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Firefox 3, Beta 3

Vorenus   via Mozilla Devnews on 13 February 2008 - 04:50 · 40 comments & 49246 views

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Firefox 3, Beta 3 has just been released. Over 350 memory leaks have been fixed and reductions have been made in the memory footprint. The shortlist of new features and changes in this milestone include:
  • Improved security
  • Improved ease of use
  • Richer personalization
  • Improved platform features
  • Performance improvements

Beta software is not intended to be used by the general public but if you want to live dangerously then it is available for download.
Download: Firefox 3, Beta 3

The more complete list of new features and changes in this milestone include:
  • Improved security features such as: better presentation of website identity and security including support for Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates, malware protection, stricter SSL error pages, anti-virus integration in the download manager.
  • Improved ease of use through: easier add-on discovery and installation, improved download manager search and progress indication in the status bar, resumable downloading, full page zoom, and better integration with Windows Vista, Mac OS X and Linux.
  • Richer personalization through: one-click bookmarking, smart bookmark folders, location bar that uses an algorithm based on site visit recency and frequency (called “frecency”) to provide better matches against your history and bookmarks for URLs and page titles, ability to register web applications as protocol handlers, and better customization of download actions for file types.
  • Improved platform features such as: new graphics and font rendering architecture, JavaScript 1.8, major changes to the HTML rendering engine to provide better CSS, float-, and table layout support, native web page form controls, colour profile management, and offline application support.
  • Performance improvements such as: better data reliability for user profiles, architectural improvements to speed up page rendering, over 350 memory leak fixes, a new XPCOM cycle collector to reduce entire classes of leaks, and reductions in the memory footprint.

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(3 replies) #1 Intelman on 13 Feb 2008 - 05:12
Man, Firefox looks so ugly now...granted these aren't the final icons, it still looks damn ugly. It is faster though, and feels more refined.
#1.1 +Dakkaroth on 13 Feb 2008 - 08:10
Macfox II graphite has been my favorite since I first started using it. I don't think it supports the beta at this time, but I hope they're working on it as I'd love to use that theme with the new Firefox.
#1.2 solardog on 13 Feb 2008 - 16:51
(Dakkaroth said @ #1.1)
Macfox II graphite has been my favorite since I first started using it. I don't think it supports the beta at this time, but I hope they're working on it as I'd love to use that theme with the new Firefox.


Same here, its the only skin I'll use for Firefox. Ive tried a lot of them but thats the one that always stays. IMO Opera's skins are miles better than any 3rd party Firefox skins, but then Firefox has always been a clunky looking thing. I like Firefox, but I think its hideous.
#1.3 +Dakkaroth on 14 Feb 2008 - 06:33
(solardog said @ #1.2)
(Dakkaroth said @ #1.1)
Macfox II graphite has been my favorite since I first started using it. I don't think it supports the beta at this time, but I hope they're working on it as I'd love to use that theme with the new Firefox.


Same here, its the only skin I'll use for Firefox. Ive tried a lot of them but thats the one that always stays. IMO Opera's skins are miles better than any 3rd party Firefox skins, but then Firefox has always been a clunky looking thing. I like Firefox, but I think its hideous.


Hah, I'm quite the opposite. Took me forever to find 1 decent skin for Opera. Overall though, I can't go without my extensions. -shrug-
#2 ThaCrip on 13 Feb 2008 - 06:40
well i aint used any of the Firefox 3 beta's at all... but if the speed and memory stuff is true, then that can only be a good thing

cause i think SPEED/Security should be pretty much #1 on there list.
(1 reply) #3 Avi on 13 Feb 2008 - 07:10
#3.1 Jugalator on 13 Feb 2008 - 08:59
Yeah, note that what's said in the news summary above is for Firefox 3 in general. Most of it applies to beta 1 and 2 too.
(5 replies) #4 +bmdixon on 13 Feb 2008 - 09:55
There seem to be quite a few problems which will stop me using this version (not sure if they applied to earlier versions)...
  • Windows Live Mail will not work; users must use Hotmail Classic Mail
  • Downloading multiple files at the same time on a system running the AVG Virus Scanner can cause Firefox to crash
  • Cannot drag and drop folders in the Places Organizer. For now, users must use cut and paste

(I know that beta versions will have problems but i'm suprised at some of the known issues)
#4.1 The_Decryptor on 13 Feb 2008 - 10:11
The issue with WLM looks to be a MS problem.
#4.2 n_K on 13 Feb 2008 - 23:11
(The_Decryptor said @ #4.1)
The issue with WLM looks to be a MS problem.

