update for hobby mode

Cameron Kaiser 2021-10-19 17:42:39 -07:00
parent 0bd902112a
commit 59f9ce40c6

@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
# TenFourFox Frequently Asked Questions
This page is for frequently asked questions about TenFourFox (or, as we abbreviate it, 10.4Fx). Some of these are also answered on the main site and other places in the Github wiki, but are also provided here for convenience.
**Questions answered in the FAQ are generally pertinent only to the most current version of 10.4Fx** although notes about earlier versions are also included for reference.
This page is for frequently asked questions about TenFourFox (or, as we abbreviate it, 10.4Fx). **Questions answered in the FAQ are generally pertinent only to the most current version of 10.4Fx** although notes about earlier versions are also included for reference.
## What is TenFourFox?
TenFourFox (hereafter 10.4Fx) is a port of Firefox to the Power Macintosh, running either Mac OS X 10.4 or 10.5.
TenFourFox (hereafter 10.4Fx) is a port of Firefox 45 with later updates to the Power Macintosh, running either Mac OS X 10.4 or 10.5.
## Why make 10.4Fx?
Mozilla stopped supporting Power Macintosh and Mac OS X v10.4 with Firefox 4/Mozilla 2.0, both of which remain important and in our humble opinion viable platforms, particularly for people who need to run older software or use Classic. We fall into this category. This is our attempt to rectify the disparity.
Mozilla stopped supporting Power Macintosh and Mac OS X v10.4 with Firefox 4/Mozilla 2.0, both of which remain important and in our humble opinion viable platforms, particularly for people who need to run older software or use Classic. We fall into this category. This was our attempt to rectify the disparity.
## Why isn't it called Firefox?
@ -18,27 +16,40 @@ Mozilla stopped supporting Power Macintosh and Mac OS X v10.4 with Firefox 4/Moz
## What modifications were made to 10.4Fx?
10.4Fx contains modified widget code to work with OS X Tiger and the 10.4 SDK, modified font code to use Apple Type Services instead of CoreText, disables WebGL (which is incompatible with Tiger), adds its own MP3 audio decoder, and includes AltiVec- and PowerPC-specific code for JavaScript acceleration and decoding of WebM, JPEG and HTML. Here is a more or less complete [[list of changes in TenFourFox|TechNotes]].
10.4Fx contains modified widget code to work with OS X Tiger and the 10.4 SDK, modified font code to use Apple Type Services instead of CoreText, disables WebGL (which is incompatible with Tiger), adds its own MP3 audio decoder, and includes AltiVec- and PowerPC-specific code for JavaScript acceleration and decoding of WebM, JPEG and HTML. Here is a more or less complete [[list of changes in TenFourFox|TechNotes]]. There are also various later features from post-Firefox 45 versions which were backported, such as TLS 1.3 and WebP support.
## Does Mozilla support TenFourFox?
**No. TenFourFox is not an official Mozilla build or product.** That said, our project lead is a member of the Mozilla security group, and all our contributors routinely upstream patches we believe of benefit to other PowerPC builds of Firefox, which Mozilla accepts. However, we maintain separate support networks, build systems, and distribution infrastructure which Mozilla has no role in operating; no one working on this port is a Mozilla employee; and the project receives no material support from Mozilla. In short, we are no different to Mozilla than any other 3rd-party "[Tier 3](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Supported_build_configurations)" port.
**No. TenFourFox is not an official Mozilla build or product.**
## Why do you put that funny "FPR" before your version numbers?
## Why don't you make builds of TenFourFox anymore?
## What does "hobby mode" mean?
TenFourFox is in *hobby mode*, which is to say that it is no longer updated on any regular schedule, there is no roadmap, and there is no user support. Updates occur when someone submits a patch or pull request and it is accepted, and there will be no specific version tags (the current version is always what's there). Not issuing official builds is partially because there's no version timeline, but it's also to save computer time and energy and to encourage people to build their own copies of the browser and become more accustomed to the process.
[[Here's how you can build your own copy|HowToBuildFPR]].
## Why do you keep closing my Github issues? You have a bug and you should fix it.
Because TenFourFox is a hobby, the only things being worked on are those that people actually want to be working on. If you submit an issue and you don't submit a patch to fix that issue or indicate you yourself plan to work on that issue, it will be closed. There are lots of things that don't work in the browser, so if it matters to you, pitch in!
## What were those funny "FPR" and "SPR" numbers?
Until TenFourFox 45, TenFourFox versions kept pace with Firefox, and corresponded generally with the feature set of the same version of Firefox. Stable releases were based on the current Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) and unstable releases were based on the released mainstream version of Firefox. We called this state "source parity:" we built from a modified version of Firefox's current source code and kept pace with their changes.
