Firefox Update 89.0

Firefox Development
#1

I want my old Firefox back. The latest update has installed without my approval and I hate it. But, there is no way I can see to go back to version 88.0. You are doing a great job of persuading me to change to Chrome.

9 Likes
#2

Actually, there are 2 things which you can do about it!

I found a URL for FF88.0.1 by playing around a bit with the standard download URL:
https://download-installer.cdn.mozilla.net/pub/firefox/releases/88.0.1/win64/en-GB/Firefox%20Setup%2088.0.1.exe

Of course this is the D/L link for Windows, but for your platform, you can copy the default download link and then replace latest in the link with 88.0.1.

If you cannot download or install the previous version, or if you want to keep up to date with bugfixes, then you can (at least for now!) do this:

  1. Open the about:config url
  2. search for proton
  3. Change the value of browser.proton.enabled to false!

And there you go, the old UI is back. (At least until the dev team rips it out… :cry:

Like you, I really hate the new look. I hate those floating disconnected tabs.

2 Likes
#3

Yes, it is just awful.
I’ve had to sign up just to say, this needs to change back ASAP.
Why did they add a nonremovable bar to my browser?
Nobody wants it!
Get rid of that stupid new appearance, and extra top bar.
I don’t want to have to use edge or chrome, but this is unacceptable.

5 Likes
#4

Hello, I found version 88.0 for Windows x64, installed it and it has wiped out all of my bookmarks and stored logins. I had a backup of my bookmarks but not my logins. Never thought about using Edge, but it’s now a possibility.
Regards.

#5

You probably were prompted to create a new profile because once a later version has touched a profile, earlier versions of Firefox will not want to use it.

You could look at the downgrade section of the following article: https://support.mozilla.org/kb/dedicated-profiles-firefox-installation

1 Like
#6

Tottaly agreed. New UI is so awful I had to search how to go back to the old one.

1 Like
#7

I opted for the previous version, and the new version is still there. Firefox opens slower and slower. My searches jump into the URL space. I don’t use Chrome much because of that. The pinned website graphics are awful.

2 Likes
#8

Version 89 is simply awful. They have even spaced out my bookmarks so they don’t fit on one page any more. I’ve gone back to version 88.
Now I just need to figure out how to turn off those nagging upgrade reminders.

Would also be nice to find a fully offline version of Firefox88 and save it on my PC, just in case I need to do a re-install later.

2 Likes
#9

I also very much dislike how typing in the “Search” bar suddenly jumps to the URL bar!

Just because Chrome does it doesn’t mean it’s a good or even valid UI… It’s horribly disorienting.

2 Likes
#10

Currently, there is a preference for this, but it does take a bit of work to find it because of the unusual name:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box in the page, type or paste handoff and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar preference to switch the value from true to false

Success?

1 Like
#11

I also got the tip to change the setting:

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.newNewtabExperience.enabled to false

To undo the damage done to the new-tab page, and restore the icons on that page to their previous size.

#12

Positively feel the same , have loaded Opera because i love the user face page( sorry im old and not techie) have used Firefox for 20yrs,

2 Likes
#13

I just got the pop up (late July) that another new Firefox version is available - thank goodness I had changed my settings away from auto-update, to let me choose whether to download/install updates. (I sure hope THAT choice will last !!!)

After reading what’s included in this newest update I am sickened. One thing apparently is to “clean up” the bookmarks toolbar so the bookmarks that aren’t used often will be removed (meaning I will have to go and try to find them somewhere in the “settings” dropdown?) .

It is infuriating that changes like this – which don’t have any effect on security or stability, etc. and are ONLY affecting “cosmetics” – are being done. At the very least, make it a choice.

Did anybody ever consider that I WANT those bookmarks there (obviously not). So what if I only use them a few times every couple of months, but by being there they REMIND me to indeed use them occasionally???

If I am wrong about the newest update, I truly apologize - I have not and will not download/install it, so it’s possible my comments above won’t apply, but I did read that was one of the changes that was included.

#14

I feel exactly the same as you, including about the 20 years with Firefox. Updates should be for protection and security only. I am so sick of: “If it isn’t broken, change it anyway because you think changes would be neat.”

I have loved and stuck with Firefox specifically because it hasn’t been like the others that pay no attention to user desires, but some recent changes seem to be very wrong and (worse) totally unnecessary, at least for me.

1 Like
#15

Where did you see that? Was a bug number or other documentation linked?

#16

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/89.0/releasenotes/

It says " Clear, streamlined menus : Re-organized and prioritized menu content according to usage. Updated labels and removed iconography."

I do not want all these things hidden unless I want to hide them! I like what I have now - except for all of tabs that multiply (again, I liked the old way so much better - now I have to keep Xing out tab after tab after tab! but at least they are not hidden somewhere! )

#17

a Mr_Ian_Wonder - No, don’t get rid of something that indeed some of us appreciate having, just make it optional and make it easy to find where to choose to have it or not!!

#18

The reduction/reorganization/renaming of menu items doesn’t refer to your user data, it refers to the built-in commands.

I don’t understand the issue with tabs multiplying. Is the problem that links open in new tabs instead of staying in the same tab? This can be caused by:

(A) the site has coded each link to open in a new window, which Firefox diverts to a new tab instead (on search engine results pages, this often is an option offered by the site)

(B) you have an extension installed that opens links in new tabs, such as https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/open-link-with-new-tab/

#19

I am the original poster, Firefox is now on 91.0 and the “fixes” for version 89.0 no longer work. I am stuck with the shit detached tabs, the double vertically spaced bookmarks, etc. Did anyone actually ask for any of this crap? I don’t want eye candy, just because Microsoft impose it on you, there is no need for Mozzilla to follow like sheep.

1 Like
#20

Those preferences were temporary, primarily left in for testing. At this point, you can consider the unofficial, community-supported workaround of creating a userChrome.css file.