Well, I had all the update stuff turned off, and I got an update anyhow.. It makes flash videos skip, take forever to buffer, and the sync is terrible..
Basically the new versions completely broke flash and made me leave my cherished firefox browser for Chrome territory.
Now, I want to go back, but the ESR version just seems REALLY outdated. I'm assuming that's the only option, though, correct?
I'm not sure which version broke flash videos, I'm not interested in running with unpatched critical security vulns, and I suppose my path now is to see if I can re-download the pretty comprehensive set of addons I use (or pull them out with FEBE and OPIE by disconnecting my wifi and loading my archived older firefox version)..
*sigh* I just wish there was an easier path than spending probably a whole day tinkering around with stuff, this whole thing is just a real mess, and even with addons, I find the 30+ versions of firefox just horrible, slow, and unusable on my dual core 2.0G laptop (the addons to make it somewhat resemble the old version seem to drag things down, don't really fully allow things to look the same, and the big deal breaker is flash videos are completely unplayable).
Generally my feeling is that firefox development has taken a MASSIVE wrong turn. Instead of working on the important things, like speed improvements in all the arenas, it seems like they just keep glomming on more features that I'm completely uninterested in, and attempting to make firefox resemble Chrome more. Every time a new version comes out, I dutifully read the changelogs, and let out another 'meh', nothing compelling once again.
I didn't mean this to just be a rant, maybe some other people can get some ideas that might save them time, I meant to ask for another option, but from the bit of reading over I did of things it looks like I am just stuck..
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Keep in mind that Flash is its own add-on, a closed source binary supported by Adobe, that Mozilla has no control over. Chrome uses their own Pepper Flash built-in add-on which has its own problems.
Firefox 31 runs without issue for me with Flash 14 on multiple PCs including my sub 2GHz laptop.
Any add-on worth its salt has already been updated to work properly with the new Firefox UI. You can place add-ons in your main bar or within the popup menu (which is the better option to keep most things there and keep your UI leaner).
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I guess YMMV, but flash video utterly broke for me, and almost everyone I talk to (or have read about) when the new update got forced upon us (at least now I understand it was for good reason)..
I'm playing with the ESR version, looks like everything plays perfect there.. Sadly, I appear to have lost my OPIE file, so Ive got hundreds of settings to tweak now..
I'm happy that the ESR version exists, looks like all my addons will work well with it also, once I get done tweaking everything to my insanely exacting standards..
-=((>Tao_Sk8r
ESR is being upgraded to 31.0 in 6 weeks. So, all your work will be for nothing at that point if you're trying to avoid Australis.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Good lord, is there no way to turn it off?
I'm already way deep in, this thing works great, doesn't have the vulnerabilities, looks the way I like it, no fiddling to have the reload page work as expected, no stupid Chrome UI redesign.. I want to keep it!
Maybe some settings in about config can keep it from happening?
-=((>Tao_Sk8r
It's the new design of the browser. The entire thing has been redone. Chrome has a similar look and also lacks an 'addon bar'. The popup menu handles where addon bits would go. Plus the main bar, of course.
Nothing changed about Flash from before Australis to now in terms of the way it works. You just need to make sure you have the latest Flash installed locally. Flash doesn't play as well portably anymore.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I fiddled and messed with it a whole bunch (flash), updated it, unstalled everything, and everything I tried only made things worse..
Again, is there a setting in about:config I can use? I don't like the new interface, the browser just feels slower, and overall, I'll take a pass on the whole direction Astronautalis went in. DO NOT WANT.
The ESR works PERFECT for me, I WANT TO KEEP IT!
The reality for the situation for me, as much as you can say that nothing changed is that with the new version Flash videos DONT WORK.. They stutter, lag, take forever to buffer, and generally, it was enough to make me drop firefox entirely for Chrome.
I changed NOTHING ELSE but installed the ESR, and it WORKS PERFECT with all flash videos. You cant tell me nothing has changed, that is just not true, Im sorry.
