Analog screwed up their website

I've not seen a FF crash/lockup. But, it has nasty, persistent memory leaks. Plan on restarting it periodically. Especially on the consumer "8GB" machines.

I run with damn near all script disabled. Then, selectively TEMPORARILY reenable domains -- avoiding those that are likely there just to facilitate tracking and ad pushes.

If I can't get the site to function with a reasonable set of *enabled* domains, then I abandon the page (there are very few such sites that I would "miss" if I couldn't access them!)

When done, I "disable all temporaries" to return to the set of domains that I'm comfortable leaving "on" at all times.

I'm waiting for NoScript to *remember* the domains enabled for a specific page/webdomain so I don't have to repeat this exercise each time I visit a particular site.

By far, my biggest peeve is with ecommerce sites with stupid search engines. E.g., searching for something very specific (lots of terms) ends up as a very GENERAL search -- as if each term was conjoined with the others with an "OR" operator.

Yes, you need a generic something with a browser. Windows XX, Chromebook, Apple Tablet, Android Tablet, Linux box, whatever else you can find... Particularly with Apple if they have the tablet, they're good to go. We did an app a few years ago. Android, sideload the apk. Apple, go through the whole Apple Store vetting hoops even for a proprietary app that couldn't even be used by the general public.

A dedicated appliance would be a tough sell. They understand 'buy a Panasonic Toughbook'. It's the old 'nobody ever got fired for buying IBM'. Well, they may have. Historically our desktop suite ran on RS6000 boxes with AIX. Then the bean counters noticed you could but Windows boxes a lot cheaper so we ported everything to Windows.

There is that too. The less we deal with hardware, the better.

It has issues.

Yes. Typically very healthy servers with a Stratus everRun HA setup.

It wouldn't scale too well. We went that route a long time ago and it had issues. Connectivity is also a factor for mobile users. It isn't great but you have some usability if the network goes down or if the user goes out of cell coverage.

There are site visits during the initial deployment to set up the system and train the personnel but day to day is remote. It used to be casual but now access to the system is locked down tight, two factor auth, the whole nine yards.

Right. That's the incentive to go browser based rather than our legacy software.

Yes, although we're working at a higher level of abstraction. With Angular you're creating the UI with the assumption something will make it happen.

Yes. We test on most of the popular browsers but, as this thread started, we do find bugs that need to be addressed because Browser X has quirks. In our experience X == Firefox. Because of the inclusion of tablets etc, there are further problems for rendering and layout.

Left to my own devices we'd still be using ADM-3A's... My first exposure to Windows was 'this is going to suck sooner or later'

I'm old school. I run multiple virtual desktops on one monitor. Our IT guy keeps asking if I want another monitor and I take a pass. I was a very happy camper when MS finally figured out how to do desktops.

But, then you're also opening the door for <whatever> to coexist with "you" on the device (?). How much grief does that cause your support staff as they end up having to troubleshoot "unrelated" problems caused by some crud Joe User opted to install on his box?

We're developing a STEM program for local schools. Part of it is to provide a "development platform" to the students enrolled. The obvious solution is just to give them a laptop.

But, then you're stuck dealing with all the cruft that will inevitably get ADDED to the laptop as the student (or, someone else in the household eyeing the laptop as something THEY could make use of) leverages your "gift". Likewise, when they want to go online (malware).

So, we're locking down the BIOS so it won't run COTS OS's, just our own. I.e., it becomes a dedicated "teaching appliance" instead of a ubiquitous laptop. (as we're operating under a grant, we can't afford a big support staff like you might in a general educational setting; we want the grant monies to go towards "buying" extra seats, not extra *staff*!)

But, can you have a list of "qualified" machines? Or, does that cut down your value-added? Perhaps even preparing a set of install images that you just dd(1) onto "select" machines (turn-key install)?

I've been addressing server-side scale with support to seamlessly add processors. As everything is inherently distributed, talking to another server-side processor is just as cheap as if talking to another "smart client" (the "smart" part residing server-side).

Wireless bandwidth is my shortcoming (as users will typically not be sited at wired devices)

How do you address the Principle of Least Surprise when the possibility exists that a user may encounter a radically different "application", next time he "logs on"? Have you codified the types of changes that you will allow yourself to make/deploy to avoid this?

This is the number one complain I see with push updates. (Imagine your CAR behaving differently, today, than it did, yesterday! Surely you wouldn't allow such changes to an airframe! Safety is important, there -- not so much with cars, eh? :> )

OK. That's similar to my UI; apps indicate what the UI should be and the actual *device* figures out how to "render" that to the user. E.g., a blind user wouldn't benefit from a graphic presentation; nor would a deaf user benefit from an audible commentary!

But the tablet/form-factor issue is unrelated to the browser. You'd still have to accommodate that size/formfactor regardless of browser.

Or, disallow those platforms.

I think any bit of code on which the UI relies has that "problem". How often do you recall firmware updates for glass TTYs?

This is the thinking behind my "minimalist" i/f; so I can make those devices dirt cheap (the most commonly used one will retail for < $10) so you don't care if they "walk off". And, so a user can afford to buy many "spares" to address battery charge (if battery dies after

I have two workspaces (desktops) on each workstation. But, you (I) still need real estate.

If I'm laying out a PCB, then I want to see the layout, the schematic, possibly a datasheet (or two) AND some notes. Stacking windows is a PITA -- as is swapping desktops.

If I'm building a 3D model, then I'll want to see the wireframe AND the rendered model. And, maybe watch an animation built on it.

Etc.

