(gold clap)

Hurray!

Do you (or anybody who's downloaded the optimized builds) have any performance results to compare to the normal FF3?

Nice work btw.

jsut downloaded the new version and it has the firefox icon!

This morning I downloaded Firefox 3 for Mac. On the download page it says the new version is for OS X. It is, as I now know from reading the troubleshooting page, not. It works only on OS 10.4. Version 10.3.9, which is still OS X.

So I've wasted an hour of my time trying to get the thing working, and now I'm trying to find where I can get Firefox 2, but the Mozilla site just takes me to the useless (for me) v.3 page. I'm giving up. If by chance I stumble upon a Firefox 2, I might install it. I'd hate to see all my bookmarks gone (they probably are).

I guess I'll have to get used to Safari now. Which I don't particularly like.

Thanks!

Cool!
Starts up faster, scrolls smoother, resizes windows smoother.
It's like it's Safari only... um, Firefox! :)
Thanks!

Why can't the Firefox guys do this themselves?

Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's beautiful and fast and sleek! I love it!

Now this is awesome.

Now will I notice any difference on a new Mac Pro :-)

Thanks so much! You rock.

This is awesome, i so much hoped that you might have created an optimised build for the 3.x release... and there it was.! Thanks for all the time you put into this, there really are noticeable speed differences.

All the best,
Bjoern

I'd love to see how the optimized builds compare to the official version. Are they noticeability faster?

Just a heads-up: Some sites (such as the videos on cnn.com) don't recognize these builds as Firefox, and thus won't display correctly.

Just downloaded Firefox 3 for Mac, and now the full version of Hotmail Live doesn't work. It has reverted to Classic. some of the options don't work. How the @#$% can I get Firefox 2 back?

Once again, thank you! Yet another build from your own time.
May your life be long, your children many, your CPUs lightening fast!

Nice build but why not contribute to the Firefox core dev instead of building a ripp off calling it Minefield. This way there'll be multiple versions and that is not for the benefit of the Firefox users. It's confusing.

Thanks mate. it is blazing fast, start up is instant

nice and speedy--love it! how can I import my bookmarks from Bon Echo? Minefield automatically took them from my old Firefox, and Safari looks like the only other option...?

You didn't waste any time in making another huge contribution to the community. Well done you. You know, I think I'm going to miss Bon Echo. I liked that it carried the name of one of my favourite Provincial Parks.

i don't see any difference in performance between the standard firefox 3 and the intel optimised build. what is the advantage of using your build? is there any hard evidence that the intel optimised build performs better than the standard firefox build?

Little issue--opening new tabs seems to go directly to the new tab, although the checkbox for that preference is empty. Otherwise great work, impressive how quickly you got it out.

Hey Neil,
The unsubscribe link in the email notifications take you to a 404.
Gazzer

Thanks very much for the service you provide here. Waiting patiently for the G4 build!

Hey. I am really enjoying your build, its fast and works well. Truth is that the user agent you fixed solves all of the problems i have encountered up to now. One question though, why is the name of the app still "Minefield" in the toolbar?

thanx

I have the same problem, the new Minefield has a normal firefox icon.... Somebody can help us?

Neil,

This isn't your problem but .. after I ran the Intel build I found that my home page is wonky.

I have an html file on local disk that I use for my home page - easier than using bookmarks, for the 10 sites I have there.

Launched the Intel build, it did it's thing just fine .. except that when I click on the links there nothing happens.

I said 'welp, that's funny', closed the Intel build, launched the 2.0.0.14 build and .. same behavior.

I thought perhaps it was some of the funky css I have for that file - but even a text file consisting of nothing but a single link gives me trouble.

I'm guessing that the Intel build reset a switch, or set a switch - but which one is not obvious in Preferences. And why 'links from a static local file' would be bad is a good question.

Any ideas?

You can find Firefox 2 here.

http://mozilla.mirror.facebook.com/firefox/releases/

Launched the Intel build, it did it's thing just fine .. except that when I click on the links there nothing happens.

Fixed - TorButton 1.2 was causing a problem. Disabling it resolves the issue.

Thank you so much for all the work you do! Firefox optimized Mac builds FTW.

Any chance of a (gasp) G4 version? Would be nice for my TiBook. The Intel version is lots better on my Quad. THANKS!

i was trying to locate and change the Minefield name
back to Firefox but when i look in this file:

firefox.js

i find nothing saying Minfield. where is this name that shows up in the menubar located and in what file?