WLM is pure crap, I have it on my laptop but it works fine with Firefox 2 and Netscape 9... But only an idiot uses WLM, I've got a hacked version of 7.0 on this (my main PC) so it still connects and works fine hell my NT server PC has MSN 5.0 and that stills works ;s
#4.3 IGx89 on 14 Feb 2008 - 00:48
They're talking about Windows Live Mail, not Windows Live Messenger :p
#4.4 n_K on 14 Feb 2008 - 01:07
(IGx89 said @ #4.3)
They're talking about Windows Live Mail, not Windows Live Messenger :p

haha, god I need to read things before replying, thanks
#4.5 toadeater on 14 Feb 2008 - 01:39
(The_Decryptor said @ #4.1)
The issue with WLM looks to be a MS problem.


I am sure that MS is doing its best to make life for Firefox users as difficult as possible.
(1 reply) #5 IntelliMoo on 13 Feb 2008 - 09:56
So they finally admit there really are memory leaks!!!!
#5.1 Davebo on 13 Feb 2008 - 12:46
Finally, you say?

Shows how much you know....
#6 carlskov on 13 Feb 2008 - 10:58
I really enjoyed Beta 2, and Beta 3 is VERY nice. I admit the default XP theme doesn't go well with Vista, but you can enjoy the Vista version if you follow this link:

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=625097

Also if you don't like the new rich location bar, use this extension:

https://addons.mozilla.org/da/firefox/addon/6227

You need to download the .XPI and edit the install.rdf file. Rename .XPI to .zip and extract install.rdf, change MaxVersion to 3.0.* and put the install.rdf back in ZIP-file and rename back to .XPI. Then drag the .XPI into the FF window to install the extension. If you don't bother editing yourself, use this link:

http://download.yousendit.com/F9059CB652C143F4

(3 replies) #7 vetJames7 on 13 Feb 2008 - 11:11
I'm looking forward to this but will likely just wait till it's available out of beta.
#7.1 +Harlem39s Finest on 13 Feb 2008 - 14:04
+ 1

also i'm too scared it'll mess up my current FF config
#7.2 Kushan on 13 Feb 2008 - 15:59
(Harlem39s Finest said @ #7.1)
+ 1

also i'm too scared it'll mess up my current FF config


You can easily back up your profile. What I did was installed the betas at work (where I don't need all of the usual extensions I have at home) to get used to it, find it's limitations, incompattible extensions, etc. so I'm a bit more prepare for the final version.
A lot of my old favourite extensions don't work just yet, I hope the developers update them soonish.
#7.3 The_Decryptor on 14 Feb 2008 - 13:31
You can make multiple profiles, I've got 4.

One is for Firefox 2, one is a older FX2 profile (bugged), One for Firefox 3 and one for testing nightlies.
(1 reply) #8 Volatile on 13 Feb 2008 - 12:36
I'm with James on the beta notation.
#8.1 Fred Derf on 13 Feb 2008 - 16:14
(Volatile said @ #
I'm with James on the beta notation.

That's why i added "but if you want to live dangerously..." to the article immediately before the download link.
#9 nonick on 13 Feb 2008 - 14:18
I've used Firefox 3 since alpha version - everything is kept and everything works flawlessly, even some of my extensions(such as greasemonkey) works fine, all the same no loss.

And firefox 3 bring amazing improvements and I love the browser much more than v2, I can't imagine going back to v2 after using the new address bar (built in search for your history in the bar is brilliant). There is no need to type in the beginning of the site, just a key work or two, even "hard to remember sites" you can get to by just typing in their title rather than address (such as in you are looking for a movie you've seen online, know its name but forgot address, just type a word of the title and you are bound to find it!

amazing product, I suggest everyone to upgrade to it. and the new interface? what 2 buttons gonna do to you? make you sick? Its just couple of buttons that might even change in the end.