Unfortunately, between Firefox 45ESR and 52ESR, Mozilla made several important low-level changes that would have caused substantial problems with older versions of OS X. Additionally, after Firefox 54 Firefox now requires the Rust compiler to build the browser, which has never been supported on PowerPC OS X and has several low-level technical requirements which are not possible prior to OS X Lion. It would have been very difficult to build versions from Firefox 46 to 53, and is now impossible to build versions from Firefox 54 on.
As a result, we parted ways from Firefox's source code with the ESR version of 45.9 and started backporting important features from later versions of Firefox to this reliable platform base. We call this state "feature parity" to demonstrate that we don't use Mozilla's current source code in its entirety, but we do try to support as many of the current features as feasible. These releases are tagged as "FPR" or "Feature Parity Releases" so that they are not confused with later versions of Firefox by users or websites checking the user agent.
As a result, we parted ways from Firefox's source code with the ESR version of 45.9 and started backporting important features from later versions of Firefox to this reliable platform base. We called this state "feature parity" to demonstrate that we don't use Mozilla's current source code in its entirety, but we tried to support as many of the current features as feasible. These releases were tagged as "FPR" or "Feature Parity Releases" so that they wouldn't be confused with later versions of Firefox by users or websites checking the user agent.
Each FPR includes security and bug fixes as well as varying numbers of new features ported sometimes from the very latest version of Firefox. While the FPR series do not implement every single feature due to feasibility or missing system requirements, they are designed to keep the browser as relevant and compatible with most current websites as possible.
In March feature parity ended and was replaced with "security parity" where security updates were only made. These releases were tagged as "Security Parity Releases." The last "SPR" release was October 5, 2021.
TenFourFox now uses a rolling release model; there is no specific version number or release tags anymore. The tip is always "the latest."
Here is more information on [[how we define "parity"|Parity]].
## Are there other PowerPC OS X builds of Firefox?
We are no longer aware of other current builders. For a period of time AuroraFox issued a 10.5-only build, but is no longer supported as of Firefox 20. There are also some older Firefox rebuilds for Power Macs made directly from Mozilla's source code, but none of them are still maintained either. The long-running SeaMonkeyPPC (10.5 only) has also ceased updates, as has the OS X/ppc version of the Tor Browser Bundle (compatible with 10.4/10.5 and based on 10.4Fx code).
We are no longer aware of other current builders other than those based on TenFourFox itself. For a period of time AuroraFox issued a 10.5-only build, but is no longer supported as of Firefox 20. There are also some older Firefox rebuilds for Power Macs made directly from Mozilla's source code, but none of them are still maintained either. The long-running SeaMonkeyPPC (10.5 only) has also ceased updates, as has the OS X/ppc version of the Tor Browser Bundle (compatible with 10.4/10.5 and based on 10.4Fx code).
For Thunderbird users, there was [Tenfourbird](https://en.osdn.jp/projects/tenfourbird/) which is also based on 10.4Fx code and compatible with 10.4 and 10.5. Tenfourbird has not been updated since 38.9.
@ -52,50 +63,13 @@ We do not officially endorse any alternative build (other than our own, of cours
No. OS X 10.3 does not contain the secret CoreText that is necessary for portions of the underlying font code, and because current versions of Firefox depend strongly on Cocoa, the core operating system libraries in general are not advanced enough to support the browser base. There is no easy way to fix this. For Panther, your best bet is probably Camino 1.6.1; you might also consider SeaMonkey 1.1, which will work for Jaguar too. You could also run [Classilla](http://www.classilla.org/) in Classic, which is also your best option for 10.0-10.1 if anyone is still running that, and of course the best choice for Rhapsody, OS 8.6 and OS 9 if we do say so ourselves.
## Will 10.4Fx receive updates?
Yes. We will update the browser with regular security and bug fix updates, along with selected new features, which your browser will automatically prompt you to download when they become available.
## I tried to download TenFourFox from SourceForge and I got a security error.
Current versions of TenFourFox have a chicken and egg problem where it is not possible to download the current version of TenFourFox without using TenFourFox. SourceForge requires TLS 1.1 security or better which TenFourFox supports, but is not supported by any official version of Safari or Firefox compatible with 10.4 or 10.5.
Admittedly, given that you're looking at this FAQ, as Github requires TLS 1.2 this question doesn't apply to the browser you're using right now which can download TenFourFox just fine.
