Firefox 5.0 is in beta testing, it won't be released until close to the end of this month.

There are different update channels. If you downloaded Firefox 4 Beta, then you are on the Beta channel, which means that the next update is the next beta release. Firefox 5 is now in beta, so it was made available to everyone on the beta update channel.

To change to the release channel, you need to download and install the latest end-user release from firefox.com

<<< There are different update channels. If you downloaded Firefox 4 Beta, then you are on the Beta channel, which means that the next update is the next beta release. Firefox 5 is now in beta, so it was made available to everyone on the beta update channel. >>>

Chris_Ilias:

Can you explain why I, a 3.6.6 user, continue to be prompted (by Mozilla/Firefox) to download v. 3.6.17 instead of v. 4 (for Mac)?

Thanks.

So, my iMac is on the beta channel which is why I received an offer to try v5, but my my macbook is on the normal channel so it doesn't get that opportunity? That makes sense I guess, except I have the beta version of 4 on my laptop long before the iMac.

Also, that link is to the Firefox homepage, which, as a Firefox user, I have actually seen before, each time I have ever downloaded Firefox. That is where I downloaded each version I have on each computer and each time it was the latest version so both my computers should be on the same 'channel'.

ps any idea why a completely new version is being released so soon? why wouldn't they just keep updating number 4 that was just released?

Thanks

You can check which update channel you are on by doing the following:

1. In the Location bar, type about:config and press Enter. The about:config "This might void your warranty!" warning page may appear.
2. Click I'll be careful, I promise!, to continue to the about:config page.
3. Search for the preference app.update.channel

If the value is set to release, you should only be updated when there is a new end-user release. If the value is set to beta, you will be updated with every beta version. If you had a beta version installed, and now it is set to the release channel, you probably re-downloaded/installed an end-user version of Firefox using the DMG file at some point since then.

Why Firefox 5 so soon? Mozilla has started moving to a "Rapid Release Schedule" to get improvements out to end-users quicker. You'll find that Firefox 5 looks pretty much the same as Firefox 4.

Quote:

Can you explain why I, a 3.6.6 user, continue to be prompted (by Mozilla/Firefox) to download v. 3.6.17 instead of v. 4 (for Mac)?

You only get a notice to update to a next major version if you are running the latest version of that release and if updating to 4.0 is enabled by Mozilla (some may wish to stay with 3.6.x).
So you need to do that in two steps: update to Firefox 3.6.17 and then do another update check to update to Firefox 4.

<<< You only get a notice to update to a next major version if you are running the latest version of that release and if updating to 4.0 is enabled by Mozilla (some may wish to stay with 3.6.x). So you need to do that in two steps: update to Firefox 3.6.17 and then do another update check to update to Firefox 4. >>>

Thanks, but that strikes me as a triumph of procedure over good (or even just 'common') sense. I think Mozilla should be more concerned with giving users the best FF version for their particular type of usage.

So if I'm using v. 3.6.6 and have the option of upgrading either to 3.6.17 or to 4.0, why not give me the information I need to make that decision in an informed way?

From what I've been reading, there's no point in my upgrading to 4.0 with 2 GB of RAM. Even 3.6.6 continuously overloads my machine -- high CPU usage, high RAM usage, and my MacBook's fan on too much of the time.

But I had to figure even that out the hard way -- with far too much research and far too little advice coming my way from the FF developers.

Ultimately this does not answer the question. The question is, why is FF doing a major release, instead of a minor release? Do CSS animations warrant a major release? Can we expect substantially new functionality/UI in FF5, similarly to what we got with FF4?

Hi BenLiyanage, If you look at the date of jsmarshall's question, you'll see that it was posted before Firefox 5 was released, and his/her question was about why Firefox 5 was being offered on one computer, when the other was saying Firefox 4 was the latest release.

To answer your question, Mozilla has switched to a rapid release process, where Firefox gets updated every few weeks and version numbers are no longer marketed. For instance, you probably have never known which version of gmail or hotmail you are using. If you go to the Mozilla announcement you'll notice that it never mentions the version number. That's not to say versions are going to be completely removed, just not marketed. There are still some places it needs to be removed, like the Firefox update notification and the Mozilla homepage.

In the previous release process, things like CSS animations would not be allowed in a 3.6.x update, which were strictly for security and stability updates.

If you have any further questions, please start a new thread. jsmarshall's question has been answered, and it's unfair to jsmarshall to take over his/her thread with other people's questions.