3w ago

Firefox 140 Brings Tab Unload, Custom Search & New ESR

www.omgubuntu.co.uk

What's New in Firefox 140? A Fair Bit…

36 comments

I've had the unload flag enabled in about: config for months.
Haven't used the update yet but there are several related flags to change the appearance and behavior of unloaded tabs in there as well.
Tab groups are another thing I was using for a while, they still hide some flags to enable some options. Again, there are some neat flags associated with this in about: config.
There are also some hidden peefs for backing up your data that would be cool if they pushed them.
Sometimes it fewls lkke I probably spend more time tweaking flags than I do using the browser.
I use the release version, not nightly or developer. But you can usually find some future features in there. Some good, some not. YMMV.
As always - Use caution.
- Go to about:config
This update makes it much easier to add custom search engines in Firefox. You can now right-click in a search field on a supported website and select “Add Search Engine” to add it. You can edit the name and assign a keyboard.
Am I misremembering things, didn't this feature exist already in the past?
- Maybe the old feature was keyword bookmarks, not sure.
  
  Yeah it definitely was keyword bookmarks, but there was an option to "add a keyword for this search" or something along those lines
- Yes I’m pretty sure that this has been an option. For example when I go to imdb.com and right click on the tab, it prompts me to “add imdb” for search. Many such cases on many different websites. Maybe they changed the term or function.
- Sort of. I believe search engine providers actually have to create an extension to be listed in the setting.
  
  No I distinctly remember being able to right click and add a keyword and bookmark for search field on random website forms, even internal ones on company intranet sites and such
Does this mean i can remove the Auto Tab Discard addon?
- auto tab discard would still have more features though. the built in one is probably more simplified.
Original ESR is best ESR
edit: apparently only in regards to software development. Why can't we have people who aren't batshit somehow? 🙄
- Not so sure about that... Looking at that page he seems pretty racist, homophobic, and sexist.
  
  I didn't even read that part before, edited to reflect it.
- ❤️
Why is Firefox 4 or 3 versions ahead of Chromium versions (Edge, Chrome)?
- Because it's a completely separate codebase that is not chrome based
- Literally the same reason why Ford sells 150s and 250s and Volvo sells 70s and 90s: They are different products and don't base the version numbers on their competitor.
  
  Actually, Firefox version numbers were totally independent for most of their history, but Mozilla recently adjusted them to roughly align with Chromium versions to reduce confusion for developers.
  2004 - Firefox 1.0, no Chrome yet 2010 - Firefox 4.0, Chrome around version 8 2011 - Firefox switches to rapid releases 2020 - Firefox and Chrome both around version 85, just by coincidence 2024 - Firefox jumps from 124 to 126 to align with Chrome 126 2025 - Firefox 126+, Chrome 126+, version numbers now track similarly
  
  Probably more like AMD naming processors XP, moving to 3 digits to match Intel, and stuffing AI into the model name.
  Hell, even the Linux kernel is not immune
  https://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1107.2/01843.html
- Not everything is Chrome just yet. We still have Gecko and Webkit holding on.
- Why is Chrome 121 versions ahead of Android?
  
  Windows 11 and OSX are so outdated
- Why are the buses different colours?
- Why is Sony 1000XM1 versions ahead of Apple?
- Competitors tend to do that. Originally Firefox used traditional version numbering up until 3.0, but then when Chrome came out with their numbering scheme of incrementing the main version number with every minor update, Firefox followed suit. It's the same reason Microsoft called the Xbox successor the Xbox 360, if the average consumer would see the Xbox 2 next to the PS3, they'd at least subconsciously think the PS3 was more advanced.
- All the downvotes here kinda got me legit angry. Incurious fools and jokers.
  It's not a complete answer, but it's partially because the development of Chrome and Firefox have always been highly competitive resulting in them both adopting rapid release cycles around the same time in the early 2010's.
  I haven't read too much into the topic, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was as much a marketing decision as well as a developer one. Similar to how Microsoft didn't want to release an XBox 2 in competition with a PlayStation 3.
  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_version_history https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Chrome#Development
  These are just the Wikipedia links, but there is interesting discussion of development history to be had, here.
  
  I haven’t read too much into the topic, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was as much a marketing decision as well as a developer one.
  Version numbering has no implications on development. Firefox released just as frequently before, just that they didn't increase the major version that often.
  
  Incurious fools
  I haven’t read too much into the topic
  sigh...

36 comments