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Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 Adds Private Browsing

Posted by kdawson on from the more-features-late-in-the-game dept.

CWmike was one of several readers to point out the release of Firefox 3.1 Beta 2, the first version of its flagship browser to switch on the much faster TraceMonkey JavaScript engine and sport a working privacy mode dubbed "Private Browsing." An ancillary addition to Private Browsing is a new addition to the "Clear Recent History" dialog box allowing users selectively to erase the last hour, the last two hours, the last four hours, today's, or all browsing history — previously, the wipe was all or nothing. This beta includes support for "web worker threads," a developing specification that will let Web-based application developers run background processes to speed up their apps. One feature present in Beta 1 is gone in the new beta: Ctrl-Tab switching. According to the developer, the UI needs more work; the feature probably won't be in the final 3.1.

41 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. Kudos for the improvements, but... by acid06 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Come on... no Ctrl+Tab switching?
    How could anyone possibly use it without that feature?

    Seems like a deal-breaker for me...

    1. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Don't know what the hell they were thinking with that. I hope there's still some method of switching between tabs without reaching for the mouse.

    2. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by auric_dude · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The acid test is will it now pass the http://acid3.acidtests.org/ ?

    3. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by AlterRNow · · Score: 2, Informative

      Alt + [0-9] allows me to switch tabs without the mouse ( not sure on any limitations e.g. only up to 10th tab ).

      --
      The disappearing pencil trick. Let me show you it.
    4. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by jez9999 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Dunno why this was modded funny... have they seriously disabled that? If so, why???

      --
      == Jez ==
      Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
    5. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Interesting

      No. Maybe Firefox 3.2. *shrug*

      More interesting that talking about numbers in the Acid3 test is about the features lacking though. And a major part lacking here would be SVG fonts.

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
    6. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by evilNomad · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Ctrl+Tab functionality is still there, they just removed the new interface that they had added in beta 1..

    7. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by Shining+Celebi · · Score: 5, Informative

      Don't know what the hell they were thinking with that. I hope there's still some method of switching between tabs without reaching for the mouse.

      You can still switch tabs with Ctrl+Tab, it's just the fancy effects to go along with it are gone, as well as it switching based on recency instead of order. It'll work the same way it does in Firefox 3. You can also switch between tabs with Ctrl+PageUp and Ctrl+PageDown.

    8. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by Billhead · · Score: 5, Informative

      Ctrl + Page Up/Page Down navigates through tabs.

    9. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by y5 · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Ctrl+Tab functionality is still there, they just removed the new interface that they had added in beta 1..

      Mod parent up. I'm using the latest nightly, and you can still CTRL+TAB. It just removes the screen previews from the previous beta, which IMO were slow and annoying.

      I wish the summary were more clear.

    10. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by Kelbear · · Score: 2, Informative

      I keep a "close" button on my mouse. This is really just Alt+F4 but in Firefox to close a tab it's CTRL+W. (I can address this in program-specific options though)

      I keep a "toss window" button on my mouse to "toss" a window from one screen to the other, but I can't use it on a tab.

      I've got a button to tile all the windows via Switchr (kinda like what they've got on a mac), but it doesn't help with tabs.

      In firefox I don't have a forward or back button. I use a Shift button and a Minimize button instead. Shift+Mousewheel up is Forward, and Shift+Mousewheeldown is Back, and Shift+Leftclick is Open new window. I could also work around this by finding a way to change Shift+Leftclick to opening a new tab instead.

      I can find a way to compromise my usage in order to use tabs, but windows already fill the role better. So it is possible to use firefox without using tabs.

      (However, at work, I do use tabs because I have far less screen real estate and just a basic mouse. )

    11. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by creepynut · · Score: 3, Informative

      I suspect this is the reason: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox3.1/control_tab

      A few bug reports I found:
      https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=459303
      https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=463723
      https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=445476 (This seems to suggest it can be disabled, but I haven't tried Fx3.1 yet)

    12. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by Phisbut · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Ctrl + Page Up/Page Down navigates through tabs.

      Ctrl+PgUp/PgDn requires the use of my right hand (either both hands with left on left-Ctrl and right on PgUp, or just the right with thumb on right-Ctrl). I still need to move my right hand from my mouse to the keyboard and back.

