Slashdot Mirror


Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.3 Released

Mini-Geek writes "Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.3 has been released. As with previous 1.5.0.x patches, 1.5.0.3 can be downloaded as a small, incremental download. From the article: 'This update fixes a publicly disclosed denial of service weakness. All users are encouraged to upgrade to this version. The bugfixes previously planned for Firefox 1.5.0.3 were shifted to 1.5.0.4, and a quick update was released shortly after the recent to address the publicly reported issue.'"

38 of 250 comments (clear)

  1. Ooooo... by heybiff · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't wait to see what passage we will have from the Book of Mozilla.

    The readings are always so inspiring and applicable to our modern lives.

    Heybiff

    --
    Even the Sun goes down.
    1. Re:Ooooo... by AKAImBatman · · Score: 5, Informative
      The book of Mozilla has changed for each product released. There's a Wikipedia page that gives the history here. An official page containing all the passages to date can be found here. And in case you're too lazy to click, here they are by browser:

      Netscape:
      And the beast shall come forth surrounded by a roiling cloud of vengeance. The house of the unbelievers shall be razed and they shall be scorched to the earth. Their tags shall blink until the end of days.

      from The Book of Mozilla, 12:10


      Mozilla:
      And the beast shall be made legion. Its numbers shall be increased a thousand thousand fold. The din of a million keyboards like unto a great storm shall cover the earth, and the followers of Mammon shall tremble.

      from The Book of Mozilla, 3:31
      (Red Letter Edition)


      Firefox:
      And so at last the beast fell and the unbelievers rejoiced. But all was not lost, for from the ash rose a great bird. The bird gazed down upon the unbelievers and cast fire and thunder upon them. For the beast had been reborn with its strength renewed, and the followers of Mammon cowered in horror.

      from The Book of Mozilla, 7:15
    2. Re:Ooooo... by AKAImBatman · · Score: 5, Interesting

      P.S. Look at the source code on the Mozilla Page for some interesting comments on each verse.

  2. luv incremental updates by scott_evil · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Gotta love the small update size. More software should work this way and instead of giving us everything each time, just give the changes. Well... more windows software needs to do it, other platforms seem to manage it ok.

  3. Re:Yet again I was interrupted while I work by Skythe · · Score: 2, Funny

    Blah bla blah the world revolves around me and it should therefore conform to my every wish.

  4. Incremental patch? by VincenzoRomano · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've not found any technical details about the "incremental update" mechanism.
    One would wonder how can this be accomplished with binary distributions (like DEB and RPM.) DLLs?
    For the sources it means that the original complete source code is already available!
    Maybe it is just a download manager a-la Acrobat Reader (for Windows).

    --
    Maybe Computers will never be as intelligent as Humans.
    For sure they won't ever become so stupid. [VR-1988]
    1. Re:Incremental patch? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative
    2. Re:Incremental patch? by mlefevre · · Score: 4, Informative

      Because the downloaded file contains the differences between the binaries, and the updater leaves the rest of the binary file as it was.

      See http://wiki.mozilla.org/Software_Update:MAR and http://www.daemonology.net/bsdiff/ for more.

  5. Encouragement! by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 5, Funny
    All users are encouraged to upgrade to this version.

    Shouldn't we just take this for granted by now? You never really see a vendor come out with a new version of something that some users are discouraged from upgrading to.

    "Here everyone, have some bug fixes and optimizations... but not that one guy, or you people over there, or that lady with the sideburns.."

    1. Re:Encouragement! by rakjr · · Score: 2, Informative

      Not 100% correct. Micro$oft frequently has patches which state, 'only use this patch if you are suffering from the following computing affliction.' Ok, not that exactly, but it is just a variation on, 'if it is not broken, do not minor patch it.'