The easiest solution is simply to download the browser on a current Mac or PC (or the computer you're reading this on) and copy the file to the Power Mac. If this is not possible, there are two known alternatives that don't require another computer to assist:
* If you have [Opera 10.63](http://www.oldapps.com/mac/opera.php?old_opera=39) on your Mac, you can use that to download TenFourFox. This version of Opera was previously the only known browser for Power Macs to support TLS 1.2 and runs on 10.4 and 10.5. Only use Opera to download TenFourFox; it has known security and stability issues with current websites.
* However, the officially supported solution is to use the **TenFourFox Downloader**. Visit the TenFourFox page with a browser that does not support TLS 1.2, such as Camino or Firefox 3.6; the site will detect this and offer you a link to the Downloader. The Downloader is available over unencrypted HTTP and can securely download the most current version of TenFourFox for your Mac from SourceForge for you. After that, you can use TenFourFox itself to download future versions. Only use the Downloader for the first time downloading TenFourFox; use TenFourFox itself for future releases as the Downloader itself can become out of date and is periodically upgraded separately. The Downloader runs on 10.4 and 10.5, but only supports Power Macs.
## I tried to unzip TenFourFox and I get an error.
There are several causes for this message:
* The download is corrupt. Verify that it downloaded properly; you can confirm the archive is intact with [[our list of checksum hashes|Hashes]].
* The folder you are trying to unzip it in has bad permissions. Try moving the downloaded archive somewhere else on your hard disk and unzipping it there instead.
* The tool you used to unzip 10.4Fx does not understand the resource fork. **Do not use third-party unzipping tools (such as Zipeg and others) to open the `.zip` file; it may corrupt the application.** Use the native OS X archive utility that comes with Tiger and Leopard (it is in `/System/Library/CoreServices/BOMArchiveHelper.app`, or you can try right-clicking on the `.zip` file and selecting it from the `Open With...` list).
## I tried to run TenFourFox and it says it's "not supported on this architecture."
There are several causes for this message:
* You accidentally downloaded Firefox, not TenFourFox. Firefox is an Intel-only application and will not run on a Power Mac.
* You accidentally downloaded the wrong architecture version. A Power Mac G3 will not run anything but the G3 version; the G4 or G5 versions will either give you this message or not run at all.
* The download is corrupt. Verify that it downloaded properly; you can confirm the archive is intact with [[our list of checksum hashes|Hashes]].
* The tool you used to unzip 10.4Fx corrupted it. **Do not use third-party unzipping tools (such as Zipeg and others) to open the `.zip` file; it may corrupt the application.** Use the native OS X archive utility that comes with Tiger and Leopard (it is in `/System/Library/CoreServices/BOMArchiveHelper.app`, or you can try right-clicking on the `.zip` file and selecting it from the `Open With...` list).
## I tried to run TenFourFox and it says it's a Classic application and is not supported.
A few users have reported this occurs on Leopard systems for reasons that are not entirely clear. Deleting the defective TenFourFox file and unzipping the package a second time seems to fix it.
## I tried to run TenFourFox and it immediately crashes. Don't you even test your software?
Please give us the benefit of the doubt here: we _do_ dogfood our own browser. In fact, the FAQ you're reading was written on a G5 using TenFourFox. Serious crippling issues like this are usually due to something local; failure to do basic browsing tasks, let alone even start up, would be rapidly apparent to our testing audience. To diagnose the problem will need a little detective work.
* First, verify you are running the correct processor build. The G5 build will crash on a system that does not have a G5 processor; the G4 build will crash on a G3 processor. If you're trying to run the browser on an Intel Mac, we don't support that (but read on through the next couple of questions).
* First, verify you generated the correct processor build. The G5 build will crash on a system that does not have a G5 processor; the G4 build will crash on a G3 processor. If you're trying to run the browser on an Intel Mac, we don't support that (but read on through the next couple of questions).
* Next, try to start in safe mode -- hold down the Option key as you start 10.4Fx. This will disable any problematic extensions and themes and certain other browser features. If this fixes the problem, you should attempt to find which add-on or feature is the problem. Some older add-ons may cause serious issues with the browser. You can see what add-ons are installed and disable or remove them as appropriate by going to Tools, Add-ons.
* If that doesn't fix it, you should try [starting with a blank profile](http://tenfourfox.tenderapp.com/kb/general/how-to-reset-your-profile) instead of your earlier Firefox profile. Profiles created by old versions of Firefox or TenFourFox may corrupt or be unreadable to later versions. The instructions will explain how to preserve as much of your profile as possible, such as bookmarks.