      Ctrl+Tab, right next to Alt-Tab, lets me keep a hand on the mouse (which is very much in use during a browsing session, especially with mouse gestures), without the additional movement needed to click on tabs. Ctrl+Tab is a much better use of both hands than Ctrl+PgUp/PgDn will ever be.

      --
      After 3 days without programming, life becomes meaningless
      - The Tao of Programming
    13. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by louzerr · · Score: 4, Informative

      Firefox 3.1 beta ADDED NEW FEATURES to Ctrl+Tab. Those NEW FEATURES are buggy, and likely won't make it into the 3.1 final.

      They didn't BREAK anything ... just the opposite. Ctrl+Tab will behave in 3.1 just as it does in 3.0.

      --
      "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away" -- "Step Right Up", Tom Waits
    14. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by jonaskoelker · · Score: 2

      Mouse Gestures?

      Also, I'm mousing left-handedly, you insensitive clod. Ctrl+Pg{Up,Dn} is fine ;)

    15. Re:Kudos for the improvements, but... by buchner.johannes · · Score: 2, Interesting

      This is the explanation of what they want to do with Ctrl-Tab. It has nothing to do with the Control and Tab key sequence, it is a overview over all tabs.

      --
      NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
  2. selective history deletion by Firkragg14 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No more suspicious empty history porn fans.

    1. Re:selective history deletion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Most distros, if you set up a user with a UID less than 1000, it doesn't show up anywhere on login screens, etc, but still functions normally. Name it something deceptive like httpdaemon and bury the home directory somewhere within /etc and tada, your own fully featured stealth pron user. No guarantees, but my SO hasn't found it after three years...

      Poisted AC for obvious reasons (ie, she reads /.)

    2. Re:selective history deletion by ThePhilips · · Score: 2, Interesting

      To me, better feature would be to save history for only specified sites and/or to never save anything from specified sites.

      There are some sites I visit only to check something periodically - and I do not want them to be in history. Or sites which force you for every little thing to go to new page. I simply do not need them to clog my history.

      --
      All hope abandon ye who enter here.
  3. Seems top-heavy compared to Stealther by Eccles · · Score: 2, Informative

    Stealther did the same thing, but started a heck of a lot faster and could even delete downloads. It doesn't work completely with 3.1 though. Clearing the history for periods of time is a nice touch for those who forget to engage the private mode.

    --
    Ooh, a sarcasm detector. Oh, that's a real useful invention.
    1. Re:Seems top-heavy compared to Stealther by Auraiken · · Score: 3, Funny

      Or for those who want privacy in the engaged mode ;)

  4. Javascript speed by Ed+Avis · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If the new Javascript engine is turned on, does this mean that the new Firefox beta gives a larger e-penis than Chrome or the latest Safari?

    Seriously, I am thinking it might be time to start learning Javascript (to a higher level than just being able to copy and paste snippets to autoscroll the page and other simple effects). It's not perfect but it has wide support and mindshare, which is more important than any technical criterion. What I want to do is display simple graphs in the browser of things like stock prices, based on information fetched over SOAP (yeah I know SOAP is a bit clunky, but it's the interface I have). Can more experienced programmers recommend Javascript tutorial sites (at a higher level than 'copy and paste this snippet of code to get cool smilies!') or a good set of libraries?

    --
    -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
    1. Re:Javascript speed by Azeroth48 · · Score: 3, Informative

      learn jQuery.. one of the best lib ever made for javascript! http://jquery.com/

      --
      This is where we are, our rock we stand, among the world, looking forward, eternally.
    2. Re:Javascript speed by JuanCarlosII · · Score: 3, Interesting

      jQuery is probably good starting point if you want to be able to do simple things very quickly and easily. If you are interested in actually learning the language itself as opposed to just how to do things in one particular library then I'd also recommend looking at Prototype. Prototype reveals a little more of the native DOM than perhaps jQuery allows so IM(NS)HO is a better primer for someone looking to grasp the fundamentals of the language, whereas jQuery is probably the best for actually "getting stuff done". I also cant recommend John Resig's book Pro Javascript Techniques enough, although it may be pitched slightly high for a beginner. Reading it seriously changed the way I thought about JS (and subsequently my entire career/life/destiny) so if you're an enthusiastic amateur looking to progress then I think it's perfect.