      --
      In a place beyond time and space, in a land far better than this, look for me there...
  6. Can someone fix the damn javascript console by hsmith · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The javascript console bug has an annoying ass problem of spewing out tons of debug information for CSS errors, which no one cares about because you have to do so many hacks to get styles to look right in all browsers. Console2 was to fix this, but it hasn't been worked on in forever and isn't compatable with 1.5.X. 100 CSS errors every time you load a page gets annoying when you are searching for a few JS errors

    1. Re:Can someone fix the damn javascript console by tobinibot · · Score: 2, Informative

      You should be using Firebug https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1843/. More information here http://www.joehewitt.com/software/firebug/. And coming soon in the next version, a Javascript debugger. I'm been using it, and it works great.

  7. Re:Yet again I was interrupted while I work by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 2, Funny

    What are you on about, the world DOES revolve around me!

    Now, about that stupid ass update message, every other program manages to check for updates when starting up and doesn't bug me halfway through working so why can't firefox?

    I want to keep uptodate, but I'm very tempted to disable it totally and not bother checking.

    (apart from antivirus, but then again thats a background process anyway)

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
  8. Weird Firefox behaviour when typing by caluml · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A question, which is off topic, but not entirely:
    Does anyone else have the problem that occurs sometimes when everything you type into the browser, every single character goes into the form, but it also pops up the "search" functionality and puts the character in there. It also loses focus, so you have to reclick back into the form field, and type the next character.
    I have no idea what causes it, but I have to close my browser, and restart it.
    If you don't know what I'm talking about you don't have it.

    1. Re:Weird Firefox behaviour when typing by cs96and · · Score: 4, Informative

      Go to Options->Advanced->General and deselect "Begin finding when you begin typing"

    2. Re:Weird Firefox behaviour when typing by harryk · · Score: 3, Informative

      thats an incorrect solution, as both functions should work. I've had this same problem when using Sprint PCS's website, pretty routinely. I think this is a page loading issue, as it doesn't recognize that the text is in form, as opposed to search strings.

      But yes, I've had the problems too.

      harryk

      --
      think before you write, it'll save me moderator points.
    3. Re:Weird Firefox behaviour when typing by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yes I just got this problem after updating. It happens when I type an apostrophe or a slash into a form field, or even when I paste one. I also cannot use the up and down arrow keys in form fields now. The box for begin finding when you begin typing is turned OFF, so that is not the problem.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  9. Re:Nice.... by voice_of_all_reason · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You're far too trusting. Letting random strangers automagically execute code on your machine?

  10. Re:Just a minor revision by christopherfinke · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Seriously, who finds this interesting?
    Well, I do. Mostly because I'm an extension developer and I like to make sure that all of my extensions work with the latest version of Firefox, but also because I just find Firefox to be interesting software and news about it is almost never unwelcome on my screen. Slashdot is reserved regarding posting about Firefox compared to Digg, where even articles about speculation about point-releases are promoted to the front page almost immediately.
  11. Re:Yet again I was interrupted while I work by malsdavis · · Score: 2, Insightful

    But isn't the ability of the end-user to customise the software to their exact preference/need one of the biggest advantages of Open Source?

  12. Re:Yet again I was interrupted while I work by Blahbooboo3 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yes! However, it's the attitude of "figure it out moron" from some people that is the problem with open source projects.

  13. auto-updates make security easier by MikeFM · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's definately a role model that other software venders could learn from. For friends and family that I used to have to babysit their browser updates now all I have to do is let Firefox do it's thing. Seems to work well in Thunderbird too. It really does make it a lot easier for non-technical people to keep up-to-date and truth be told it makes it easier for a geek boy like me too.

    The only other Windows program I have that seems to work as well is Azureus which is also opensource.

    --
    At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
  14. Re:Yet again I was interrupted while I work by bunratty · · Score: 3, Informative
    I was happily reading a webpage when this popped up. I want it to only check for updates during a new tab or window, NOT when I'm just sitting there browsing or typing or watching something.
    Bug 323041 - Software update dialog steals focus
    --
    What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
  15. Re:Glad by ZombieRoboNinja · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aww, and the teeming masses were just hanging on your every word, hoping to jump ship to whatever secret and superior browsing software the great Joebert uses...

  16. Re:Flaw Found In Firefox 1.5.0.3 by Ginger+Unicorn · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I think characterising firefox as "riddled with bugs" and asserting that people aren't too keen to recommend it as secure vs IE7 is very misinformed.

