Waterfox G4.0.3.1 update released with fix for bootstrapped extensions, menu bar issues
Waterfox has been updated to version G4.0.3.1. This release fixes some issues that users had reported in the previous build.
Version G.4.0.2 of the web browser, which shipped at the beginning of this month, had a bug that prevented the installation of bootstrap add-ons. Waterfox would throw out an "addon is corrupt" error message, when users tried to install the legacy extensions. Waterfox G4.0.3.1 update resolves the issue. The latest version also patches a bug that was preventing previously installed bootstrap add-ons, from loading upon the next restart, they were getting disabled by the application.
You may have come across an issue in Waterfox G 4.0.2, that caused the menu bar to be displayed partially off the screen, in maximized mode. It also resulted in tabs listed on the menu bar. Both of these issues have been fixed in Waterfox G4.0.3.1. Users who wish to use bootstrap extensions, can find forked versions of some popular add-ons at this page. The update introduces a patch for a problem that was preventing the Copy Tab Link option from working. There is still no option to toggle the menu bar icons.
The release notes for the update state that the web browser will hide the title bar and buttons correctly, when you have chosen a different location for the tab bar. Prior to this fix, Waterfox kept resetting the option, when the user restarted the program after changing the setting.
And now to some other fixes. Users who wish to view Flash media can enable the plugin, but Waterfox will not play the media by default, for security reasons. So, you will have to allow the content on web pages. The address bar now makes it more obvious when a website is secure or insecure. Here's what it looked like in the previous build.
And this is what the new warning looks like.
The new version of the browser colorizes the icon for secure sites, while insecure pages will display a text-based warning which makes it a bit easier to notice the message.
Some users have reported that the latest version introduces a new bug related to the Bookmarks toolbar. If you use the right-click menu, you may notice that a few options in it are greyed out. According to the developer, Alex Kontos, this problem can be resolved by disabling the toolbar and re-enabling it.
You may update to the latest version from the Help > About Waterfox menu. Or, if you'd prefer to download the full installer, you can get Waterfox G4.0.3.1 from the developer's website. There are a couple of known issues from the previous version, that this release does not address. The browser does not display the add-on version numbers in about:addons. Shortcuts for zoom, full screen mode, and screenshot are not included by default in the status bar. You can add these shortcuts manually by using the Customize Toolbar options.
The developer had released G4 with new hardware requirements a month ago, you can read more about it here. Waterfox Classic continues to be under development, it now has a new home on the official site, and its own GitHub page.
What issues have you faced with Waterfox G4? Share your experiences and workarounds with us.
Waterfox Classic seems to be a virtual dead duck now judging by the note on landing page that it contains a number of security vulnerabilities. Not very encouraging to say the least.
But I’m using it at this moment and it flags this Ghacks page as “Connection is not secure”. Here’s a pix of it.
https://i.postimg.cc/t4Bnvd99/ghacks-not-secure.png
Sorry, the Ghacks algorithm snipped a link out of my above comment. But you can easily Duckduck the System1 site…
It’s always good to know who owns a software product. So perhaps it would have been handy to also remind Ghacks readers that in Februari 2020, Waterfox was bought (from its original developer Alex Kontos) by the American System1 company. See: .
System1 is the very same company that bought Startpage search a while ago.
Let me quote the System1 website: they claim to develop “a suite of privacy-focused products, and deliver high-intent customers to our advertising partners” while operating “one of the world’s most advanced Responsive Acquisition Marketing Platforms”.
It is quite clear that with this background, Waterfox is no longer the independent, alternative browser it once was. It now is part of a commercial venture with express advertising and marketing goals.
Everyone should use the browser she likes most! But personally, if I were a Waterfox user, I would consider switching back to Firefox. Not the latest Firefox but the Firefox ESR edition, which in fact still offers more or less the same thing (unless, of course, you have the older Waterfox Classic with noncompatible extensions).
Sure, I know, Mozilla is far from perfect, but somehow I myself still trust it a little more than System1.
>Mozilla is far from perfect
Talk about understatement of the century. “Abuser one bad, so go back to abuser 2 because they have progressive transgender unicorn farts while assraping your privacy.”
How to disable update checking, that’s the question (Waterfox Linux version).
I suspect the easiest way would be to use policies.json in /usr/lib/waterfox-g4/distribution/
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1304175#answer-1350120
I can’t fine the down load for Waterfox G4.0 3.1
https://www.waterfox.net/download/ :)
If and when I get the chance I will have to download this new update for my other computer and test it a little and disable some extensions to test it from scratch. I wasn’t overly impressed with the new version upon my last trials but its hard not to feel that way with every new major release these days.
The last I had seen of it the UI was not overly impressive but that is just me.
I feel like this article is going to be buzzing soon.
@Mystique
> I feel like this article is going to be buzzing soon.
Unfortunately, this is what tends to happen when the mod fails to rein certain trolls (lately the “Peacock” guy) in, despite repeated requests. They have no one but themselves to blame.
It takes one to know one.
@Anonymous
Damn, you are right. My posts happen to be about as nonsensical as the posts of the Peacock guy. How did I miss that? /s
Thank you, Ashwin for notifying me of the update. I don’t get regular updates of Waterfox on Ubuntu, so I must seek them out, download them, unpack them, and install them manually.
I haven’t found any other way of doing this (that works).
Have you tried using hawkeye’s rolling updates? I use them in my VM
I haven’t checked in a couple of days but I think it’s up to 4.0.2.1 but it works well, I am sure it will update to 4.0.3.1 soon.
https://software.opensuse.org//download.html?project=home%3Ahawkeye116477%3Awaterfox&package=waterfox-g4-kde
https://software.opensuse.org//download.html?project=home%3Ahawkeye116477%3Awaterfox&package=waterfox-g3-kde
this is so cool
Hell yeah!
… got goosebumps, right now.
Anyone else?..
you called?