Thursday, February 24, 2011

Beta, shmeta, real men release

So here's what's going to happen next.

  • There will be no beta 13. Even if Mozilla themselves do one, which seems unlikely but one never knows, we will not. There isn't enough there to justify it unless someone can demonstrate a serious blocking bug in beta 12.
  • We will not bother with the Release Candidates. These are, at longest lived, highly ephemeral releases and every release we put out is another 70-80MB out of our Google Code hosting space. Releases this temporary are not a good use of our currently limited community resources.
  • Once blokking boogs go to zarro, we will watch to see what Mozilla does next: if they immediately branch into a new mozilla-2.0 repo, then we will build off the repo after the branching. If they do not branch then (though they will branch eventually), we will continue the "advance" pulls we are doing now to avoid getting post-tag commit noise until they do.
  • Once Firefox 4/10.4Fx goes into its own separate repo apart from mozilla-central, pulls and builds will only occur after everything has landed (as these maintenance repos are historically much more stable than the trunk, as you'd expect), which means our releases will be either on time or slightly after the fact. After all, Mozilla never tells me anything. We'll do our best to be timely, however.
No ETA for any of this yet. The number of bugs to get to RC is not massive but some issues are non-trivial (though getting smaller all the time), and my best estimate gives formal release no earlier than the end of March.
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22 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 5:22 AM

    I am a fairly new Mac user, not of the computer generation, not very tech savvy, but enjoying TenFourFox very much (please make your reply easy to follow). I am now running 4.0b13pre but also have Firefox 3.6.13 on my iMac G4 running Tiger 10.4.11. I notice, after installing 10.4fox that it took all the settings from my FF3 profile, set them up in 10.4fox. Must I continue to keep FF3 on my computer as the settings repository for 10.4fox or can I uninstall FF3. I can't seem to locate a similar, complete profile for 10.4fox, can't seem to even locate the 10.4fox install location. I am quite willing to leave FF3 on my iMac if that means a smooth running 10.4fox. Thanks. Ken.

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  2. ClassicHasClassFebruary 28, 2011 at 5:46 AM

    You can remove Fx3 safely, yes (simply drag it to the Trash). This will not disturb your settings, which are normally in your Library folder.

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  3. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:02 AM

    Thanks. Are you suggesting just to move the FF3 icon from the Applications folder to the Trash but leaving the Firefox folder in User/Library/Application Support, as is, where it is, because that's where 10.4fox gets my settings, profile from?
    Ken.

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  4. ClassicHasClassFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:03 AM

    Exactly.

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  5. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:07 AM

    Thanks. Just a further point. Might it be wise to leave the FF3 icon in the Applications folder just in case 10.4fox crashes, cannot repair it, so at least I have FF3 as a backup. Ken.

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  6. ClassicHasClassFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:10 AM

    In general that will work; however, if you were going to do that, I would use 3.6 as your fallback instead since it is more current and if you can run 3.0 or 3.5, you can also run 3.6. Also, there is no guarantee that the format of your profile won't change; it is likely that 3.6 will tolerate this better than an earlier unsupported version.

    On my iBook I keep 3.5, 3.6 and TenFourFox, and if I need to check something in an older browser it's easy enough to switch at will.

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:22 AM

    Thanks. As I was mentioning in my first note, my settings, profile are from FF3.6.13, which I was using prior to 10.4fox. So, as per your suggestion, I will continue to retain the FF3.6.13 icon in my Applications folder, "JUST IN CASE". Ken.

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  8. UnknownMarch 1, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    Just updated my Firefox to 3.6.14 to find there is a Firefox 4 beta released. Much to my expectations it is no longer a universal binary, and won't work on my 7450. There are going to be a lot more PPC users turning over to TenFourFox, I hope you guys keep up the good work!

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  9. UnknownMarch 1, 2011 at 4:36 PM

    The icon for TenFourFox is so silly looking that some people I've recommended it to have literally seen the icon and decided to give TenFourFox a miss because they didn't want the dog world icon in their dock.

    Though I think judging an application by it's icon is more idiotic than judging a book by its cover, is there any chance for a more professional icon in the release version so that this won't be an issue?

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  10. ClassicHasClassMarch 1, 2011 at 5:02 PM

    @Kyle, thanks for the kind word.

    @Steviant, I rather like the icon, but as always, de gustibus non disputandum. ;) I'm certainly open to other designs and some people have sent me some alternative considerations, but none of them are production-ready. That said, I'm open to others if people wish to submit any. The key point is that they cannot be derivatives of the Firefox logo, as Mozilla specifically prohibits this for builds that are not based on an unmodified Firefox distribution (see, for example, the whole story behind Iceweasel). The Deer Park globe is allowed and should be part of any design as visual continuity. Short of that, if someone wants to work on something hi-resolution for branding "TenFourFox 5," talk to me.

    In the short term, however, this is what I have ready in the resolutions I require, so this icon is what we'll be shipping with.

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  11. UnknownMarch 1, 2011 at 5:28 PM

    @ClassicHasClass

    I think the current icon is fine and there's nothing wrong with a bit of silliness, my point was some people seem to have a fragile sense of aesthetics that is offended by an icon that doesn't have enough transparency and gloss.

