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Mozilla readies to pull support plug on Firefox 3.6

Started by keyboardNinja , Jan 05 2012 12:39 PM

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24 replies to this topic

#1 keyboardNinja

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Posted 05 January 2012 - 12:39 PM

Mozilla has announced a date for the end of support for Firefox 3.6. April 24, 2012. Mark it in your calendar, Firefox 3.6 users!

Why is this date significant? Because after this date there will be no more new releases to fix security patches. The browser will get real old (and real dangerous to use) real fast. Using Firefox 3.6 beyond the end of life date is NOT RECOMMENDED.

Full article here: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/mozilla-readies-to-pull-support-plug-on-firefox-36/17567

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#2 Animal

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Posted 05 January 2012 - 12:45 PM

To Do List in April: Pay Taxes and Uninstall Firefox

Not that I used Firefox much anyway.

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#3 Taoki

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Posted 05 January 2012 - 05:05 PM

I use FireFox for all of my internet life, and always loved it. Personally though, I don't think this is too tragic. I use the latest version of FF (9.0.1) and don't see why people would still use such an old version as 3.6. Don't get me wrong... I'm not saying this decision is good, nor that the old versions are bad and people shouldn't use them. Just that they can't update the old versions forever, and at some point probably have to drop support (as it happens with many apps). This might allow them to focus more on the latest version as well.

As far as I'm aware, 9.0 can do everything that the old versions can, which is why I don't see this as a horrible thing. Mostly the interface is a bit different, but you can easily configure it or use a skin or addon to make it look the same. I don't know how myself, but if anyone wants to keep the old feel there are some articles on how to do that. IIRC there's even a way to update while keeping most of your settings, even personas.

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#4 ProTruckDriver

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Posted 09 January 2012 - 12:06 AM

To Do List in April: Pay Taxes and Uninstall Firefox

Not that I used Firefox much anyway.

Same here on uninstalling Firefox in April, but I hope I get a refund on the taxes. :hysterical:

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#5 Ted Striker

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Posted 09 January 2012 - 05:55 PM

Firefox 3.6 is pretty old and most companies only support old versions for a limited amount of time. The current version is 9.0.1. What are these people waiting for?

I've been using Firefox for over 6 years and I've been really happy with it for the most part.

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#6 Animal

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Posted 09 January 2012 - 08:10 PM

Not waiting for anything. It is a conscious choice I made for a secondary browser I was never fond of for many reasons, I've explained in the past. Now that it will no longer be supported I can finally remove it from my machine, as it will be unsuitable for testing purposes.

The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life.
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A learning experience is one of those things that say, "You know that thing you just did? Don't do that." — Douglas Adams.

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#7 Billy O'Neal

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Posted 09 January 2012 - 08:46 PM

Ah... no more goored garbage

Billy3

Look buddy, I'm an Engineer, and that means I solve problems. Not problems like "What is beauty?" .. 'cause that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of philosophy....
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#8 Animal

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Posted 09 January 2012 - 10:36 PM

Ah... no more goored garbage

Billy3

For those of us less enlightened please elaborate as to what that statement means. I'm sure some of us can learn something, with more information.

The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life.
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A learning experience is one of those things that say, "You know that thing you just did? Don't do that." — Douglas Adams.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." — Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

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#9 Billy O'Neal

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Posted 09 January 2012 - 11:32 PM

Firefox moved all it's metadata into sqlite databases, which breaks Goored's infection method.

Billy3

Look buddy, I'm an Engineer, and that means I solve problems. Not problems like "What is beauty?" .. 'cause that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of philosophy....
Bitbucket - Twitter
My statements do not establish the official position of Microsoft Corporation, and are my own personal opinion. (But you already knew that, right?)

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#10 Animal

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Posted 10 January 2012 - 12:07 AM

Thanks Billy, much appreciated. I did not know that.

The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life.
Andrew Brown

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A learning experience is one of those things that say, "You know that thing you just did? Don't do that." — Douglas Adams.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." — Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

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#11 yabbadoo

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Posted 15 January 2012 - 08:27 AM

Mozilla has announced a date for the end of support for Firefox 3.6. April 24, 2012. Mark it in your calendar, Firefox 3.6 users!

