Why is Firefox such a beast??

[Beartooth]

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:14:10 -0700, Craig White wrote:
	[...]
> slow startup is because Firefox looks at all installed extensions to
> determine whether an update is available and then Firefox looks to see
> if a newer version of Firefox is available. The more extensions, the
> longer the startup delay. You can configure this...
> 
> Firefox => Edit (menu) => Preferences => Advanced (tab) => Update (tab)

	OK, I unchecked everything on all machines; maybe that'll help. 
(I usually KVM-switch my way through, testing for Fedora updates *and* 
Firefox updates every day or two anyway.)

> ----
>> 	Then it will either all go away, or I'll get a lasting window
>> telling me it's already running but not responding. Sometimes after
>> that Firefox will actually launch, sometimes not.
	[...]
> Firefox creates a 'lock' file -
> in .mozilla/firefox/$YOUR_SALTED_PROFILE/.parentlock which is intended
> to prevent multiple launches.
> 
> Multiple launches often occur when double clicking to start from a
> launcher rather than a single click or 4 clicks when a double click is
> sufficient.

	The first thing I do on any fresh install is rejigger my desktop, 
which includes going into the file manager and making everything single-
click; been doing it for donkey's years, ever since I discovered it was 
possible -- along about RH8, iirc. Among other things, it halves the 
carpal tunnel strain ...
 
> I run into this far too often because I sysadmin a network with a lot of
> less skilled computer users. This should probably be improved because
> the cure seems to be as bad as the problem. ----
>> 	It is consistently worse on some machines than others -- but not,
>> afaict, on F8 more than F9 or vice versa, nor with Ffx 2 more or less
>> than the other.
>> 
>> 	I try to keep it as nearly standardized as I can. The best way is
>> to add FEBE to any new install of Firefox, and then copy in a FEBE
>> folder by scp or sneakermail, and run a restore.
> ----
> pardon my ignorance, what is FEBE ?

http://customsoftwareconsult.com/extensions/febe/febeFAQ.html -- 

I find it a convenience as well as a safety feature.
	[...]
>> 	Are there extensions that Fedora will allow but not get along
>> with, or that don't get along with Fedora? Do I have too many? (The
>> latest FEBE restore tab listed 79 items.) Or what?
> ----
> I find all of the language extensions to be pointless for my usage but I
> can't tell if it's because my system/profile has existed for quite some
> time and has been upgraded from like FC-4, FC-5, etc.

	I've been doing upgrades and fresh installs, over and over, on 
various machines, for years; the blasted things are worse than cats -- 
they always come back. I think firefox sometimes runs out and gets them, 
unasked and unhinderable, on ordinary updates. I've known them to re-
appear even after having used Frank Cox's trick of launching Ffx as root 
and deleting them that way.I would make restoration unasked punishable by 
death.

	*Something* has to be done. Firefox is a fine browser when it 
runs; but getting it to run is within a hair of not being worth it any 
more. 

-- 
Beartooth Staffwright, PhD, Neo-Redneck Linux Convert
Fedora 8 & 9; Alpine 1.10, Pan 0.132; Privoxy 3.0.6;
Dillo 0.8.6, Galeon 2, Epiphany 2, Opera 9, Firefox 2 & 3
Remember I know precious little of what I am talking about.