* If that doesn't fix it, you should try starting with a blank profile (you can do this by starting the Profile Manager, read on) instead of your earlier Firefox profile. Profiles created by old versions of Firefox or TenFourFox may corrupt or be unreadable to later versions. The instructions will explain how to preserve as much of your profile as possible, such as bookmarks.
* If even that doesn't fix it, certain third-party operating system components may cause conflicts, particularly haxies, system extensions and monitoring software. Consider disabling these temporarily to see if they're the culprits.
[Mozilla's Firefox OS X support pages](http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Firefox%20will%20not%20start) also have other suggestions for fixing startup problems.
@ -106,31 +80,9 @@ Since Firefox 5, Mozilla has required that most of the components of the browser
There is a silver lining, though: once XUL is mostly/fully loaded, much of it remains in memory, and the browser becomes considerably faster. Plus, because the components are kept all in one place, certain types of glue code can be dispensed with, allowing the browser to have even less overhead once it's fully loaded. As long as you keep the browser open and don't quit it (you can sleep your Mac with 10.4Fx running), you won't have to pay this startup penalty again unless you have to restart the browser.
## Can 10.4Fx run on an Intel Mac with 10.4, 10.5 or 10.6?
## Can 10.4Fx run on an Intel Mac?
Yes, but: **Intel Macintoshes are not supported. Please do not ask for support on Tenderapp.** Because Intel is a better-known architecture to attackers than PowerPC, both Intel 10.4 and 10.5 are much more likely to be successfully attacked than PowerPC, even though both technically have the same or similar security holes.
That having been said, if you are absolutely unable or unwilling to upgrade your Intel Mac, it is possible to run TenFourFox on it under the Rosetta PowerPC translator that comes with 10.4-10.6. However, because TenFourFox uses advanced custom code specific to the PowerPC architecture, Rosetta may have compatibility problems running the browser. Follow the steps below:
* First, make sure you have upgraded to Snow Leopard if at all possible, which will still run PowerPC software, and has many bug and security fixes. [Apple still sells Snow Leopard on CD](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard), and all Intel Macs available prior to 10.7 are compatible, including 32-bit systems.
* Second, ensure you are using the G3 version; the others, particularly the G5 version, will not work with Rosetta under _any_ circumstances.
* If the browser crashes when you try to start it (just double-click it like any other app), try to restart it in safe mode (hold down the Option key as you start the browser). If this allows the browser to start, you will need to disable the JavaScript compiler permanently. Go to `about:config` by typing it in your address bar. Find all the preferences starting with `javascript.options.baselinejit` and `javascript.options.ion` and make sure they are set to `false` by double-clicking the value. If they are already `false`, leave them alone. **Do not change any other options.** Restart 10.4Fx and see if this fixes the problem. You can also try this if you experience inexplicable crashes with 10.4Fx on your Intel Mac, even if it appears to start normally.
In general, using Rosetta to run TenFourFox will be noticeably slower on an Intel Mac, even if you are successful in starting it up. The reason is that Rosetta must convert all the PowerPC code in it into Intel machine language on the fly and there is no AltiVec or other acceleration support. As a result, it will appear to be much slower than the last version of Firefox compatible with Snow Leopard (48), the last version of Firefox compatible with Leopard (16) or the last version of Firefox compatible with Tiger (3.6), all of which have native Intel code. However, TenFourFox is more up-to-date with web features and security patches, so you may prefer it if your Intel Mac is sufficiently fast enough.
Remember, **Intel Macintoshes are not supported under any circumstances, period.** Power Macs remain the primary focus of support and development; any indulgence of Intel Macs is on a best-effort basis only.
## Can 10.4Fx run on an Intel Mac with 10.7 or 10.8?
No, because these versions of OS X lack Rosetta, the translation layer for running PowerPC applications on Intel Macs. Sorry. Blame Apple for being cheap about QuickTransit license seats.
The good news is, all Intel Macs that can run 10.8 can run 10.9 through 10.11, and even some older systems limited to Lion can be coerced to boot at least 10.9 using unsupported tools like MacPostFactor; this should enable you to run mainline Firefox, at least of this writing.
## Has anyone built 10.4Fx to run natively on Intel Macs without Rosetta?
TenFourFox can compile on Intel hosts and some third-party developers have released unofficial builds configured to do so. They should run on 10.4-10.6 as well, and may even work on later versions of macOS. However: **_We_ don't support these. If they don't work for you, too bad. Bug reports about them will be ignored and/or deleted.** Contributed unofficial builds can be found in the [SourceForge repository](https://sourceforge.net/projects/tenfourfox/files/unstable/contrib/) and [a separate fork](https://github.com/OlgaTPark/tenfourfox/releases) can be found at Github. They may not be current, they may not ever be updated and they may not even work.