Why is this date significant? Because after this date there will be no more new releases to fix security patches. The browser will get real old (and real dangerous to use) real fast. Using Firefox 3.6 beyond the end of life date is NOT RECOMMENDED.

Full article here: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/mozilla-readies-to-pull-support-plug-on-firefox-36/17567

Well, bully for Firefox. If the new FF versions are not compatible with all the add-ons and personal programs that I use, then "Have a nice day Mozilla", I will be using IE as fast as I can acclimatise with it.

If Mozilla`s attitude is one of infinite updates to their system for no reason at all, destroying every auxiliary program and add-on in sight, then IE will do me just fine. I can do without Internet insanity imposed by my browser, it is hard enough dodging the flack without any browser malpractices and irresponsible disregard of customer needs.

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#12 jgweed

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Posted 15 January 2012 - 09:22 AM

While I only use a few (of the many) add-ons available to Firefox users, I have yet to experience any of them not working when I upgrade to the newest version. The updates released by Mozilla often eliminate program bugs, close security holes, and increase performance. Mozilla's "attitude" is no different than Google's or Microsoft's (the latter is "retiring" IE6) when it comes to browser updates.

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#13 yabbadoo

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Posted 15 January 2012 - 09:59 AM

While I only use a few (of the many) add-ons available to Firefox users, I have yet to experience any of them not working when I upgrade to the newest version. The updates released by Mozilla often eliminate program bugs, close security holes, and increase performance. Mozilla's "attitude" is no different than Google's or Microsoft's (the latter is "retiring" IE6) when it comes to browser updates.

Your comments are comforting, but do not dispense fears of a Mozilla autocratic dash towards their dubious target at the expense of everybody else including users.

If Mozilla doctor their own Firefox add-ons to work with their inexplicable mad dash to infinite stardom, then fine, I am happy.
But what about all the other programs that we use ? Sandboxie, NoScript, ABP , RIP, AVG 2012, ZA, KeyScrambler, WOT and a hundred other personal Internet AV`s , FW`s and a whole myriad of available programs and add-ons ?

No good taking off like a rocket and leaving the audience behind. All that does is ensure that Firefox works in grand isolation at some designed point in time and everything else does not. Sounds like a massive user change over to other browsers to me.

We already have a huge fan club for IE, Chrome, Opera, Safari and a whole mass of others. Firefox has it`s critics, many of whome say Firefox is rubbish and if Mozilla glibly abuse the loyalty of their existing customers, then the answer is a rapid nose dive and a rather loud bang.

Edited by yabbadoo, 15 January 2012 - 09:59 AM.

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#14 Billy O'Neal

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Posted 15 January 2012 - 01:38 PM

yabbado, if your thinking is that browser vendors can't innovate, then I'm sorry, but you're probably not going to get much support there. Firefox (or any other browser) is not an operating system; they have never promised nor have they ever designed for a "windows style" track record of backwards compatibility. Personally, I don't like the update scheme that they've decided upon either; they're trying to follow on Chrome's footsteps which also updates something like every 6 weeks.

But maintaining backwards compatibility with everything, yet still continuing to innovate? Sorry, but that's just impractical.

Billy3

Look buddy, I'm an Engineer, and that means I solve problems. Not problems like "What is beauty?" .. 'cause that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of philosophy....
Bitbucket - Twitter
My statements do not establish the official position of Microsoft Corporation, and are my own personal opinion. (But you already knew that, right?)

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#15 cafejose

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Posted 15 January 2012 - 06:37 PM

A way to help plan for choosing a different internet browser is to try several alternatives to test use them and see how they are to use. So far, although I use Firefox (several months now), there are a few peculiar things that happen with it. Not much I can say because I do not understand the innards of internet browsers. I feel more comfortable with Pale Moon, which is based on and similar to Firefox. Pale Moon seems to put less stress on system resources (checked in Windows Task Manager).