Have you figured out where to go back to get Firefox 2? I also installed Firefox 3, which of course didn't install on 10.3.9 and I've completely lost Firefox. I can't find it on my system and I much prefer it to Safari. Plus, I too want back my bookmarks. Let me know if you find out anything. Thanks

Chadwick Cipiti, did you read Neil's post?

"For the moment there is only G5 and Intel builds - I have a G4 laptop but I’m having problems getting Firefox to successfully build on it, so that may take a few days. Believe me, G4 builds will come once I get these issues worked out."

I second that.

please??

Thanks. If anyone´s looking for G4 builds this guy has done it: http://fox.lazycat.info/

Eagerly waiting for a G4 build. Thanks in advance!

I've enjoyed using your G4 optimized version of Firefox 2.x. Hope you'll have a G4 version of 3.0 for those of us with older hardware. And thanks for doing this!

For you guys asking about where to find Firefox 2:
http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/

hi Neil/Guys,

I'm new to this whole optimized Firefox setup but I was hoping you could clarify a few things for me before I give it a go (I could do with more responsiveness and load times on my old macbook)

1. Since Neil has changed the user agent to reflect as Firefox, will it be able to auto-download and install updates from mozilla? or are there special ways for us to update manually?

2. I know Neil mentioned compatibility issues with addons, but if the addons work fine on the standard Firefox 3.0, can I assume they would work on the Optimized build as well?

Hope some answers will shed some light on this. Nevertheless, thanks Neil, I think this is an awesome project which deserves much more recognition than you get (since not all of us have state-of-the-art machines and value every little bit of shorter load times)

Cheers,
Will

I've launched a torrent for your Intel build to perhaps distribute your bandwidth load. It can be downloaded at http://files.yaauie.com/ff3-intel.torrent

very nice build! since ff3 i thinks, that the theme of firefox looks better as the "GrApple Firefox themes"

Why just not use the xslimmer application to rid off the g5 code?

I uploaded the builds to my server, so please download from the links below to save Neil's bandwidth.
Intel
G5

i downloaded FF3 on my iBook G4 and it was slow. i went back to FF2.

Am anticipating the G4 build so i can revel in the artistry that is FF3.

May the Fox be with you.

I just tried to open one of my Google Docs spreadsheets, and nothing displays! :-O The text documents seem OK.

Using the same profile. The "official" Firefox displays things OK...

I'm using the PPC Minefield under Tiger....

Please forgive me if my comments sound uninformed. First, I don't have a different icon like Neil described in his post. Second, I just downloaded it today, and I still see "Minefield" at the top left. I thought he updated that? Any help is appreciated. Brian

Thank you for doing this! Your version is really faster and more responsive than the "original". Makes huge difference in browsing experience. Much appraciated!

Great! I'll wait for the G4 version for myself.

Do you have any info on how to do this though? Specifically the statically-linked compile process. I'd like to do the same thing for older versions of Linux at work, so that I don't have to upgrade half the OS just to run a browser! You have my email address... Thanks!

looking forward to the G4 build for my PBG4!

Brian i asked the same exact question days ago and got zero response. seems the question does register with the developer

Anyone have issues with goggle notifier opening minefield?

I've been using your optimized version of FF for a long time now, and eagerly installed your Intel FF3 release. Love everything about it EXCEPT:

It doesn't resolve the 3 second or so delay I see in both the "factory" and optimized versions of FF3. FF2 was and still is much faster for me. I don't get it.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I do not want to seem ungracious, the truth is that i am enjoying your build very much and thank you for it.

I just want to repeat my question, is there a way to change the name of the app from Minefield to Firefox??

Thanx

I have an intel mac verion 10.4.11 and firefox and minefield just wont load. The bottom left of the browser says "Done" and all I get is a blank page. Any help?

I'm in the same boat, and I'm very irritated. I've given up on Firefox as well. I hate Safari, but it's better than this stupid Camino--loaded with buggy goodness.

How ridiculous, Mozilla!

RE: wilberfan, the Google Docs Spreadsheets open fine for me with a Minefield build I just downloaded on 10.5 Intel. I wonder if it just affects PPC users, or maybe a conflict with an extension installed?

I just downloaded (on June 29) and the application I got says it was created/modified on June 17. It has an icon almost exactly the same as official Firefox (the land masses on the globe are the only difference I can see) though its user agent string seems to be correct for Firefox. So I'm confused :-) I wonder if the mirrors have the most up to date version? (I got mine from websushi)

Thanks for taking one for the team and working out how to do this.