    Personally, I don't mind the icon at all. :)

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  12. ClassicHasClassMarch 1, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    Hey, no worries. Hopefully the technology and performance improvements being kicked around will win over their aesthetic sensibilities. 8)

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  13. UnknownMarch 1, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    Oops... Forgot the URL for the Mozilla Trademark Policy page

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  14. AnonymousMarch 2, 2011 at 7:01 AM

    @ Steviant. I think the fox-dog icon with the tiger tail is cute and witty. (I'd love it even more without the globe, that would really make it stand out in comparison to all the round blueish circles in the dock). If you *must* change the icon you can do it like this:
    http://postimage.org/image/10qkkoclg/

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  15. UnknownMarch 2, 2011 at 11:06 PM

    I actually went in and changed the document icon and Firefox logo already, I guess I just want to keep that same Firefox feel. I also changed the application name to Firefox and changed the name in infoPlist.strings. :P

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  16. UnknownMarch 2, 2011 at 11:16 PM

    By the way, I'm really liking it so far. Youtube doesn't lag at all when watching videos (albeit in 240, but it used to freeze for a couple seconds even in that resolution), and so far I haven't gotten any spinning color wheel "waiting" mouse sprite, that used to come up pretty constantly in Firefox 3.6. Nice!

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  17. tpkyterooMarch 3, 2011 at 9:28 AM

    Thank God for you guys! I give you a million kudos for having the balls to give a hoot about us little people who can't afford to upgrade to anything. (I'm working on this.)

    I wonder (which I know you can't answer) why when people are fed up with PC's longetivity issues, security issues, and vulnerability attacks and hence moving towards Macs, that FF is dropping Mac support? This is beyond foolish! Unfortunately, intel Macs will be stuck with Safari, unless Chrome works with them (I think they might). To say I loath Safari, is an understatement. My website is programmed for FF (but works okay in Safari/Chrome). I ignore Opera and IE completely. I loathe Chrome too because it is not intuitive for my brain and its unique wiring.

    If you solve the Virtual Memory Issue FF has, and get to where you can afford to support all OS, you can leave FF in the dust. I know this is not your goal, but perhaps it should be? If you're faster, more efficient, still allow us to view passwords in preferences for websites (haven't installed yet, but intend to next), have better performance, then why not? Who wouldn't want to get onboard? You might even be able to make money at it through ads on your site. Just a thought.

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  18. tpkyterooMarch 3, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    BTW, I'm posting this from a 7 year old mac (10.04 G4 powerbook) because 3 PC's and an Ubuntu died.

    If you're interested in reading about my PC woes... ROFL [otherwise feel free to skip as it is verbose ;) ]
    MOBO issues (that Ubuntu will have fixed come spring), ancient Dell that was so slow that nothing worked with it (including utf-8 which my site uses almost exclusively), Toshiba (satelite, part of lawsuit that gave us a bad deal. We got crapware replaced with crapware. Yep. new laptop with refurbished crap that had refurbished crap reinstalled.), and ThinkPad that had electrical issues. I do hope to eventually get enough money to rebuild the Dell (with new EVERYthing), rebuild Toshiba (with NO toshiba anything, so take shell, and rebuild, after taking out everything thats not shell. this includes taking out speakiers, electrical, ports, cpu processors, mobo, etc.), and hiring someone to fix the ThinkPad. Electrical fixing isn't my bag. I'll start with the MOBO switch in the Ubuntu, then move on to rebuilding the Toshiba as I can't make that worse then it already is. ROFL

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  19. ClassicHasClassMarch 3, 2011 at 9:29 PM

    Firefox isn't dropping Mac support, just Power Mac support (and 10.4). They will only be supported as legacy configurations for 3.5/3.6 until those branches cease to be maintained, which will probably be by fall of this year.

    For me personally, I embarked on 10.4Fx because I use my G5, I require Classic, I don't see the point of having to start over with an Intel Mac (and I don't like x86 anyway), and there was no technical reason Firefox couldn't be coerced to run on 10.4 or PowerPC. I'm happy to have had other people contribute reports, suggestions and hints and tips, but even if no one else used TenFourFox I would still maintain it, because I use it myself. Still, I am happy to see that it meets and fulfills a need.

    That said, 10.4Fx is highly Power Mac-centric. While some of the custom code I've written is applicable to POWER and PPC in general, I don't have plans to port it to anything else. The Amiga and LinuxPPC communities are looking at what code they can borrow, though, so it does indirectly benefit them too.

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  20. tpkyterooMarch 4, 2011 at 5:01 AM

    I put in a support request over at FF and I was told that Macs weren't being supported period. If you are correct, which I'm assuming you are, then the person who responded to me over at FF is in error. Why am I believing you over them? FF still works with volunteers. I highly doubt that with so many volunteers that everyone is going to be on the right page 100% of the time. That would me like me insisting they have God-like abilities. :lol:

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  21. tpkyterooMarch 4, 2011 at 5:08 AM

    I meant to say..."That would BE like ME insisting they have God-like abilities. LOL

    You would think that google's blogger would be able to do simple smilies like Word Press can. lol Oh well.
    Thanks and keep up the good work! I have you installed now and it works.

    I'll also see what I can do about submitting a better logo. BUT, if you don't hear from me by Monday, then that means I wasn't capable of it. I'll be using Gimp on my Mac. I intend to help make the dog look more like a dog, keep the globe as I loved that feature, but make it not look like the dog is hiding behind the globe and doing something else. I realize that its suppose to look like a dog is sitting and that the globe is the dog's body, but it looks like something entirely different. Sorry!

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  22. tpkyterooMarch 6, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    Here is a link for you. 1 new Logo for you that makes the dog look like a dog with a globe for a body, but, it doesn't look so much like something bad.

    2nd, I had a crash issue that has data in it for you. The link is to the folder that has both items in it. I'd email this to you, but didn't see an email link.

    http://www.globalwritersclub.com/ten4fx/

    (If I find a better place to put this, I will. ;) )

    ReplyDelete

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