InformAction Forums

Hello,

I'm running Firefox 3.5.19 {my old PCs video card doesn't handle newer versions of Firefox}

I'm running the latest version of NoScript.

My question: How safe am I? I keep hearing about all the vulnerabilities existent in older versions of FF. In your opinion, am I reasonably safe with FF 3.5.19 + NoScript?

Thank you,

jc55

jc55 wrote: My question: How safe am I? I keep hearing about all the vulnerabilities existent in older versions of FF. In your opinion, am I reasonably safe with FF 3.5.19 + NoScript?

No. There are twelve security issues that have been fixed in Fx 3.6.25. Update to that. Help > Check for Updates should get it for you. Fx 3.6.x will likely continue to get security updates until April.
http://www.mozilla.org/security/known-v ... efox3.6.25

Alan Baxter, thanks for the very good suggestion. I upgraded to FF 3.6 as soon as it was available. All my text and icons were reduced to miniatures. Consensus from FF forum was an incompatibility between my videocard and FF 3.6. So, I'm kinda stuck with this computer.

jc55

(There will be a 3.6.26. Released, perhaps today or tomorrow? And FF 10 too. And SeaMonkey 2.7.)

jc55 wrote:I upgraded to FF 3.6 as soon as it was available. All my text and icons were reduced to miniatures. Consensus from FF forum was an incompatibility between my videocard and FF 3.6. So, I'm kinda stuck with this computer.

jc55

Doh. I misread your original post. I thought you were using Fx 3.6.19. In that case, I suggest you try Fx 10 after it's released today and work through any video card problems again in the Mozillazine support forum. (Fx 10 has several security and bug fixes since Fx 9 was released.) Either that, or switch to a currently supported browser which does work with your video card. I don't recommend using NoScript on an insecure browser. By the way, I'm running Fx 9.0.1 on a computer with an eleven-year-old video card, so I'm optimistic that you can get Fx 10 working on your computer with some video card or about:config tweaks, if necessary.

To my knowledge Firefox 3.6 is in no way using your video card more than 3.5 (at most maybe for video rendering, because 3.5 didn't support that), may I ask where exactly you got this information that it might be your video card?

I want to thank all those who replied to my FF 3.5.19 query. I'm typing this reply from FF 10.0. I find it different, but 'doable.' This morning via Kim Komando's webpage, I learned of FF Portable. I installed ver 10.0 on my memory stick - and roadtested it.

Yes, all icons and text shrunk down by about 50%. I'd been using NoSquint add-on. Here-to-fore, I kept the default size at 70%. With FF 10, I had to adjust to a default setting of 150% to put the print size into an acceptable ballpark - doable. By adding 'Text' to my browser's icons, the small-sized icons {with text} also became doable.

So, I bit-the-bullet and installed FF 10.0 on the hard drives of two computers. In summary, I was very fond of the LARGE icons and text size of FF 3.5.19, but probably not worth the vulnerability risks associated.

Thanks all. In the process, I discovered a very helpful forum ~ james

You're welcome, James. Thanks for getting back to us.

@dhouwn:
Thank you for adding your information. Sounds like it may have been NoSquint after all.

@dhouwn:
"To my knowledge Firefox 3.6 is in no way using your video card more than 3.5 (at most maybe for video rendering, because 3.5 didn't support that), may I ask where exactly you got this information that it might be your video card?"

"Thank you for adding your information. Sounds like it may have been NoSquint after all."

dhouwn, I owe you two responses. The 'problem' was probably/largely self-induced. Originally, when I upgraded to FF 3.6, the text size and icon size reduced by a good 50%. "Unacceptable." Without trying to make it 'work,' I re-installed version 3.5.x. I queried the Mozilla Firefox forum. The 'consensus' was "It's most likely a video card issue." I have a back-up computer {newer, higher horsepowered, running XP}. I didn't upgrade it to 3.6 - so, I really wasn't verifying the video card issue.

Actually NoSquint saved the day {for me}. Today, I installed FF 10.0 on both computers. SAME 50-odd % reduction in text and icon size {??}. Cranking up NoSquint from 70% to 150% sort of leveled the field - sizewise. I checked a neighbors FF version 10. She also has NoSquint, and it's set at 150%.

This afternoon, I noticed one 'downside' to installing version 10.0. I watch a lot of news online {live streaming news}. My video took a hit. The video lost considerable sharpness and clarity - like when you double the size of a picture. However, normal text is not noticeably different - only really noticeable on streaming video.

So, the increased security warranted the upgrades. Why the 50% text and icon reduction on both computers, I don't have a clue. I'll get used to the poorer quality video.

james

Do you not run with the default DPI settings of Windows?

BTW, I just noticed you are using Windows 2000, well that is a bad idea for several reasons (unsupported for over a year, means no security updates since then), so it might be a Windows 2000 issue (also, soon to not be supported by Firefox any-more).

dhouwn wrote:Do you not run with the default DPI settings of Windows?

BTW, I just noticed you are using Windows 2000, well that is a bad idea for several reasons (unsupported for over a year, means no security updates since then), so it might be a Windows 2000 issue (also, soon to not be supported by Firefox any-more).

On my old PC running Win2000, when I replaced CRT with 1600x1200 native resolution LCD, I had to replace video card to cope. Default DPI setting of Windows? I seriously doubt it. HOWEVER, BOTH PCs exhibited the text/icon shrinkage when I upgraded both from 3.5.19 to 10.0. The 2nd PC is a Dell XPS 710. Both PCs have 1600x1200 monitors. Possibly, the high resolution monitors are partly responsible? However, in this day and age, 1600x1200 screens are run-of-the-mill.

james

I hope I'm not committing a faux pas by asking an off-topic question. I just realized when I upgraded to FF 10.0, I lost the little NoScript icon which resided on my FF 3.5.19 Status Bar. If I go to "Options' - and 'check' the box 'Show Status Bar Label' - I get several inches of text. I'd prefer the little icon. Question: Can I/how do I recover the NoScript icon that resided on the status bar of FF 3.5.19?

james

Forget the Status Bar Label, James, I prefer the little icon too. The status bar in Fx 3.5 has been replaced by the add-on bar. You can toggle its display with Ctrl+/ or by right-clicking one of the tool bars and checking Add-on Bar. If the NoScript icon isn't in the add-on bar already, then while in Customize mode, drag the icon from wherever it is onto the add-on bar. Customize mode is enabled the same way it was in Fx 3.5. i.e. right-clicking a tool bar and selecting Customize still works. If it isn't in the add-on bar already, the NoScript icon is in one of the other tool bars or in the Customize window. Just drag it to wherever you want it. In some of my installations I put it in the add-on bar, in others I put it in the navigation bar.

Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks Alan, Your instructions worked fine. The NoScript icon was on my 'Toolbar.' I entered 'Customize' mode and drug it down to the 'Add-on Bar.' Now the little icon is where it use'ta be.

Thanks ~ james

You're welcome.