-=((>Tao_Sk8r
The old UI isn't even in Firefox's compiled code anymore. Playing with about:config won't change that. Firefox 24.x ESR will be maintained for another 12 weeks before being abandoned. We maintain ESR 24.x portable for another 6 and then switch to ESR 31.0 as stable hits 32.0 as per our published guidelines: https://portableapps.com/support/firefox_portable#esr
Firefox 24 is objectively and measurably (on every benchmark) slower than Firefox 31, so it's best to adjust to the new UI and use the tools available to adjust Firefox to something that suits you, even if you want to use the classic theme addon.
If you're unhappy with any of this, you'll need to take it up with Mozilla. We just package it. We're uninvolved with and have absolutely no control over any of the things you're upset about.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I'm not suggesting any changes on your part.
I just want to know how to keep what I have.
I'm not interested in the new UI or anything they've added. I just want to know how to prevent the thing from updating, that is all I'm asking for.
My experience has been shared with everyone I've talked to.
I dont want to add 2 new addons to make it look slightly more similar to the version I like, and I utterly hate the dumb Chrome look..
Well.. I guess if you can't or refuse to tell me how to turn off the updates, I'll look elsewhere. Plenty of people have taken things up with Mozilla already, and they clearly aren't interested in addressing the issues except what youve already suggested, which I find myself and many others are completely uninterested in.
-=((>Tao_Sk8r
If you turn off updates, you wind up with a completely insecure browser through which any website you visit (or any ad network or widget on those sites) can run any code they want on your PC. Seriously. Every security release of Firefox... and other browsers... patches remote exploit bugs.
Anecdotal evidence is silly. I don't know a single person in real life that hasn't updated to Firefox 31 and none of them have an issue with the new UI. Most have even expressed that they like it. But that doesn't change your opinion, so it doesn't really matter either.
For the time being, you can stay on Firefox Portable ESR 24. We will maintain it for 6 weeks until Firefox stable hits 32 and then switch Firefox Portable ESR to 31.0. You can then not have the PortableApps.com Platform update being renaming the FirefoxPortableESR folder to FirefoxPortableESRNoUpdate for another 6 weeks and use Firefox's built-in updater to continue with patches. After that period... a total of 12 weeks... Firefox ESR 24 is completely abandoned and should no longer be used.
These are just the facts. It doesn't matter how much I'd like to help you... I can't wave a magic wand and change facts from the upstream publisher. If you choose not to update after that point, you'll probably get hacked sooner or later, but that's your choice.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I will worry about the bridge if I get to it. I use a great AV, anti-malware, firewall, and adblock, and Ive done extensive research to make sure they are the best in class, and I update them regularly and scan with them.
I tried 31, I dont want it (really, I tried everything I could find, it doesnt work for me. I tweaked this and that, added extraneous addons I didn't want and didn't need in older versions, fiddled with un and reinstalling flash, and the end result was that I switched back to Chrome until I found this ESR version).
Thank you for the advice, otherwise. I understand the risks I am subjecting myself to. Firefox is moving in the direction it is moving in because the devs have imagined that people who are using firefox want it to look like Chrome. I am in a not small minority that isn't interested, we are happy with a browser that works fine for us. If I want my browser to look like chrome, or want to visit a website I don't trust, Ill damn well just USE CHROME.
The devs at Mozilla have made their decisions, I have made mine, (along with many others) so they can go their own way with the design, I'm keeping the work they've done that I'm perfectly happy with.
-=((>Tao_Sk8r
https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/addon/classicthemerestorer/
will bring you the old appearance back for now
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
I tried that as well as another extension for the purpose.. It didnt get rid of the stupid chrome-like three bars to get to the advanced stuff, colorful tabs didnt work with it properly, and fiddle with it as I might, it didn't make the tabs look square, they were always rounded..
Not to mention the real primary issue which is that Flash videos wouldn't play without lag, skipping, and they buffered super slow..
-=((>Tao_Sk8r
I am also a gruftie, having sometimes difficulty to get used to new things.
But I found it simple to adjust the tabs and what ever to look as I like it and as it looked some years ago.
I have back my menu, the addon bar etc and all can free configured if you want.
Problem with flash: it is not a problem of Firefox at all.
Flash player is separate program by adobe and is done by purpose so that it is almost impossible to make it portable or somehow less invasive to the operating system.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland