G5 ang G4 Optimised Builds of Firefox 1.0

[MacBytes]

Category: 3rd Party Software
Link: G5 ang G4 Optimised Builds of Firefox 1.0 (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20041113110158)
Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)

Approved by Mudbug

[me_94501]

"ang"? :confused:

Typo, I assume?

[Poff]

I need someone else to be the guinea pig.. :D

[edesignuk]

hmmmm....lets give this a go...

edit: certainly seems snappier on my iMac, which now makes it MUCH faster than Safari, seeing as the "regular" Firefox has always been faster anyway. Good stuff! :cool:

[brap]

G4 version seems to run quite well. Placebo effect, perhaps, but I don't think so. It's not much faster in normal operation, but when first starting it seems to have taken a couple of seconds off.

[mkrishnan]

Okay, so here was going too come the stupid question...which G4s are 7450s and which G4s are 7400s? In particular, a iBook G4 / 800 of Dec. 03 vintage? :o

But...I found this:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/by_processor/powerpc7400.html

Now, the stupid*er* question...how do I round? :D I'm assuming a 7457 is a 7450 class processor...so just out of curiousity, what's the 7445 in the previous iMac? A 7400 or a 7450? Silly silly...

[AmigoMac]

I will wait for more reports before playing, it's a bit late, maybe tomorrow, good for us, kudos to the author.

[Einherjar]

It just edges out Camino when loading most stuff--which is basically instantaneous, complete drawing of most pages the second I click--going from Google to Fark to MacBytes takes just over 3 seconds at most--click(ld)click(lded)click(looaded).

[Hoef]

Are you guys sure that this is not a scam to turn your machine into a spam robot? (many PC years left me too paranoid, I guess :o )

[daveL]

Are you guys sure that this is not a scam to turn your machine into a spam robot? (many PC years left me too paranoid, I guess :o )
Well, if you're that worried about it, you could always download the original source code, check the MD5 signature, then compile it yourself on your machine. You'll have to modify the original compiler options to get the most out of it, especially on a G5. On a G5 you'd want to us the "-fast" compiler option.

[QCassidy352]

Well, I DLed the G5 version thinking, "eh, it won't really be different, but i like trying new toys. :) "

I was wrong!!!! Holy crap this thing is FAST. It's unbelievable. It's so much faster than either regular firefox or safari that I'm probably going to go from a safari/firefox dual setup to this new version only.

I don't know about the G4 version, but if you have a G5, you seriously have to try it. It FLYS. Thanks to the guy who created it!

[Laslo Panaflex]

WOW!, the G5 version is so fast!!1!!1! I am saying goodbye to safari, (expect for site that don't work in Firefox)

Get this version if you have a G5, it is FAST!

[Hoef]

What version do you guys download? I get a file with nice ibook pictures in there (download the latest file)

[macnulty]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, very nice. Lombard w/G4 Daystar upgrade on dial up. Though I prefer Omniweb's handling of tabs to the side and firefox needs to move the close tab button to the actual tab itself.

[dotnina]

Wow, this rocks. This guy needs to go work alongside Mozilla.

I'm running a 1.5 GHz Powerbook ... woo! Fly Firefox fly!

What version do you guys download? I get a file with nice ibook pictures in there (download the latest file)

Hoef, not sure if you have a G4 or G5, but here's where I got the G4 version:

Main site:
http://homepage.mac.com/krmathis/

Direct link:
http://homepage.mac.com/krmathis/Aviary/FX-ppc7450-2004.11.10.dmg.bz2

[mkrishnan]

So...I haven't really used Firefox on MacOS much yet, so I'm sadly lacking in comparisons. It seems less snappy on a lot of things to me than Safari on my iBook G4/800, especially in terms of tab navigation. Is there something I might be missing?

OTOH, the one site left that doesn't work on Safari works in Firefox...a stupid java applet chat room.... I don't really understand why they use the same plug-in and it only works on one of them....

But now I'm torn. ;)

[Nermal]

"ang"? :confused:

Typo, I assume?

It makes you wonder whether the so-called 'editors' actually edit :rolleyes:

[kustere]

It makes you wonder whether the so-called 'editors' actually edit :rolleyes:

I thought that I had actually put the link in with 'and' rather than 'ang', oh well. Too many other good stuff on the net to read to worry about a little 'ang'. Maybe I had the feeling of angst and my subconscious made me type it :)

[pko]

running a dual g5, and the optimized build of firefox is noticeably faster than safari. i installed it just for the heck of it, ive never even considered firefox before, but i wanted to see if how fast it would run on my machine and it delivers.

im also very impressed by this browser because of all the cool plug-in extensions you can add. the beauty of open-source eh?

i'm considering switching browsers..only if there's a solution to the middle mouse button not opening links in new tabs like in safari. i'm too accustomed to that feature and it's something that i'm not willing to give up.

[broken_keyboard]

Yes - the G5 version is faster. I think Mac OS Tiger supports fat binaries, so hopefully Apple will be able to provide G5-optimized versions of Safari and their other apps. I can't see them doing it any other way other than with fat binaries, as having to separate download version would just be too confusing for people and too much hassle to administer.

[macridah]

hopefully apple makes safari 1.3 optimized for the g4 and g5 for 10.3 and 10.4. I'll try this firefox optimized version and report later.

[AmigoMac]

I have downloaded the G4 version and seems to be running a bit snappier than before and than safari, maybe it's just me, I'll continue with safari and firefox as a little help, I like to spread the subjects I browse... Waiting for an update for Camino.

[yoman]

I've been trying it out for about 2 days now and it is at least 10% faster in everything vs. Safari and normal Firefox version. I have been able to test several websites and Firefox G5 is faster in rendering most if not all of them.
:) I am currently swithing all my bookmarks manually over to this version and see how it goes.

update: the only website so far that is faster in Safari is not surprisingly, the apple site.

[cluthz]

I've been trying the G4(7450) build today.
There was noticeable speed gain compared to Mozilla 1.7.
Firefox loads a bit quicker, but I never closes the browser so it don't matter..

Also all my bookmarks is in Mozilla..

[Santaduck]

Whoever ran across this one, thanks for the news submission.

Will check out the g5 version tonite, and the g4 version later.

If it crashes a lot, it won't be any different from the 'normal' OS X version, so I won't mind-- I'll take the daily FF crashes (in OS X but not XP strangely) any day over sluggish camino and safari.

[Bunzi2k4]

I must say, FF is pretty good, very fast! Kinda depressing...

NOW I HAVE TO COPY ALL OF MY BOOKMARKS! :mad:

[x86isslow]

I must say, FF is pretty good, very fast! Kinda depressing...

NOW I HAVE TO COPY ALL OF MY BOOKMARKS! :mad:

I could have sworn that the FF set-up dialogue prompts you about importing bookmarks, etc.

[Bunzi2k4]

not for safari... :-/

Edit: after a quick google search, I have found a nifty freeware program: Safari Bookmarks Extractor 1.0.2.

Pretty much did the job for me.

[kustere]

Whoever ran across this one, thanks for the news submission.

Will check out the g5 version tonite, and the g4 version later.

If it crashes a lot, it won't be any different from the 'normal' OS X version, so I won't mind-- I'll take the daily FF crashes (in OS X but not XP strangely) any day over sluggish camino and safari.


Gee thanks, I try. I find that it does not crash. I find that it crashes on my XP so I guess it depends on what you are running and what sites you frequent. If you like using Firefox on the Mac you might like the latest post about pretty firefox form controls. See the original blog.

[shamino]

Okay, so here was going too come the stupid question...which G4s are 7450s and which G4s are 7400s? In particular, a iBook G4 / 800 of Dec. 03 vintage?
You can download Apple's CHUD Tools (ftp://ftp.apple.com/developer/Tool_Chest/Testing_-_Debugging/Performance_tools/).

A description of them can be found here: http://developer.apple.com/tools/performance/.

These tools are intended for use by software developers. Among their components, however, is a "Processor" panel for System Preferences. This will (among other things) show you information about your hardware (CPU model, cache sizes, etc.)

This preference panel also lets you change some core system settings (like disabling one CPU on dual-processor systems). I recommend you don't change anything without a really really good reason. If you're not a developer, you probably will not have any such reason.

[mkrishnan]

not for safari... :-/

Edit: after a quick google search, I have found a nifty freeware program: Safari Bookmarks Extractor 1.0.2.

Pretty much did the job for me.

If you've activated the Debug menu in Safari, you can also do Debug -> Export Bookmarks, and then import this file into Firefox.