Mozilla today released Firefox 7.0 for Windows, Apple OS X and Linux . In a surprise unveiling today — the upgrade arrives just a month after Mozilla’s Firefox 6.0 major release — Firefox 7 via Mozilla is out. Mozilla promises a range of security, performance, readability and stability enhancements. We’ll bring you continuing coverage — expect our groovyReview team’s Firefox 7.0 first look, an in-depth analysis, plus tips, how to galleries and more advice and commentary in days and hours to come.
Mozilla has posted a full list of updates and fixes covering performance, stability, security and readability. This so far looks like a beefy upgrade.
According to the install guide, here are some of the highlights to expect.
- Snappier Canvas performance in Windows
- Quicker Firefox Syncing with bookmark and password changes
- UI change hides the http:// prefix in URLs by default (groovyReview team Note: https still displays)
- Dramatically improved memory handling
- Better MathML support
- New opt-in system — called Telemetry — allowing users to report performance data direct to Mozilla engineering
- Overall stability and security improvements.
Regarding Telemetry, watch groovyPost for our upcoming piece on how to opt out of this system data sharing system with Mozilla. It’s a quick tweak so stay tuned. If you have tips and tricks you want to share with groovyPost readers on this new upgrade, send them in — just email me.
Thanks to JustJonjon1 for the following quick video tour of Firefox 7.0. Groovy.
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Ziggy
September 27, 2011 at 11:49 pm
When Firefox first released the 6.0 series I reluctantly migrated to IE9 because this particular version of F/F played havoc with my pc. Endless searches for a fix only yielded similar issues with other users, so I stayed away from F/F for quite a while. Installed the new F/F 7 version and am happy to report that previous issues (slow start, freezing and the like) have disappeared, except for the high usage of ram. Anyway it’s good to have a more stable F/F back in the fold, but I will continue to use IE9 because this browser has remained steadfast where F/F did not.
Steve Krause
September 28, 2011 at 1:46 am
@Ziggy. I’m with you on this one. I was a long-time Firefox user but jumped over to Chrome after FF6. FF7 is looking OK but I’ll probably be sticking with Chrome and IE9 personally. Will see…
Brian Burgess
September 28, 2011 at 2:55 am
You know, they said that this version will use less memory. But I haven’t seen any change to that at all.
Jacki
September 28, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Ever since I left FF 5 and went to 6 and then 7 I have had nothing but problems. Each time I loaded FF it would hang, like badly. To the point you would feel as though you had no connection at all. Always lasted 2 mins at least, each time. SO I went and downgraded back to FF5…… not a problem since then. FF 7 may be better on performance….. but not when it takes 2 mins to be able to do anything.
Brian Burgess
September 28, 2011 at 4:22 pm
@Jacki: That can happen because Add-ons are not compatible with the new versions. Make sure you update your Add-ons if there is an update available. Just a thought.
Jacki
September 28, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Well I just went back to 5, was easier & not a problem now
Steve Krause
September 28, 2011 at 10:29 pm
Hi Jacki – use what work however just be aware security updates are only being applied to the new versions. Something to think about.
Jacki
September 29, 2011 at 12:10 am
Seems as though I am not the only one to have the problems.
https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/880726
https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/880732
In one of those one person does not have any of the addons I have, yet has the EXACT same problem.
I am a massive fan of firefox, always have been. I will tell people to use that one all the time. Yet with this new one, I wonder how many people have the same problem?
Ziggy
September 29, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Hi Jackie, I really do feel for you. I had the same problem as you have described. I was reluctant to use another browser because Firefox had always been my browser of choice. But in the end I went for IE 9. Nonetheless, here’s how I went about solving the problem.
No guarantees, but I do hope these two solutions work for you as they did for me.
Solution 1:
1. Completely uninstall F/F 6/7
2. Reinstall F/F (in this case version 7)
3. With the new version now installed, create a New Firefox profile. Go to the link http://kb.mozillazine.org/Creating_a_new_Firefox_profile_on_Windows
4. Now when starting F/F use the new profile (which you have named) and do not use the Default profile.
Solution 2:
Firefox has a portable version – give that a go. You don’t have to save it onto a usb stick. Just install it into a newly created folder, which you could call Firefox Portable.
Good luck…
Jacki
September 29, 2011 at 11:42 pm
OMG Solution 1 seems to have had an effect…. I’m now on FF7, with all my addons (I hate having to add them all again) plus with my google toolbar (hate that it’s not allowed) and it all loaded up fine the 24 times I had to open it back up after each one lmao
I think you saved my sanity
Ziggy
September 30, 2011 at 2:38 am
Glad I could help. Happy Firefoxing…
Jacki
September 30, 2011 at 3:49 am
I have saved pages so I know what to do next time I have to install firefox. Yay for having 7 back again.