Mozilla Brings Back Firefox 64-Bit For Windows Nightly Builds

Basically, the title of thread says it all. More reading on the following links:

http://it.slashdot.org/story/12/12/...ack-firefox-64-bit-for-windows-nightly-builds
http://www.neowin.net/news/firefox-64-bit-windows-development-resumed
http://www.ghacks.net/2012/12/22/mozilla-ok-you-can-have-your-64-bit-firefox-versions-back/
http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/12/64-bit-firefox-on-windows-is-not-so-dead/
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/12/...ws-will-keep-nightly-builds-coming-after-all/

Original post by Benjamin Smedberg (on Google Groups)
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/mozilla.dev.apps.firefox/DOihL2429NM

 

Yeah, I downloaded nightly yesterday and was surprised that there is a 64bit build. Good move.

 

Yeah seriously. They came back to their senses. 64 bit is the future and abandoning it was simply a dumb idea in the first place.

 

64 bit isn't the future, it's been here a while now. It's program developers that are still behind. I don't think it was a dumb idea at all if Mozilla can't/doesn't plan to make it official or work on other areas of security that are sorely missing from Fx. If their 64 bit build is simply going to stay on as a "test build", there's really little point. It doesn't sound like they're at all certain about continued development.

 

Regardless, this is still a move in the right direction.

 

True. Nobody is going to make 64 bit add-ons for a browser that will never see an official release, and Mozilla will use the excuse that there are no 64 bit add-ons.

 

Well, to be fair, I don't know of any difference that would make considering outside of Opera and IE, there aren't many choices in 64 bit browsers to begin with (Leaving out Palemoon which is more of a knock-off of Fx than anything else.). As far as actual Firefox add-ons go, many of them already work with the 64 bit Nightly builds. Some folks who are getting on Mozilla's case for getting away from 64 bit development might be the same ones mad because of "too fast" releases, which would make absolutely no sense to me, considering Nightly builds are released..nightly.

 

Precisely. I get it why users are frustrated with the direction Mozilla is heading (I've been there and still am) but more are getting on "Mozilla-bashing" without understanding the big picture - as if it's the coolest thing in town.

Google started with the fast updates and Mozilla followed with a rapid release cycle. Things started out rough...with extensions breaking and things like that. Mozilla did things to ease the change. Some acknowledged this but others fail to see that the team listens. What's ironic is that some of these users flocked to Chrome and sing praises.

Now, Mozilla decided to put on hold 64-bit version of their browser since
the 32-bit version works fine generally speaking (of course, there are exceptions). They were prioritizing their acts since they can't afford to lose more users. If 64-bit Firefox is released as part of the mainstream family...some users will complain about plug-ins installed by 3rd-party programs (download managers for e.g.) not working with their 64-bit Firefox. There will also be users complaining about Javascript performance (compared to the 32-bit counterpart).

Since there are forks catering to these needs (e.g Waterfox, Palemoon), it's no surprise why Mozilla is doing things this way - it's letting these projects take the lead. Heck, even Palemoon list "very important things to note before you decide if you want to use an x64 build" here:

http://www.palemoon.org/palemoon-x64.shtml

I'm glad Mozilla is letting 64-bit Firefox back into nightly but even now...people are complaining about the lack of support.

 

Wise decision...

 

Yes I do complain about fast releases. No I am not using nightly builds. My main browsers is 32 bit FF ESR. I do want a fully featured 64 bit FF and with stopped development it was out of the picture. What I don't get is why so many people don't want 64 bit FF.

 

Well, what would be the point in you having a fully featured 64 bit FF when you're complaining about fast releases and are on ESR? I could never see Mozilla making an ESR of 64 bit, one reason being a fully developed 64 bit Firefox would be released long after they had done ESR the first time. I don't see them supporting ESR for two separate versions. I still find it strange that these complaints aren't directed at Chrome, only Mozilla, but whatever I guess.

Regardless, them going back to Nightly builds is only going to be a step in the right direction and worth everyone's time if Mozilla has a real plan in place to come out of it with an official 64 bit version. Otherwise, it's development time better spent on the 32 bit version that is already in place.

 

Way ahead of you. Chrome has already started it's 64 bit development. As for ESR or not, 64 bit is more important to me.

 

My comment on that was more related to release speed complaints. So many have very much enjoyed the Mozilla bashing party, but hardly a sound has been uttered towards Google for doing the exact same thing..and doing it before Mozilla. Also, Mozilla is way ahead of Chrome in 64 bit support since you can, you know, actually download and use Firefox 64 in its unfinished state.

 

These builds seem to be a waste of time. I hope this move doesn't harm Servo's development.

 

Waterfox is a community supported 64x version of Firefox. Its fast and stable even if its not the always the latest FF build.