I use the second desktop for consoles to other devices -- "System Management". E.g., if I have to mount a volume on a NAS, I'll open a console/webpage into that device on the "Alternate" desktop to interact with it, then flip back to the "Primary" desktop to continue whatever I was originally doing. It's a convenient distinction to keep in mind... instead of having to remember which *app* is where.

Single monitor machines (e.g., my AiO's) tend to have specific roles... more like appliances than general workstations.

Amusing to see how easily we can be "corrupted"! ]

I save my bookmarks to a file once in a while.

For cookie and tracking mitigation, Privacy Badger takes care of that.

I used to use FF and Noscript but it got kind of annoying to unblock things after a while.

boB

Youtube settings now requires Chrome. Firefox 96.0.2 no longer works.

It looks like more companies are going the way of Android. They think everyone has a cellphone. Forget about desktops. They don't count.

I wonder if posting a suggestion to Mozilla would do any good.

First, I'll try the latest and greatest version of Firefox.

Unfortunately, that means I have to bypass the update restriction I have in the registry.

It also means I would be stuck with the update, even if it destroys other features that I need.

Fortunately, I am running on VirtualBox, which means I can restore any previous version simply by reloading the .VDI file.

Everyone should be on VirtualBox!

Your Firefox may be obsolete, the settings work fine on 99.0.1.

Of course it does. There's a ferocious battle for web dominance going on. Every clan continually invents new tricks to render the opposition's software inoperative, influencing people to switch to /their/ version. They will then abuse that to pry private information out of you, and spray you with propaganda to manipulate you to commercial and political ends. With billions of subjects, the stakes are staggering and the tiniest details can have huge effects.

Jeroen Belleman

No problem here with 99.0.1 on OpenSUSE either. The only problem I've had lately is Amazon Prime video not working with Brave so I used Edge. I think that may be Brave's privacy enhancements and I could have worked around somehow.

"DOS isn't done till Lotus won't run."

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

Android is probably responsible for most of the shift to Chrome.

For the rest of us, Ublock Plus is very effective at eliminating ads.

e4ward.com and Pimmy are very effective at eliminating spam.

Ubuntu and VirtualBox are very effective at maintaining multiple configurations (XP, Win7, Chrome, etc.)

SysInternals is very effective at eliminating Malware and 100% CPU problems.

We have much stronger defenses than the opposition.

Thanks. I have 99.0.1 but hesitated to use it since it opens a lot more threads than 96.0.2. Now that I have solved the 100% CPU problems on YouTube, it might be worth trying it again.

OK, I upgraded to 99.0.1. It has three more threads than 96.0.2 and takes about 70 MB more memory.

To eliminate 100% CPU problem on Youtube, I disabled the following:

Start -> services.msc: disable

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) Media Center Extender Service Microsoft .NET Framework Net.Msmq Listener Adapter Net.Pipe Listener Adapter Net.Tcp Listener Adapter Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service Routing and Remote Access Superfetch Windows Defender Windows Firewall Windows Installer Windows Media Center Receiver Service Windows Media Center Scheduler Service Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service Windows Modules Installer Windows Remote Management Windows Search Windows Update

Now Youtube Settings and Canadian Tire don't work:

I will probably go back to 96.0.2 and recover the 70 MB of memory. Note that Firefox will not allow you to downgrade. You lose your profile. There are ways around it, but VirtualBox is much simpler and faster.

I have found that *most* of my bookmarks are rarely revisited. Or, by the time I decide to followup on something I "stumbled upon", the page has moved.

Mortal of story, copy content as you encounter it instead of expecting it to be there when you later want it.

Ghostery and AdBlock Plus with an overzealous censorship of script domains.

The obvious upgrade to NS will be to track settings per site so you don't have to manually reimpose them. Of course, there's no guarantee that what "works" for a site, today, will continue to work, tomorrow. But, that's the nature of server-side "apps"...

When you consider the dynamic nature of the standards and the motivation of advertisers to "seize your eyes", it's a wonder that any of these mechanisms are effective, at all!

Thunderbird on Windows did that to me once. There was a major upgrade that did not function on my system. Getting back to what did work was painful. I should be used to that. At least Visual Studio warned that if you upgraded your solution you ain't never going back.

I actually do this for some sites and things I do want to save. Save them as PDF. None of the browsers really allow you to save a file as shown anymore so I donated to and use FireShot which really works well.

Once in a great while you can print to PDF from a browser but only very simple pages. Just try to "print" a web page these days. Last time I tried a couple years ago, none of the browsers I tried worked worth a darn.

boB

A lot depends on what you are trying to save.

E.g., A video *in* a page is a PITA to capture -- you typically need to capture it separately and reassemble the page. And, some folks go out of their way to make it hard to capture videos (with audio).

Some pages you're only interested in the text (sans typefaces).

Or, a particular image/illustration.

If I want to get the whole page, I resort to a screen capture tool like SnagIt. It can capture (to varying degrees of satisfaction) as an image or text -- and in a variety of different file formats.

Note that FF also has a "snapshot" capability (to PNGs, IIRC).

I've not sorted out why capturing (rendering) to a file is any harder than rendering to the screen... but, clearly there is *some* issue!

OTOH, relying on the page being there at some later date is largely folly.

On a sunny day (Sat, 30 Apr 2022 00:08:17 -0700) it happened boB snipped-for-privacy@K7IQ.com wrote in snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I often just use import website_name.gif

man import import(1) import(1) NAME import - saves any visible window on an X server and outputs it as an image file. You can capture a single window, the entire screen, or any rectangular portion of the screen. Linux of course.