Firefox has been been updated to version 3.0.9. Notification of the update will eventually be given automatically, or you can go to: 'Help > Check for Updates' to update now. Click on: 'What's new in Firefox 3.0.9' in this page to see the list of changes.

I may be alone on this, but I will voice it anyway...

Am I the only one who finds the frequency of Firefox updates a little frustrating? I completely understand the rationale behind it - the nature of internet browsers means that they are one of the most vulnerable areas of a PC, and need to be updated for safety. But it seems that every time I update FF, none of my addons work. And within a week of the addons having a new, compatible version, there is yet another new version of FF waiting to come down...

Mozilla doesn't actually write the extensions, so this is down to the extension developers rather than Mozilla themselves. Every extension has a file in the .xpi package (all extensions have the .xpi file extension) called install.rdf. In that file is a line called em:maxVersion. This sets the highest version of Firefox that the extension can work with. The trouble is that extension developers may write the version line as:

<em:maxVersion>3.0.7</em:maxVersion>

Then the extension won't work past Firefox 3.0.7. Nonetheless, it is important that Firefox is updated regardless of this. A bit of a nuisance about the extensions but it is possible to overcome the difficulty in a few different ways:

Alter the install.rdf file:
* Go to the extension developers web site (the URL can usually found on the Mozilla Add-ons site).
* Download the extension to the Desktop.
* Open up the .xpi file using a zip program.
* Open the 'install.rdf' file.
* Find the 'em:maxVersion' line and change it to read '3.0.9' or '3.0.*'.
* Save the changes.
* Install the modified extension over the top of the current one.

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Install the MR Tech Toolkit extension:
This includes an option to make incompatible extensions compatible. Once installed the procedure is to:

* Open the Firefox Add-ons Window.
* Right-click on any incompatible extension and select 'Make Compatible'.
* Restart Firefox.

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Disable version checking:
* Type about:config into the Address Bar.
* Right-click on the Preferences bar (just below the Filter box).
* Select 'New > Boolean'.
* In the box that opens, type (or copy and paste) extensions.checkCompatibility
* Choose 'False' for the value.
* Restart Firefox.
* Check that any previously disabled extension now works.

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The MR Tech Toolkit way is probably the easiest solution but it does involve installing another extension. It doesn't have to be kept enabled though. It can be disabled once it has done the job of making extensions compatible.

Bumping up an extension's version number may not always work but it usually does when it comes to the same Firefox version series (3.0.1, 3.0.2 etc). An extension may need rewriting for a big Firefox upgrade. This could be the case with with some extensions when Firefox 3.1 is finally released.

Oh yes, to clarify - I wasn't having a go at FF for needing to update the extensions - I'm well aware that they are almost (if not completely) all 3rd party applications. It was more of a moan about the situation, especially when, as you suggest, the extensions probably all work with the updated version without needing to be modified...

But the toolkit sounds interesting - I might give that a go!

Given the level of knowledge you display on the subject - you work as a developer/tester on FF or on related software? Or do you just have a keen interest?

I'm no expert really. It's just that I've been using Firefox since version 0.3. This was released in late 2002. The browser was called 'Phoenix' back then. So, familiar with the ins and outs of Firefox because of that. Keeping up with developments over on the Mozilla forum has also helped in gaining some knowledge. The procedures described in post above aren't too clever. They are just a lot of writing describing what amounts to half a dozen (or so) mouse clicks.

A bit of information found regarding Firefox version numbers that might be of interest.

I miss my Firefox turbo (or whatever it was called) - not compatible with newest version.

Have you tried 'FasterFox' that works a treat for me.

Does anyone use Google Chrome or the new Opera browser when playing funtrivia? Apparently they have faster Java engines than firefox & IE.

Do you have the newly updated Firefox, Digiserf? Because I think that's the turbo I was using, and the message said it is no longer compatible.

Using 3.09 - currently using fasterfox on turbocharged settings.

Thank you - I will have to check it out on Firefox site. Because I miss my FasterFox!

I note there is no current version of Fasterfox on the Add-ons site but it can be made compatible by following one of the methods written about previously in this thread. Be careful of this extension though. It can be a bad one if you have 'Turbo' and 'Prefetching' enabled.

Think of a typical web page. It usually has many links that lead to other pages on the site, or links that lead to other places on the Internet. Fasterfox Prefetch will follow those links and silently download the pages links lead to. You might not have clicked any of the links but their page content is still downloaded to your computer anyway. Downloading pages that you might not even want to see is wasteful on bandwidth usage. Bandwidth often has to be paid for by site owners. Server costs can sometimes mean that sites cannot be afforded and this could lead to them closing down. Some webmasters take action to block Fasterfox prefetching because of this.

Also, what if one of the links Fasterfox pre-fetches leads to a page with malware on it? You might not have clicked on the link but Fasterfox will have done it for you.

I'm not saying don't use the extension but be kind to yourselves and to the sites you are visiting. Turn off Pre-fetching and Turbo.

Chrome opens much faster than Firefox but I don't think it's any faster at opening web pages. That often depends on the speed of the Internet in general and how fast your connection is at any given time.

Your right Tellywellies, prefetch is an awful feature, i've never turned it on and recommend nobody considers using it unless you have masochistic tendencies

I wonder why i've had no compatibility problems with fasterfox since upgrading to 3.09, not that i'm complaining!

While we're talking about add-ons, What do other members recommend as 'essential'?

For me it's Fasterfox and AdBlock Plus.

I've got quite a lot of add-ons but as well as Adblock Plus my essentials are:

Tab Mix Plus - which allows me to change the way Tabs behave combined with ...

Colorful Tabs - which makes it easier to tell one from another if I have a lot open.

NoScript - which lets me decide which sites can run Javascript, Java, and some other scripts (all of which could be malicious) in my browser. It can be a bit of a pain sometimes because you do have to make a decision the first time you visit a site with scripts, e.g. to let menus work, but you get used to it, it only takes a second or two, and it does remember the decision for next time.

CustomizeGoogle - to stop Google tracking my use of the internet. Paranoid? With Google, yes.

Screengrab - take a screenshot of the whole webpage, not just the bit you can see right now.

Yet another Firefox update is here. Go to: ' Help > Check for Updates' to see if it's there yet (perhaps a bit too soon but keep looking), or go to the Firefox Home Page. Read the Release notes to see What's new in Firefox 3.0.10.

Hopefully, it won't break any extensions.

Thanks, I just upgraded to version 3.0.1 and no extension issues.

Interesting extensions Flopsy, I'll take a look at CustomizeGoogle thanks.

Another fun extension I enjoy is CoolIris It allows you to view online photos in a slick browser interface, very funky Real shame I can't get it to work with offline photos, any ideas?

Oh I have that too. The latest version works offline but you have to open it from the browser. So just click on the Cooliris icon to open it, there will be a link to "My Computer" in the lefthand menu.

Excellent! I just upgraded to the new version and it works a treat thanks

I love how it plays YouTube videos too.

I'm pretty fond of Taboo, which helps me avoid losing bookmarked pages in a sea of bookmarks.
Also I use Foxytunes quite a bit. Not so much for the media player but for the searches for lyrics and such. A lot handier than googling every time I need a bit of music info.

I love Cooliris too. It looks so...Star Trek-y or something.

Drat! FasterFox is still not compatible with 3.0.9!

I'm using fasterfox 3.0.4 on firefox 3.0.10.

I noticed there are 2 versions of this add-on. Try this one out Fasterfox 3.0.4

If it still doesn't work try Tellywelly's bypass solution detailed near the beginning of this thread.

Thank you, Digiserf - I will give it a shot.