Old PC, need newer Firefox [SOLVED]

[silverojo]

Can't afford a new PC yet, so I'm running Puppy 5.10 on my PC.

The problem is, my version of Firefox is keeping me from using sites like eBay. So I'd like to install a newer version, but I can't find much of anything.

Can someone point me to some .pet files of newer versions of Firefox that I could use? I've been searching Google until my fingers are sore, but apparently I'm not using the right search criteria, so I need help.

If worse comes to worst, I can use Slacko 5.5, but it's really slow on my machine. So I'd prefer using Puppy 5.10, but I'll resort to Slacko 5.5 if I must.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Semme]

Howdy Mate.

FF for the most part is portable. Current builds are grossly bloated and no good for your setup.

Palemoon may be too demanding and not fully eBay compatible.

FF Light needs newer libs than 5.10 ships.

Your best bet may be to try builds like QtWeb, QupZilla and SlimBoat from here.

Just pay attention to the dates of the builds before deciding on which version to dwnld.

Keep us posted..

[Mike Walsh]

I'll agree with the suggestion of QtWeb.

It's based on Nokia's QT smartphone technology, and, aside from 'issues' with SSL certs on some sites, it goes like greased lightning. Seriously, you'll not find anything that runs much faster on elderly hardware.

I'd recommend it to anybody.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=79911

EDIT:- Just tried it with eBay in Slacko 5.6; works fine. You shouldn't have any problems with it at all. I'll recommend the 3.8.4.2 version, as referenced in the thread by Pelo from the French Forum; it works without issue. The 3.8.5 version that I've packaged, you might find one or two little snags with.....like the 'Quote' & 'Edit' buttons here on the forum not showing up, for instance (!!) The one Pelo referenced doesn't have these quirks.

Any bookmarks you want to import, this can be done, but the .html format needs to be converted into .xbel format. The how-to is detailed in the thread.....and it does work.

Hope that helps.


Mike.

[silverojo]

I'll try these suggestions as soon as I have time, and will post my results. Thanks!

[slavvo67]

If you need to have Firefox, you will need the following dependencies:

GTK+ 3.4 or higher.
GLib 2.22 or higher.
Pango 1.14 or higher.
X.Org 1.0 or higher (1.7 or higher is recommended)
libstdc++ 4.6.1 or higher.

As it's taking me forever and a day to compile GLib, the responses before me are quite correct. But... just in case you or somebody else is having issues running FFOX, now the dependencies are listed....

[Moose On The Loose]

Can't afford a new PC yet, so I'm running Puppy 5.10 on my PC.

The problem is, my version of Firefox is keeping me from using sites like eBay. So I'd like to install a newer version, but I can't find much of anything.

Here is what I did:
Install FF-30
Install the "user agent switcher plugin"
Set the user agent to:

Code: Select all

Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; rv:60.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/60.0

The result is that all web sites that were not created by the massively incompetent will work just fine. They will see it as being a newer version of FF than they have heard of and thus will not nag you to put in a new version.

[silverojo]

If you need to have Firefox, you will need the following dependencies:

GTK+ 3.4 or higher.
GLib 2.22 or higher.
Pango 1.14 or higher.
X.Org 1.0 or higher (1.7 or higher is recommended)
libstdc++ 4.6.1 or higher.

As it's taking me forever and a day to compile GLib, the responses before me are quite correct. But... just in case you or somebody else is having issues running FFOX, now the dependencies are listed....

I know I sound like a total noob here, but how do I look to see whether I have those dependencies on Slacko 5.5? I'm used to running either Puppy 2.0 or Puppy 5.1, and the directory locations in Slacko 5.5 are rather different from what I'm used to. Any help is appreciated.

Can't afford a new PC yet, so I'm running Puppy 5.10 on my PC.
The problem is, my version of Firefox is keeping me from using sites like eBay. So I'd like to install a newer version, but I can't find much of anything.

Here is what I did:
Install FF-30
Install the "user agent switcher plugin"
Set the user agent to:

Code: Select all

Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; rv:60.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/60.0

The result is that all web sites that were not created by the massively incompetent will work just fine. They will see it as being a newer version of FF than they have heard of and thus will not nag you to put in a new version.

I appreciate the suggestion, but I can't find FF-30 to download for Slacko 5.5 in the first place. The most recent version I can find is FF-12 here:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/pe ... es-slacko/
If you have a direct link to FF-30, that would be helpful. I can try it...though, from the previous posts, it sounds as if that version of Firefox bloatware will reduce my old PC to a crawl.... :\

In the meantime, I'm going to download and try QtWeb with Slacko 5.5. I'll be sure to post results if I get any of these suggestions working with my senior citizen computer.

[slavvo67]

Your installs are in teh /root/.packages and /root/.packages/builtin_files directories. They are probably not there, though.

I'm building a set right now for Quirky April 32bit but not sure if they will work on yours. A few are taking forever to compile so I don't know when...

Older Firefox... There's a Mozilla repository that has all the older firefox versions. Just do a websearch and you should find.

Not sure if Palemoon will work for you but that is a Firefox derivative running with I believe the engine of Firefox 28.0.

Slavvo67

[silverojo]

I'll agree with the suggestion of QtWeb.

It's based on Nokia's QT smartphone technology, and, aside from 'issues' with SSL certs on some sites, it goes like greased lightning. Seriously, you'll not find anything that runs much faster on elderly hardware.

This suggestion from you and Semme worked!

I installed QtWeb 3.8.4.2, and it worked perfectly with eBay and PayPal. Our local electric utility is still giving me the warning message that the browser will not be supported much longer (even when I changed QtWeb to other settings like IE, Firefox, etc.). I'm not sure if it will work with my bank, because I keep getting the message that my ID/password combo isn't correct. I think I *am* inputting it correctly, and that the bank's site just isn't working with that browser. I'm going to call the bank tomorrow to see if they can help with this issue, just in case it's on their end; that has happened before.

But at least I can use eBay, PayPal, and several other sites that I couldn't use before, so thank you both for the suggestion of QtWeb!

[silverojo]

Older Firefox... There's a Mozilla repository that has all the older firefox versions. Just do a websearch and you should find.

Not sure if Palemoon will work for you but that is a Firefox derivative running with I believe the engine of Firefox 28.0.

So far, I'm doing OK with QtWeb, but I'll see if any of Palemoon or another Firefox will work for the sites still giving me problems. Thanks!

[8Geee]

I have a preconfigured firefox 27 uploaded.

Its a little smaller than 30, and it does not use the Australis interface. This one is capable of high security TLS1.2 with fallback to 1.1 only. Still might be a bit heavy in Slacko5.1, but worth a try.

Regards
8Geee

[Mike Walsh]

Hi again, silverojo.

If you want the entire 'back-catalog' of FireFox releases, it's available here:-

http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/

I find it's honestly quicker, rather than try to mess around replacing FF into /usr/lib, to simply extract it into /opt (a nice, 'catch-all' directory), then drag the 'firefox' binary onto the desktop and use it as a launcher that way.

Works just as well. You can, if you want, delete the contents of /usr/lib/firefox-whatever, then extract into there instead. I reckon your Menu entry should still work that way.

If not, it's easy enough to knock up a .pet for you. Let us know what you want to do, please.

Do give 8Geee's FF27 a look. He's paid a lot of attention to configuring it, making it lighter (i.e., removing all the unnecessary crap) and ensuring the security stuff is up-to-date (keeps the banks happy!) Run it alongside QtWeb; never hurts to have extra browsers, mate, and for just general browsing, QtWeb really is the 'mutt's nuts'!


Mike.

[silverojo]

I have a preconfigured firefox 27 uploaded.

Its a little smaller than 30, and it does not use the Australis interface. This one is capable of high security TLS1.2 with fallback to 1.1 only. Still might be a bit heavy in Slacko5.1, but worth a try.

I can give it a shot. My bank says it can use FF-25 or higher, so as long as it doesn't slow my old PC to a crawl, it just might work for now.

If you want the entire 'back-catalog' of FireFox releases, it's available here:-

http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/

I find it's honestly quicker, rather than try to mess around replacing FF into /usr/lib, to simply extract it into /opt (a nice, 'catch-all' directory), then drag the 'firefox' binary onto the desktop and use it as a launcher that way.

Works just as well. You can, if you want, delete the contents of /usr/lib/firefox-whatever, then extract into there instead. I reckon your Menu entry should still work that way.

If not, it's easy enough to knock up a .pet for you. Let us know what you want to do, please.

Do give 8Geee's FF27 a look. He's paid a lot of attention to configuring it, making it lighter (i.e., removing all the unnecessary crap) and ensuring the security stuff is up-to-date (keeps the banks happy!) Run it alongside QtWeb; never hurts to have extra browsers, mate, and for just general browsing, QtWeb really is the 'mutt's nuts'!

I know I'm probably asking for the impossible here, but is there a version of QtWeb that would work with Puppy 2.0? It's the version I use most because my PC is so old, but I am running it on Slacko as you advised. Puppy 2.0 uses .pup files instead of .pet files, as I'm sure you recall...if you're into ancient history.

Yes, I'm going to DL 8Geee's FF27. Just for kicks, I'm going to see if it will run in Puppy 5.10 -- probably not, but I'll try anything once.

I'm trying to learn more about Linux, so I'll see if I can install FF27 the way you advised. However, I would certainly appreciate having a .pet of it available, just in case I mess something up, LOL. Thanks in advance!

[Mike Walsh]

Hi, silverojo.

Mm. .Pup files I don't know the first thing about; haven't been using Puppy that long, I'm afraid! The oldest Pup I've ever tried was 431.

QtWeb. Mm. In all honesty, I don't know whether it would work that far back or not. Essentially, the 'qtweb' binary is all you need. It's a portable, so in theory you can place it anywhere. Those of us who've packaged it, have placed it in /usr/bin, and created a .desktop entry pointing to that location just to make it easier for everybody. In practice, you could place it on ROX's pinboard and run it from there. It's completely self-contained.

I'm guessing it could run in Puppy 2 (you on 2.15, or tttuxx's upgraded version?), so long as any dependencies can be satisfied. As long it's got what it needs to run, in theory it can be run from anywhere.

You can only try it. If you have a means of checking deps'n'such-like in Puppy 2, see what it throws up, if QtWeb won't start. That's about all I can think of to try, TBH.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

As for 8Geee's FF-27, how are you getting on with it? What I've done is I've turned his 'FyrFox-27' into a .pet for you, IF you need it. I'm not trying to grab any credit here; it's all 8Geee's work; he gets the credit, not me. I've merely turned it into something easier to use for those not experienced with manual installs.....'cos it's all good packaging practice for me.

Do try the manual install method, first. You did say you were trying to learn more about this, didn't you??

It'll be good practice for you.....


Mike.

[silverojo]

I'm guessing it could run in Puppy 2 (you on 2.15, or tttuxx's upgraded version?), so long as any dependencies can be satisfied. As long it's got what it needs to run, in theory it can be run from anywhere.

I tried it, and it didn't run, so I'm guessing it needs something that Pup2 doesn't have. Oh, well, worth a try! I'm going to try it in Pup5 and see what happens.

As for 8Geee's FF-27, how are you getting on with it?

Been busy today, so haven't tried it yet. Don't you just hate when real life gets in the way of computer fun??

What I've done is I've turned his 'FyrFox-27' into a .pet for you, IF you need it. I'm not trying to grab any credit here; it's all 8Geee's work; he gets the credit, not me. I've merely turned it into something easier to use for those not experienced with manual installs.....'cos it's all good packaging practice for me.

I'll see if I get 'er done manually. If not, I'll come crawling back to you for the .pet, LOL!

[silverojo]

OK, I tried manually installing FF27, but every time I clicked on the firefox binary, it opened my old version instead.

I didn't even know I had downloaded it, but I found that I had a .pet of FF27, so I resorted to installing that. The installation went well, but YIKES...that thing devoured a lot of space! I don't like to think how big it must've been, before 8Geee trimmed it down...it gives new meaning to the word bloatware!

Sadly, FF27 didn't work with my bank's website at all. It's supposed to support FF25 and higher, but apparently their web designers didn't get the memo. I'm sick of this bank for a variety of reasons, and this website issue is pretty much the last straw, so let 'em rot. I'll just move our family's money to a locally owned bank. So there!

Just FYI, I found that QtWeb does work perfectly with Puppy 5.1!

So that's the result of my experiments with FF27 and QtWeb.