Great product, great improvement. Keep up the good work!
(2 replies) #10 th3rEsa on 13 Feb 2008 - 15:05
Stupid IE design... ugly crapshit...
#10.1 ThaCrip on 13 Feb 2008 - 22:01
wait a sec... does it still look like firefox 2/IE6 pretty much does? (i hope so) or does it looklike IE7 interface (which i hate)
#10.2 Jugalator on 14 Feb 2008 - 10:09
It looks more IE7:ish, but only as for the icons, not their positions or the lack of configurability of IE7. And you can of course also use other skins in Firefox far easier than in IE7. ;-)
(6 replies) #11 Examinus on 13 Feb 2008 - 16:44
Does anybody know where my Home button has gone?
#11.1 th3rEsa on 13 Feb 2008 - 17:17
It's in your bookmarks bar, I read elsewhere...
#11.2 nonick on 13 Feb 2008 - 19:23
(Examinus said @ #11)
Does anybody know where my Home button has gone?


Bellow <- Icon
#11.3 ThaCrip on 14 Feb 2008 - 08:53
like nonick said... but i changed mine back to where it was before (which i think is better)
#11.4 Examinus on 14 Feb 2008 - 09:16
(th3rEsa said @ #11.1)
It's in your bookmarks bar, I read elsewhere...


That's crap.
#11.5 Jugalator on 14 Feb 2008 - 10:11
(Examinus said @ #11.4)
(th3rEsa said @ #11.1)
It's in your bookmarks bar, I read elsewhere...


That's crap.

Put it back in.
#11.6 ViperAFK on 20 Feb 2008 - 16:17
(Jugalator said @ #11.5)
(Examinus said @ #11.4)
(th3rEsa said @ #11.1)
It's in your bookmarks bar, I read elsewhere...


That's crap.

Put it back in.


That's what she said.
(2 replies) #12 rpgfan on 13 Feb 2008 - 20:51
Yeah, they put the Home button in the bookmarks toolbar. I use the toolbar rather frequently for RSS reading, and the first thing I noticed was the Home button cluttering up my bookmarks toolbar full of RSS feeds. I think this is the one time that I'd actually consider messing with my chrome...

Last edited by rpgfan on 13 Feb 2008 - 22:22
#12.1 Skyfrog on 13 Feb 2008 - 21:26
There's no need of that, you can simply click customize and drag it back to the main toolbar.
#12.2 rpgfan on 14 Feb 2008 - 03:08
(Skyfrog said @ #12.1)
There's no need of that, you can simply click customize and drag it back to the main toolbar.

Yeah, that didn't occur to me until I loaded up my other profile, where it was found next to my Location Bar. How odd (my lack of now obvious thought and the difference in icon placement).
(2 replies) #13 Xenomorph on 13 Feb 2008 - 22:07
I don't like the interface that much.

I've been using the program since it first came out. Dropping Qute at 0.8 made me sad, but it was just a default skin change that was easily fixed.

Firefox 3 has the weird/ugly buttons, questionable default layout, and it has removed the feature of middle clicking on the Bookmarks Toolbar folder to open all in tabs.

I *think* it can still do all the stuff 1.x/2.x does, but they are pulling a Microsoft here. Changing stuff for the sake of change. What was so wrong with how it worked before?
#13.1 ThaCrip on 14 Feb 2008 - 08:57
"but they are pulling a Microsoft here. Changing stuff for the sake of change."

well at least be thankful that the basic layout has stayed the same unlike IE6 to IE7 which i think was for the worse as it's basic interface changed WAY to much from what it used to be setup like, which i think sucks.
#13.2 Jugalator on 14 Feb 2008 - 10:13
(Xenomorph said @ #13)
What was so wrong with how it worked before?

The point has been to revise the Firefox 3 UI to comply better with the platform it runs on. So it's not purely out of "change it because we can", but to meld in better with the OS. For example, it's not just Firefox getting more of an IE look. That's only as for Windows, and Vista will be getting its own theme (other than XP), and so will Linux, and Mac OS.
#14 xinary on 16 Feb 2008 - 16:52
The giant green text in the history pull down..why?

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