Mozilla to launch 64-bit Firefox 41 to stable channel

[Batu69]

Firefox users who prefer a 64-bit version of the web browser instead of a 32-bit version on Windows will be able to install and use a 64-bit stable channel version when Firefox 41 gets released.

Firefox 41, which will be released on September 22, 2015 if things go as planned, will be offered as a 32-bit and 64-bit version for the Windows platform.

All other channels of the browser, that is Beta, Developer and Nightly, are already provided as a 64-bit version, and that is also the case for the Linux and Mac OS X versions of the browser.

So why is the release, originally planned for Firefox 39 and then 40, delayed again? According to Mozilla, it is because of other improvements and changes launching in Firefox 41.

The organization mentioned sandboxing and NPAPI whitelisting in particular which it aims to deploy with Firefox 41.

One difference between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Firefox for Windows is that the latter will restrict plugin access through the use of a whitelist.

Mozilla plans to put Flash on the whitelist, and maybe also Silverlight according to the official bug report on Bugzilla. Additional plugins are not mentioned which means -- subject to change as always -- that Java for instance won't work in 64-bit versions of Firefox for Windows because of that restriction.

It is unclear why Mozilla made the decision to integrate a whitelist in Firefox 64-bit for Windows, but the most likely explanation is security.

Firefox users may have two issues with this approach. First, not allowing certain plugins from being installed in Firefox will break some sites or applications. If Silverlight won't be supported for instance, it will break media streaming sites that rely on the technology. While many will move over to HTML5 eventually, it will take a while before the majority has completed that process.

Second, leaving Flash, one of the most dangerous plugins enabled in Firefox means that the browser is still open for plugin-based attacks.

Shumway, Mozilla's Flash replacement, is still not ready for primetime and it is unclear if it ever will be.

Some Firefox users will notice disruptions when they start to use the 64-bit version of Firefox for Windows due to this limitation. A workaround is not provided yet other than using the 32-bit version of the browser instead which is less restrictive.

Eventually though, NPAPI plugins will go away just like they did in Google Chrome for the most part.

Source

[ASIO]

great news

[NoDeX]

Finally!

[software182]

Oh yeah good news, but is it too late to join the party ? :p

[Airstream_Bill]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[dcs18]

I am not impressed — have been already using the awesome x64-bit since donkey's years . . . . . . right from the time they were released purely in alpha form.

The present beta offerings are in no way much different from what is proposed to get released as the V41 — never saw the point in waiting for the pleasures of life.

Those who have not yet bitten the apple of temptation would never understand what I am talking about — it is like those Peeps who now declare that they are going to try out Windows 8.1 (too late in the party, man — likewise, nobody has to really wait until the V41 is released.)

Bite the forbidden fruit, guys — stop waiting like a GreenHorn! :D

[steven36]

I been using stable versions of x64 for the last year its called CyberFox ,, Once they change how it ships you will be able to opt in and test new features even on the stable channel of Firefox .

[november_ra1n]

I'll believe it when I see it.

+1 --- [Mozilla has been saying this quite long time]

[steven36]

This old news I posted that bugzillza and they said it was going be out version 40 now moved it to 41 .. :rolleyes:

They got a deadline of the end of 2015 to do it, And ever month its proposed to be on the stable channel tell it really gets here . :lol:

Goal
To Release Win64 in GA before the end of 2015 in order to offer our users better experience with improvements in stability, performance, and security. Deliver these benefits in a phased roll-out and avoid the breakage for our General Audience. This means opt-in only until we are confident that we have achieved parity with Win32 for our users. NB: Before we continue to invest in the below plan, we need to identify the market reward to either acquire or retain users vs. the cost of getting to GA.

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/win64

And by sound of it .. Is it ever going get here? because in bold it states

NB: Before we continue to invest in the below plan, we need to identify the market reward to either acquire or retain users vs. the cost of getting to GA.

Firefox needs to do something to pull there marketshare up fast or there going be competing with Opera not Goggle Chrome anymore . They been loseing marketshare every since they started the rapid release cycles .

Read more here
An incredibly shrinking Firefox faces endangered species status

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2893514/an-incredibly-shrinking-firefox-faces-endangered-species-status.html

Chrome continues to trounce Firefox in desktop browser market

http://www.cnet.com/news/chrome-continues-to-trounce-firefox-in-desktop-browser-market/