What will I lose if I upgrade from Firefox ESR 24.6.00 to Firefox 33.0.3 (currently using Windows 8.1)?
I used Firefox ESR 24.6.00 before upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 8.1 this summer. It has, and still does, work perfectly...with the exception that Firefox has started nagging me to upgrade.
I stopped upgrading when the Firefox upgrade (latest and greatest at the time) had problems with XP.
Current Add-ons:
Adblock Plus 2.6.5 BetterPrivacy 1.68 Disconnect 3.14.0 Download YouTube Videos as MP4 1.7.29 Find Toolbar Tweaks 3.0.0 Flashblock 1.5.1776 Garmin Communicator 4.2.0.00Locationbar 1.0.6-WDRoboForm Toolbar for Firefox 7.9.10.1
Would love to be able to use again:
Add to Search Bar (incompatible with Firefox 24.6.0) avast! Online Security 9.0.2021.112 (has a conflict with Firefox) Walnut for Firefox 2.0.29
Wšě wotmołwy (7)
The release notes for the current updates are located: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox.../releasenotes/
The complete list of changes
However it is always possible to make a back up of your profile folder if you are worried about losing anything. Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles
Neither the Release Notes nor the list of changes explicitly specifies the effect of changes/updates all aspects of Firefox. Generally all they do is hype the change.
While I do know how to backup and restore Firefox, that will have no effect on "improvements" that render how I rely on Firefox unworkable.
None of the add ons are on the blocked add on list: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fire.../blocked/
and
The only issue i see that is with Avast is that Firefox will not close correctly on Windows with Windows HTTPS Scanning enabled. This is fized inversion 33.1 however.
Claiming to be an ESR update, I updated.
ERROR WILL ROBINSON!
Items in my toolbars were moved.
My toolbars were moved around.
My "Find" toolbar at the bottom of the page disappeared.
And probably other things yet to be discovered.
Firefox is a good (downgraded from great) browser. "Improvements" being made are going to kill it. I suspect some of these "improvements" are being made to accommodate illiterate computer users and smartphone users.
Other than uninstalling Firefox and reinstalling the version that worked (and hoping that the "improvements" are not permanent) , how do I fix the "improvements"? How do I lock down my preferred arrangement so that future "improvements" leave them alone (besides never, ever letting Firefox update?
See this support article: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-to-make-new-firefox-look-like-old-firefox
And maybe this forum thread at MozillaZine: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2824649
Tried the Classic Theme Restorer Add-on. Not only does it not make new Firefox look like old Firefox, but the instructions do not match the actual add-on and it changes the toolbar layouts without warning.
I went back to my older version of Firefox and realized that it was much faster than the current version.
If Firefox indeed switches to Yahoo as a search agent (with no option for change), then its death knell has been sounded.
Does anyone have a suggestion outside of IE and Chrome?
Firefox has always allowed the user to use their choice of search engines, and the new preferences toward Yahoo (in the US market for now) won;t change that "user choice".
I have 36 search engines installed on the new Beta, and have no problem setting my own "default" search engine and no problem selecting a different search engine "on-the-fly", either. Yahoo will only remain the "default" until the user selects a different "default". If the user doesn't change the "default" they'll get Yahoo all the time.
There is a Classic Theme Restorer support thread over here, which is monitored by the developer - Aris. http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=2827985&start=1785 You can also make suggestions for new or changed features in that thread.