  5. Nothing new by fxkr · · Score: 4, Informative
    Isn't this what Distrust is for? And that one is even better:
    1. Activate it.
    2. Surf.
    3. Deactivate it.

    It then deletes everything that happened between 1. and 3., but keeps what happened before you activated it.

    1. Re:Nothing new by AvitarX · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, but delete last hour is like distrust, but forgetting one.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    2. Re:Nothing new by MadKeithV · · Score: 3, Funny

      I need a "give me back the last 10 minutes" option!

  6. Can we disable this ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    with IE7 via group policy you can stop the user from clearing history etc, can Firefox do the same ?
    or is Firefox going to be deemed a security threat by Administrators ? which is not good for corporate usage and compliance

  7. Re:Think Same. by theaveng · · Score: 4, Funny

    What is private browsing?

    Sometimes pegged with the catchy moniker of "porn mode", while in privacy mode..... URLs are not recorded in the browser history, cookies are not saved and other evidence is purged from the computer at the end of the session.

    This sounds like something I need.
    All the time.
    Every day.
    24/7.

    --
    FOX NEWS.com should be BANNED from television and internet. Have the Congress take it over and give us Truespeak.
  8. Because some people don't quite get it by grasshoppa · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If your workplace has you going through a proxy, no amount of stealth in the browser is going to help.

    I have had a ton of people requesting I install Chrome for them ( which violates policy anyway ) because they mistakenly think that the privacy feature will hide their browsing habits from the logs.

    Oh, they try to be sneaky about it, sure. But that's what their after. I have half a mind to install it for them, then watch the logs to see what they don't want me to know about.

    --
    Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
    1. Re:Because some people don't quite get it by Hatta · · Score: 2, Informative

      No problem.

      Not that I advocate violating company policy. Just pointing out that it can be done. After all, a false sense of security can be worse than no security at all.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  9. Mozilla Links by Bj�rn · · Score: 3, Informative

    There is a good article at Mozilla Links, about 3.1 beta 2.

    --
    Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think. --Niels Bohr
  10. Use portable firefox then by Fallen+Andy · · Score: 2, Interesting
    on a memory stick. That way you can carry around your bookmarks etc. between machines. I'm doing that right now from a friend's internet cafe... See here

    Andy

  11. Re:Privacy Browsing in IE 8 Beta by HisMother · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Safari has had it for years.

    --
    Cantankerous old coot since 1957.
  12. I've been using a simpler solution for a few years by Skapare · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My solution is that each time I start a web browser, it first runs through a script that creates a replica of the .mozilla directory in a unique place. The HOME environment variable is set to the unique directory. When it's done, I exit and just wipe out that directory.

    --
    now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
  13. Re:Think Same. by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Perhaps he's a Bart fan in Australia.

    --
    Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  14. Re:I've been using a simpler solution for a few ye by JustinOpinion · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've been using a simpler solution for a few years

    I love Slashdot.

    Only on Slashdot would it be "simpler" to code a custom script that automatically runs when starting a particular application, generates a new temporary profile, sets an environment variable to use that profile, and deletes the profile on exit; rather than sometimes click a menu item marked "private".

    I'm not disagreeing that your solution is simpler, by the way. It is actually a great way to force a particular behavior in a robust way, and is simple to use once implemented. But it's only "simpler" for Slashdotters!

  15. Re:Why don't they add an option... by y5 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    But isn't that why there's a master password? I'd use that feature and protect it.

  16. Re:But there's always a little problem.... by daniorerio · · Score: 3, Informative

    or maybe just move out of the basement...

  17. Privacy and URLs by CopaceticOpus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Does this version resolve the privacy flaw in 3.0? Namely, the fact that the autocomplete history for the URL bar is not erased, even when the user manually clears all available privacy options?

  18. Re:2hands1mouse by orangesquid · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/mpx/ Multi-pointer X server. Next question!

    --
    --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive