There are very few visible changes between Firefox 4 & 5, most of the changes are behind the scene such as improved performance, the main changes are summarized in the "What's new" section of the release notes - http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/5.0/releasenotes/

Thanks for your reply. I glanced at the release notes. Caveat: I am a total non-techie, and I'd have to say I didn't understand about 98% of what was listed! That being said, how important is it for me to "upgrade" to Version 5?

It's very important. While there are not many immediately-visible changes in Firefox 5, there are fixes for several security exploits. (Aside from security fixes, most of the changes in Firefox 5 are stability and performance improvements, or new features for web developers.)

OK, but I'm not a web developer (?). But I should be concerned about stability and performance in what sense? Security exploits in 4? I thought 4 was released not too long ago. Why were those security issues not identified and dealt with prior to 4's release? Wouldn't that suggest that security was not as secure as Firefox thought and, thus, easily breached and exploitable? Thanks ...

Think of 5.0 as being a security update in place of 4.0.2 but with some more work done also.

Exploits may not be found until some time after due to a variety of source or reasons and whether it affected just Firefox or multiple browsers, a new update is provided to fix those as soon as possible. Mozilla does not release versions with known exploited and then fixes them later if that is what you thought. If anything Mozilla has generally been the fastest in getting any exploits fixed in point updates especially when the exploit affected multiple browsers. Mozilla fixes them as soon as possible unlike with say Microsoft and IE getting around eventually.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/5.0/releasenotes/ See the What's New in Firefox section.

Thanks for your reply. Perhaps I wasn't clear (certainly/definitely possible), and I do apologize. I wasn't suggesting that Mozilla was intentionally or otherwise releasing a version with known security issues that could be exploited. And I would agree that Mozilla does release "fixes" in a very timely manner. Now, to return to my "original" question: all things being equal, is it worth it to me to upgrade to version 5 now?

Under Mozilla's current policy, unless they change it, with the new quick release program for new Firefox versions, beginning with Firefox 5, the prior version (in this case Firefox 4), will no longer be updated or maintained, even if security issues exist or are located in that prior version. Everyone is encouraged to upgrade to Firefox 5.

The only older version that is still being supported under the old support policy is Firefox 3.6.x; the current version is 3.6.18. Support for Firefox 3.6.x is currently scheduled to end in a few months.

Thank you.

You are welcome.

So that other users can find solutions to previously asked Firefox support questions, please take a couple of minutes to return to the forum, sign in and click "Solved" NEXT TO THE ANSWER THAT BEST ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. Thanks.

Actually I did come up with a reason NOT to download Version 5 at this time. When attempting to download Google Toolbar after downloading Firefox Version 5, I kept getting an error message indicating that Version 5 was NOT compatible with Google Toolbar. This seems to be to be an issue for those who do use the Google Toolbar. After reading some of the posts on various forums, suggested "fixes", albeit very few, appeared to be temporary at best, and no one seemed to know when Google and Firefox were going to work this out! While Version 5 addresses known security issues (always a good thing), this incompatibility issue between Google Toolbar and Version 5 appears problematic, as well.

"...no one seemed to know when Google and Firefox were going to work this out!"

Actually, there is nothing to work out. Google had 7 beta versions of Firefox 5 over a 4-week period in which to test compatibility of their toolbar with Firefox 5; as usual, Google and a few other 3rd-party Add-on developers did not take advantage of that time, so that they could keep the users of their products happy. After testing compatibility, they only need to change one line in one of the files with Google toolbar to make it compatible.

• Some users in this forum have changed the one line; I know how to do it, the process is lengthy to describe in writing if the Add-on file is kept in a packed state (some are, some are not) and I will not go into that here.
• Other users on this forum have Google toolbar successfully working in Firefox 5 with this Add-on:
  • https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/15003

You mean Mozilla had 7 beta versions of Firefox 5.0. It also was not even a secret that the target date of release was June 21.

With each new version change (not point updates like say 3.6.*) the toolbars needs to be updated by the authors, not Mozilla.

With the case of Firefox 5.0 the vast majority of extensions that are compatible with 4.0.1 are already compatible or just need a maxversion bump for Fx 5.0

James:

No, I said, and meant, "Google had 7 beta versions of Firefox 5 over a 4-week period..."

Actually I did try this: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/15003 However, it didn't seem to resolve the problem. The toolbar comes and then it vanishes! I don't really understand what James and Helper 7677 are saying (recall: I am not tech savvy). However, it would seem to me that it's irrelevant if Google was aware of Firefox release date or not. I really don't think it should be incumbent on users of both Firefox and Google to have jump through so many hoops, bells, and whistles. Most users do not have the skill, know-how, and/or ability to even attempt some of the "fixes" I've seen suggested on this forum and others. I don't care if the butler did it with the candlestick in the library. As a user of both products, I want them to be compatible with each other when each is released. Why aren't they working together? And if they are, why are so many users so frustrated and unhappy? Well big deal: so some users have changed one line of code!!!! How about the other - what 90+% of users who don't have a clue what that means or the ability to "change" it themselves. That seems to be an amazingly condescending comment. People come to these forums because they need help, they're stuck, they don't know what they're doing, they don't understand what the companies are doing, etc. So to suggest that some can "change a line of code" is just ludicrous! Please be respectful of my lack of technical knowledge which I freely admit to.

The Add-on Compatibility Reporter was designed specifically to alleviate such problems and user frustration and to avoid users needing to change that one line of code. As far as I am concerned Google and others are not taking care of their customers!

If all automobiles were suddenly required to be upgraded by your dealer to run on methane by a certain date, the natural gas companies knew of the requirement and took no steps to increase production and did not provide fueling stations, and when the day came, you could go nowhere in your automobile, whose fault would that be? Same with this situation.

Mozilla does not keep its development and deployment plans a secret, Google and other 3rd-party Add-on developers know where to find that information and are given ample opportunity to assure that their products are compatible or are made compatible.

After installing Add-on Compatibility Reporter, did you go to Add-ons > Extension

1. to see if Google's product was disabled?
2. if it was disabled, did you click the Enable button and restart Firefox?
3. did you notice the Compatibility button that was added to the Extensions list?
4. did you wonder what the Compatibility button was for? Click on it to find out.

If you want to stay with Firefox 4, by all means do so, with the full knowledge, as I pointed out in my initial post in this thread, that it is no longer supported.

I, and the other posters in this thread, have done all that we can to help you and answer your questions. I have nothing else to add. Good luck!

See (some happy users):

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/838319
• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/838480
• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/838294