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Firefox Quantum Arrives With Faster Browser Engine, Major Visual Overhaul (venturebeat.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Mozilla today launched Firefox 57, branded Firefox Quantum, for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. The new version, which Mozilla calls "by far the biggest update since Firefox 1.0 in 2004," brings massive performance improvements and a visual redesign. The Quantum name signals Firefox 57 is a huge release that incorporates the company's next-generation browser engine (Project Quantum). The goal is to make Firefox the fastest and smoothest browser for PCs and mobile devices -- the company has previously promised that users can expect "some big jumps in capability and performance" through the end of the year. Indeed, three of the four past releases (Firefox 53, Firefox 54, and Firefox 55) included Quantum improvements. But those were just the tip of the iceberg. Additionally, Firefox now exclusively supports extensions built using the WebExtension API, and unsupported legacy extensions will no longer work, the company said.

3 of 323 comments (clear)

  1. Extensions, though :-( by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Finally tally: about 2/3 of my regularly used extensions don't work with 57 and don't currently seem to have a similar replacement available.

    Sadly, a performance boost just isn't work losing that much functionality for me. :-(

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    1. Re:Extensions, though :-( by theweatherelectric · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It disabled NoScript.

      NoScript for Firefox 57 will be released today. Don't worry, be happy.

  2. Re:Who cares about the features? by PGaries · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Indeed. Having an extension system in which malicious extensions can hide that they're installed while monitoring everything you do on the Web was a pretty big security hole. That's why I'm glad Mozilla transitioned to the new system despite the loss of functionality.