    Neither of those statements are true, assuming that by "people" you mean a significant proportion of the people aware of Firefox and what it offers. Unless something drastic has happened while my back was turned I am pretty sure that almost no-one who uses firefox would consider it less secure than Internet Explorer.

    As for being "riddled" with bugs, even if it were determined that Firefox had as many or more identified bugs of a comparable or worse severity than Internet Explorer, that still wouldn't change that fact that safe browsing is a lot more reliant on sensible behaviour than browser stability. The lack of ActiveX in Firefox is the real saviour as far as drive-by spyware installations are concerned. And for the slightly savvier user, Javascript whitelisting via the NoScript extension eliminates cross-site scripting exploits, without crippling necessary or useful functionality on trusted sites.

    --
    (1.21 gigawatts) / (88 miles per hour) = 30 757 874 newtons
  17. Re:Just a minor revision by Kilz · · Score: 5, Informative
    So, that removes security as a reason for using Firefox. Speed never was a reason, and it certainly isn't efficient memory usage. That leaves what, exactly, as a reason for using Firefox over Opera, or even IE7? That it's open source? That's a pretty lousy reason
    IE7? You have to be joking right? Its still in beta and relies a lot on IE6 code. You know the code that recently had 2 giant security flaws exposed, and they along with others have not been patched. Better to stay with Firefox, at least when holes are found they are patched faster than any other browser that I know of.
    --
    I trust Microsoft as far as I could comfortably spit a dead rat
  18. Re:Terminology matters by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It might have more to do with the natrual assumption Windows admins make about versions. With the Windows systems he knows that its upgraded to the latest version through either Automatic updates or through an intranet update. With multiple browsers with a different upgrade system he can not know for certain if your firefox is fully upgraded or is like most windows users computers and 50 versions out of date(there is a hell of a lot of issues caused by people who could have just upgraded their computer). Plus too with just one browser if something happens or shows up out in the wild he can react accordingly. with firefox plue IE he has to track twice the issues and figure out how they affect things.

    Its more about managability, imagine the administrative headache you would have if you had users using netscape(and yes I have seen this, only way I managed to get that user off of it was by sabotaging her computer so I had to "replace" it, couldn't get her offa it otherwise), firefox, IE, Opera and having them all running under redhat, debian, windows 98, windows 2000, windows xp, mac 9, mac X, etc...

    It would quickly become a disaster. Personally if I had a consistent system throught I would slap you down hard for using something outside of the guidelines. Although I've been trying to convince the people here to dump IE and Office so I could go to Opera/Firefox and OpenOffice so I would be slapping everybody else for using IE. Trying but failing...

  19. Re:Long Live Seamonkey by wysiwia · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You can be sure SeaMonkey won't be dropped, the community takes care. For some users (mostly power users) SeaMonkey is much more useful, just look at the cookie manager or the preferences. Besides the SM/Mail has advantages over Thunderbird, I first had to write an extension (Folder selection) to make TB sort of usable for me. Sure enough it's good to be able to choose.

    O. Wyss

    --
    See http://wyoguide.sf.net/papers/Cross-platform.html
  20. Re:Just a minor revision by shokk · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No actually that's still less than Microsoft's IE and Windows patch sets. And Microsoft's patches more often than not involve critical bugs.

    Open source is actually a pretty good reason. It lets people contribute and find these problems, helps them guide the development of the product, and lets them build all sorts of neat add-ons. The whole Opera thing just comes across as snobby and pretentious, just like your post.

    --
    "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart, he dreams himself your master."
  21. Blimey by Ginger+Unicorn · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why is my parent post a troll?

    --
    (1.21 gigawatts) / (88 miles per hour) = 30 757 874 newtons
    1. Re:Blimey by William_Lee · · Score: 3, Funny
      Why is my parent post a troll?

      C'mon, this is Slashdot... Isn't it obvious?! Your parent is modded as troll because some of the moderators can't seem to differentiate between the ORIGINAL posting which was a troll, and your response which wasn't.

      Just another day in da /. hood

  22. Re:Just a minor revision by zen-theorist · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Well, I do. Mostly because I'm an extension developer and I like to make sure that all of my extensions work with the latest version of Firefox, but also because I just find Firefox to be interesting software and news about it is almost never unwelcome on my screen. Slashdot is reserved regarding posting about Firefox compared to Digg, where even articles about speculation about point-releases are promoted to the front page almost immediately.
    in that case, why not waste a couple of hours everyday on mozilla.org instead of slashdot.org?
  23. Re:Just a minor revision by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2, Informative

    "So, that removes security as a reason for using Firefox. Speed never was a reason, and it certainly isn't efficient memory usage. That leaves what, exactly, as a reason for using Firefox over Opera, or even IE7? That it's open source? That's a pretty lousy reason."

    People like you who have never really understood what a security nightmare IE still is probably never will - so I won't waste your time on that. But you (probably intentionally) totally ignored proper rendering and standards support. IE7 fixes a few of the glaring issues (e.g. PNG transparency), but it really isn't much of a step forward toward CSS 2 or 3 compliance. If you want to see a simple demonstration of this for yourself, try playing with an object's opacity sometime.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  24. Portable Firefox 1.5.0.3 Released by CritterNYC · · Score: 4, Informative
    For the portable folks, I updated Portable Firefox 1.5.0.3 to the new release as well:
    http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/browsers/por table_firefox

    Also added in a few new features in the recent releases:
    • Split Apps/Data directories for easy backups
    • Local homepages (for users of TiddlyWiki, etc)
    • Self-extracting packages (easy install, only 4.8MB download)
    • Few bug fixes
  25. Re:unicode symbols fail to display FF1.5.0.3 for M by Dis*abstraction · · Score: 2, Informative

    Since you're on a Mac, why are you using Firefox when you could be using Safari instead? Honest question.

    People accustomed to PC-world mediocrity may find Firefox satisfactory for their tastes, but Firefox pales in comparison to the legions of Cocoa-native Mac browsers. Even Jon Hicks, the talented graphic designer who designed Firefox's logo and icon, switched to Safari a while back after getting fed up with Firefox's sluggish performance, not to mention its wretched user interface and terrible rendering. He now maintains this site for extensions to Safari. Hope this helps.

  26. Re:Just a minor revision by Xugumad · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How about, it follows the standards? You may not care, but my job as a web developer would be hell of a lot easier if all browsers did! Having to write "And if the browser is IE, use this horribly broken method of doing things instead because the IE devs didn't read the spec" code is a real nuisance.

    Also, irrespective of number of flaws, while the number of people using IE stays so high, my chances of browsing a page with a security exploit for my browser is dramatically higher when using IE (I should add here, I don't want to see Firefox, IE, or any other browser having most of the market; I'd love to see the market split into fairly equal slices between at least three different browsers).

  27. Mostly On Topic: Updating Multiple Win2k/XP Boxes by kwalker · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This is sorta off topic, but relavant because of the new update.

    Where I work, I've been pushing hard to get the company to use Firefox instead of IE. I've got most people using it every day. However these are normal office workers, they don't click on the update icon (They don't even wonder about it), and I find that they're running an older version. Does anyone know of a way to add the update to a login script, so it is silently installed when they login? I've googled around, and maybe I'm not using the right search phrases, but I'm not finding anything useful. I'm even willing to download a whole new .exe file for 1.5.0.3 if I can figure out a way to have that auto-installed on the 35 machines here.

    --
    ... And so it comes to this.
  28. Denial of Service my ass by brunes69 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    There is no such thing as a "denial of service" attack in a web browser. At worst it causes a crash, and potentially makes you lose unsaved data on some web forms.

    If we're calling anything that locks your browser a DOS now, then how come this bug, which is over 3 years old and seems dead simple to fix, is not? I can make a browser DOS on any web page I want:

    <script>
    while(true) alert('Boom!');
    </script>

    Such a piece of code does not trigger the "script is taking a long time" message because it fires alerts. And the alerts are content-modal so you can't do *anything* to close the browser or tab causing the alerts. You have to kill it off.

    No different from the "denial of service" bug mentioned in this posting.