The answer to the first question is: not a lot. Previous updates to Firefox have changed the look and feel of the open source web browser, but we had to check that we were using Firefox 5, so similar does it appear to Firefox 4. Our tests of Firefox 5 suggest that there are, however, key improvements in this iteration that should make you swiftly upgrade.
Firefox 5: Speed
It's quicker and less resource hungry. When first we started browsing with Firefox 5, it felt more nippy than its predecessor: not earth-shatteringly so, but enough to notice. More importantly, after growing increasingly frustrated with Mozilla Firefox 4's propensity to slow down and fall over, this release seems lighter on its feet (and less heavy on the memory). Could Firefox 5 be the Windows 7 to Firefox 4's Windows Vista? Objective testing, he say: 'yes'.
Digitizor, for instance, benchmarked Firefox 5 and found it to be significantly faster than version 4. It stomped all over Google Chrome and Opera in both the SunSpider JavaScript test and in a race to start up and display a web page. And in use on my WIndows 7 PC with 4GB RAM, Firefox 5 utilises less memory: with 10, processor intensive pages live in separate tabs, Firefox 5 was utilising around 225MB of memory, Firefox 4 around 280MB. Over a few hours use it also seems a lot more stable.
This is important. In recent months I've more or less switched to Google Chrome, even for using the PC Advisor Content Management System - which is written for Firefox. Quite simply, I was losing too much work when Firefox chewed up a ton of memory and fell over. Any improvement here helps.
Firefox 5: Security
So Firefox 5 is quicker and smaller, it's also - according to Mozilla - safer. Because Do Not Track will now feature in Firefox for Android, Mozilla says its is the first web browser to support Do Not Track on multiple platforms. Version 5 of the desktop product certainly puts the feature front and centre. Go to Options, and it's right there at the top: tick the checkbox and participating websites will know not to store your data. How useful that is I leave for you to decide, but it speaks to Mozilla's desire for Firefox to be seen as the browser of choice for the security conscious (and the paranoid).
Similarly, Mozilla says that in this version of Firefox WebGL content can no longer load cross-domain textures. WebGL is an API by which websites can display 3D imagery. It utilises the end user's graphics hardware to render complex images.
When someone tells you that mysterious code is giving websites access to your graphics hardware, you'd be forgiven for running for the hills screaming, but WebGL is a legitimate way of using javascript to improve the internet's functionality. Tightening up the security as Mozilla has done here is a good thing, but it's unlikely to change your world dramatically.
Firefox 5: The Open Web
Mundane, but more fundamentally important: Firefox 5 brings improved standards support for HTML5, XHR, MathML, SMIL and canvas. Firefox 5 for Android enjoys added IPv6 support. So right now Firefox 5 is the best browser for open Web standards. It also adds support for CSS animations, a Firefox Add-on SDK for Windows, Mac and Linux and the Firefox Add-on Builder Beta, which provides a web-based build environment. So if you are a web developer or Firefox add-on maker, Firefox 5 is categorically a good thing.
Firefox 5: And The Rest...
Mozilla is claiming 'more than 1,000 improvements and performance enhancements' in Firefox 5. You may not notice them, but improvements and enhancements sound good, right? But you may find that add-ons you use in Firefox 4 are not yet compatible. Extensions for Firefox are almost all third-party apps, so developers have a bit of a scramble to catch up when Mozilla updates the browser. In our case, four of our add-ons were incompatible, but Firefox does at least periodically check for updates, and install the apps without you having to do anything other than approve the change.
See also: Group test: what's the best web browser?
Comments
Rauk said: As a qualifier I should say Google is my current search engine of choice and my current problems arent just a Ff problem Dont seem to be able to control the combination of the two despite searched tweaks - loosing faith in both
Rauk said: Well since Ff 4 and now in swift succession Ff 5 I havent been enjoying my Ff experience - slow all round and with Ff 5 successive search page results provide me with a simple list of result appended to my my original page of results without add-onplugin view capabilities web-site thumbnails etc Seems to me the latest Ff versions are just too prescriptive in terms of search display options No doubt there are switches that allow me to dictate how Ff displays my searches but I havent found them I find myself using Opera a lot more
SOCIOPAL said: LOL - have fun
SOCIOPAL said: what really annoys me is that now that Ive upgraded to FFox5 a number of my Addons are no longer supported I know this isnt exactly Mozillas problem as the Addons are provided by the 3rd parties but couldnt Mozilla have given a heads up to any Addon developers to ensure their products are compatible with the latest version
Jim said: I have both running fine on XP64 pro
Josephestep said: Firefox 4 or 5 is like an anchor on my PC Ill just stay with Chrome and Safari
Neesonix said: Wow what year are you living in Didnt know they had perfected time travel yet Would you take me for a spin in your supersonic booster hoverjet
Mark said: Hi Skinhat Disable the add-on compatibility check or install the Add-on Compatibility Reporter here is the link httpsaddonsmozillaorgen-After a restart your Google Toolbar will work at least it is working fine for me You will also find that most of your incompatible addons will work
The Baldchemist said: Incompatible with Firefox 3xNow after a little research and why should I have to do that I came across this Note that you must use version 1010 or earlier on Firefox 3x This add-on is no longer compatible with Firefox 3x or earlier Which makes the current versions useless on Macs since Firefox 4 on the Mac remains unusableIs there little or no co operation between these companies Mac have 20 of the market and increasing daily Whats going on
Kate Chopin said: The issue with latest version of Firefox is unavailability of extensions
Kate Chopin said: Now Firefox 70 Alpha 1 has also been released It can be downloaded here httpbitlyjVBznp
The Baldchemist said: It works beautifully Why change We have around 200 clients where we regularly update with pics and copy We prefer having it in the browserWe run only Mac by the wayI dont believe in change for the sake of change Weve run with Mozilla since its inveption trouble free but the up grade took two days of work from us and in the end we decided to give Chrome a try which I installed and un installed about 4 years ago when it was it was in Beta
The Baldchemist said: Are you running windows or mac
John said: Then youre using the wrong tool for the job Firefox is a web browser first and foremost If you use FTP a lot get a FTP client
The Baldchemist said: Going back to 3617 for us meant we couldnt get FTP to function
The Baldchemist said: I did wisen up I changed to Chrome If add ons dont work together with the new version of Mozilla then its of no use Ive been using FTP andMozillasince 2008 FTP is an important part of our work I dont want to spend my timeupdatingmany hours when I can get all I need with ChromeWise up
The Fly said: I had not previously upgraded to Version 4 from Version 3617 and decided after hearing such positive things on Firefox 5 especially efforts made to eliminate memory leaks Guess what after running it for a day with about 30 tabs open I started getting weird problems with other applications Sure enough Firefox was dragging my system down So I have now gone back to the tried and recently updated Version 3618 Rock solid and still very versatile and secure
John said: You realize that The people who develop FireFTP are different from the people who develop Firefox right What was Mozilla supposed to do wait for all third party developers to update their plugin compatibility before releasing the browser update Wise up
Molly Campbell said: I just barely installed Firefox 5 and FireFTP still seems to be working fine
Paul said: Yup Gareth thats the real question about new browsers what do we need to do to get previous work to run properly