Perry

What can I say? I went to Neil's page as soon as Ff3 was officially released, downloaded his first Intel build, and had not a single problem with it; not any of those problems being whined about on this thread or even the problems Neil issued his second Intel build to correct. Perhaps one reason for this is that I had been using Mozilla's RC 2 & 3 builds already so I didn't have to install this one over OS 10.4.11 as most of you did. I had grown so sick of Ff 2x that I actually bought OmniWeb and was using it as my main browser until Neil's optimized Ff3 was posted. Now I'm back to Firefox as my default browser. Not that OmniWeb isn't still a superior alternative to Safari when I need a browser that meets strict Acid 3 standards. Firefox still needs work meeting those.

Tabbing in MF doesn't "alight" on dropdown menus for me…and I can't find anything in the preferences that makes me think it's simply a setting I can change. Otherwise it's great, thanks for the work.

Intel 10.4.11.

Hi, it's lovely and fast, thanks, and has fixed some probs I was having with genuine firefox. The only problem I have is that my puter won't sleep while minefield is open. Screen dims, but computer stays awake. Is there something in the minefield prefs I can fiddle with? I'm not HUGELY computer literate so there may be something I'm missing.

This very unlikely to be anything caused by Minefield; there are no Minefield settings that would affect this. Are you sure you downloaded the correct version (G4, G5, Intel) for your computer? Does your computer sleep when other applications are open? Have you checked your Energy Saver preferences to see that they haven't changed? Have you run Permissions repair since downloading Minefield?

So sad. I'm running Mac OS X 10.4.11 on a G5 1.8. I tried to install Firefox 3 but even with all bookmarks, plist, add-ons etc. deleted, it crashes before starting. Always. I put some crazy hopes in Minefield (you never know..) but in vain. So it's back to FF 2 and after that I fear: Bye-Bye Mozilla. Thank you for your work over and over again. I really enjoyed it.

If you want the older version of firefox, you could go to the 'older versions' page:

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

Hi, I am trying to install this on a G4 running 10.3.9

The icon bounces in the dock, but the program never fully loads, and then crashes.

It's not my box (or I would update OS X) so I am wondering if this is an issue with 10.3.9?

Thanks so much for this, it screams on my MB w/ 10.5.

The G4 build doesn't seem to remember last sessions. I get a blank page on restart while the official build remembers sessions fine. I'm guessing there are other issues too.

Thanks Neilio. Yup, time to upgrade!

I ran the Webkit "Sunspider" javascript benchmarks (included Safari just for fun)

Firefox 3: 3204.6

Firefox 3 Minefield: 3184.6

Safari 3.1: 4759.2

Speed advantage of 0.6%, well within a 5% margin-of-error... I loved these optimized builds back when I was stuck on a G4, but I'm pretty sure this is just splitting hairs now.

please check your machine I am running OSX 10.5.4 on an imac intel and it runs fine

Is firefox 3/minefield a cocoa build?
My services menu is greyed out in Minefield so I fear the worst! Oh, please don't make me go back to safari.

Just an idea, are there software components in the 10.3.9 that you could update (gcc, xcode, ?) "backport" to get the Firefox 3 running in Panther on G3?

lol.. thats pretty funny, and plus by the way, good job on ur optimized build!

Just curious if you've made any progress on the won't-display-google-spreadsheets problem?

Thanx :-)
http://uggerholt.com

I was hoping (somehow) this new 3.0.1 build would fix my Google Spreadsheet problem, but alas. (Documents open fine; spreadsheets open 'blank.)

I created a new profile (with zero cookies, empty cache, and zero addons) and the problem persists. (Google suggests clearing cache and cookies.)

The 3.0.1 Firefox (with all my addons) opens spreadsheets fine. All of my Linux 'alternate' builds (swiftweasel, iceweasel) opens spreadsheets fine.

What could it be about this (these) builds in the PPC environment (could it be a PPC/Leopard issue??) that would render those pages (essentially) blank?

I'll have access to a Tiger/Intel machine tomorrow. Curious to see what it will do there...

thanks for the software and your time :)
I wish mozilla would just have an optimized build.

Thanks for the release! You did a great job.

Thanks again Neil for another build well done!

This version is completly slow im returning to firefox normal i got ppc g5 but is slower i dont know why many people have the opposite.

Awesome! But it could use a different name...Minefield conjures up scary images. Perhaps you could call it MacFox or something?

I'd say there's no real performance difference when using his optimized version but it seems to use less memory than the standard firefox3. Up to 50% less in fact.