archive.
- Drag the file named "install.rdf" out and drop it on the desktop. Don't close the archive just yet.
- Edit the file and look inside for:
3.1b3
3.1b3

- Change the maxVersion to 3.5.*
- Save
- Now drag the file back onto the opened archive. You may be asked if you want to merge/overwrite, say yes.
- Once it merges the file, close the archive.
- Change the extension from zip back to xpi.
- Open Firefox. Once it is up drag the xpi file onto it. You should get the addon install window. Another way is just to double-click the addon and tell window to open it with Firefox.

On the other hand you can wait for an update. happy
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I heard that the author's website has a compatible version that's still under development but nearly ready.

The cool thing with this v3.5 installation is that users are informed about the incompatible plug-ins even before the installation starts, so you can always cancel if you choose to wait for the plug-in update.
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Yup!!
JLHenry 30th Jun 2009
IF you go to the author's website, go to the forums and then go to the builds topic, the latest build is in the sticky on top. I installed it right after upgrading to 3.5, and I'm right back to normal.

Now if the author of Red Shift could get his update out, but I'll wait for perfection . . .
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nt.
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Tab Mix Plus
pwykes@... 1st Jul 2009
The functionality that Tab Mix Plus provides should have been included in Firefox 3.5.
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Incompatible Add-ons so Far 4me
ubu_f@... 30th Jun 2009
Better Gmail 2, Tab Mix Plus, Fire Torrent are incompatible at the time of release (FF 3.5)
Looking forward for updates for these Add-ons
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Works with everything I use
Randalllind Updated - 30th Jun 2009
Google Toolbar, Delicious bookmarks, Adblock plus, Greasemonkey, Greasespot, Downloadhelper and Firefox personas


Everything seems fine. Next time post some examples before freaking people out!
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Firebug appears to work at first, but Css alterations do not work. I am however using the alpha development version. Yslow failed right out the gate well.
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RE: Testing Firefox 3.5 ... mind your add-ons!
Loverock Davidson 1st Jul 2009
All my add-ons work fine with FF 3.5. But then again I'm only using a select 5 of them. Now I just need to find a good theme and I will be all set.
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Well, that's pretty much par for the course with a x.5 or x.0 upgrade of Firefox. It's something you get used to. Eventually, the add-on developers catch up. Of the ones that I have, many of the add-ons that broke with 3.5 are ones I don't even use any more. BitComet, LinkedIn, RealArcade, RealPlayer (well, okay, that one I use) all broke. But their developers are half-hearted to begin with. AVG Security Toolbar also broke, but the AVG auto update fixed it automatically.

Interestingly enough, all the media downloaders broke. This probably has to do with the new embedded video player they've added to Firefox.
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All my add-ons worked fine execpt for one - Real Player. I was warned it would be incompatible but needed to find out for myself.

Reinstalled 3.0.11 so I can use this add-on until Firefox comes up with a fix.
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Hello Everyone,

If you are interested, you might want to go to this website before you download FF 3.5. If you find any add-ons that are not compatible, you'll need to disable them before installing FF 3.5, otherwise you'll get an error message as many FF users did. The list is not alphabetized, but you can copy and paste them in Word and "sort" them out which makes it easier to find your add-ons. Here's the link:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/compatibility/report


I've been using FF 3.5 ever since it came out and it is great and no problem!
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RE: Testing Firefox 3.5 ... mind your add-ons!
condelirios Updated - 1st Jul 2009
My question is.. How long a test period do they need to update the add-ons? We have been using this release in beta forEVER.. Heck I am ready for an upgrade! Bring on the 4.0 beta!
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You can use the Nightly Tester Tools add-on to override all the add-on's incompatibilities!
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Overriding incompatibilities
gmontagu@... 1st Jul 2009
You can use the Nightly Tester Tools add-on to override all the add-on's incompatibilities!
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Get Mail Plus 3.2 is incompatible.
AbbyD@... 1st Jul 2009
I still wonder why Mozilla sees no use for including an Email button on the Firefox Navigation Bar. Get Mail Plus 3.2 worked fine with Firefox 3.0.2 but is incompatible with Firefox 3.5 and I can't find any add-ons for 3.5 to use in its place.
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Get Mail Plus 3.2 works fine with FireFox 3.5 -- you just have to override compatibility for it and many other add-ons. The problem isn't that they are incompatible. It's that the "Max Version" in them is set to something lower than Firefox 3.5.

(And you are right; FireFox should include such a button without having to install an add-on.)

Here's how to easily and safely override compatibilty:

How to enable Override Compatibility for FireFox Add-Ons:

Install the Nightly Tester Tools add-on from:
http://www.oxymoronical.com/web/firefox/nightly

After installing this extension, restart your browser and after restarting go to "Tools -> Add-ons". Now select your disabled extension (it will be grey), right-click on it and select "Override Compatibility"
Let it "force install."

If you want to install a new incompatible extension, then just drag-n-drop the extension file into thee "Add-on" box and it'll show the same confirmation box. Let it "force install."

That should do it.
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Even real player download plugin is not working..
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40% don't work
jebswebs 2nd Jul 2009
Well, I only have 10 plugins installed in FF. Four are marked as incompatible including Google Gears. Not particularly worried, four of the 10 rolled out new ones within the past 24 hours.
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Browser Pop-ups
kb2hpr@... 2nd Jul 2009
Has anyone noticed that the latest releases of FF have no shame when it comes to pop-ups? I notice that even thou i click on the exit box that the audio continues to play and this is making me want to look for a less invasive program (if there is such a thing). I used to enjoy pop-up free browsing on the earlier releases. WHAT HAPPENED?
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IE8 is now as good as FF
marks055@... 2nd Jul 2009
it launches faster and crashes less (never). It also handles RSS as well as FF now. FF 3.0 and 3.5 take about a minute to respond, why?
I still use FF and Chrome if I really need quick but why is FF so slow to get going?
0 Votes
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NO WAY! Whenever I open a new tab, the new tab is full of garbage and when I do a quick search in the google toolbar in searches in the preveous tab. It's garbage!

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