Finally, let us say it again: **Intel Macintoshes are not supported under any circumstances, period.** Power Macs remain the primary focus of support and development; any indulgence of Intel Macs is on a best-effort basis only.
TenFourFox can compile on Intel hosts and some third-party developers have released unofficial builds configured to do so. They should run on 10.4-10.6 as well, and may even work on later versions of macOS. However, the primary focus of TenFourFox remains Power Macs.
## Will 10.4Fx use all my Firefox settings?
@ -138,7 +90,7 @@ Yes, because as far as your Mac is concerned TenFourFox _is_ Firefox, so it will
Similarly, **if you are updating from a Firefox version prior to 10.0 (such as Firefox 3.6)**, download and install TenFourFox 10.0.11, run it once, then download and install 17.0.11, run that once, then download and install 24.7.0, run that once, then download and install 31.8.0, run that once, then download and install 38.10.0, run that once, and finally download and install the current version of TenFourFox. If you are unable to do so, consider removing the `Library/Application Support/Firefox` folder in your home directory to make sure settings are clean and correct, but this will destroy your bookmarks, saved settings, cookies and add-ons. **If your Mac has never run Firefox (even if it ran Camino), you don't need to do this.**
Again, in some cases, you may have corrupted or buggy settings from older versions that will actually cause problems with 10.4Fx. In that case, you may need to [reset your profile](http://tenfourfox.tenderapp.com/kb/general/how-to-reset-your-profile); there is usually no way to fix this otherwise.
Again, in some cases, you may have corrupted or buggy settings from older versions that will actually cause problems with 10.4Fx. In that case, you may need to reset your profile from within TenFourFox; there is usually no way to fix this otherwise.
As a corollary in general, old versions of Firefox that are no longer supported will typically not be able to use profiles from later versions of Firefox, and may even corrupt them. **Once you have started using TenFourFox, you cannot go back to Firefox 3.6; you may lose data.** Even if you get away with it for awhile, we won't support this, and you will run into trouble sooner or later.
@ -162,10 +114,6 @@ Again, the exception is Firefox itself. Firefox 3.6 cannot be run simultaneously
**We do not support alternating between Firefox 3.6 and TenFourFox, as Firefox 3.6 will corrupt TenFourFox profiles and you _will_ lose data!**
## The browser keeps saying I'm out of date!
You will get automatic prompts to update if the browser detects your version is not in sync with the version available. Sometimes this may occur even if you appear to be using the same version (we do not bump the version number between official releases to avoid getting out of sync with Mozilla, but the browser has a different build ID). If you are ever in doubt about the version you have, the [TenFourFox Start Page](http://www.tenfourfox.com/start) will tell you if you are using the most current release.
## Web pages keep saying they don't support TenFourFox any more.
## Web pages say my browser is too old.
@ -173,7 +121,7 @@ TenFourFox is detected by many sites as Firefox 45, which technically has not be
For these sites that mistakenly use the browser's "user agent string" to determine its feature set, you can change it from within TenFourFox by going to Preferences and selecting the TenFourFox tab. From the User Agent dropdown, select an alternative. Select the earliest browser version that is compatible with the site you need; selecting an overly current version may cause the site to enable features TenFourFox might not ever support. Reload the page to see if the change fixed the issue. You may need to experiment with this setting to get some recalcitrant sites to "stick."
The current user agent setting is applied to all sites you visit, but you can change it at any time. **If a site doesn't seem to be working properly, make sure your user agent is set to the default before you report a bug.**
The current user agent setting is applied to all sites you visit, but you can change it at any time. **If a site doesn't seem to be working properly, make sure your user agent is set to the default before you report a bug to that site.**
## Does 10.4Fx support TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3?
@ -181,9 +129,9 @@ Yes, as well as TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 for legacy sites. TLS 1.2 was first official
## Does 10.4Fx support language packs?
Yes (see [the main page](http://www.tenfourfox.com/) for a list of languages). More are coming soon!
Yes, you can [download language packs from SourceForge](https://sourceforge.net/projects/tenfourfox/files/langpacks/) (the current release is for FPR32). Firefox language packs don't work, so don't use one of those.
Is your language not listed? You can help! 10.4Fx has slightly different strings and technical requirements than Firefox, so regular language packs need modification. However, fortunately [[it's very easy to do|Localization]]. If you'd like to contribute, post to [issue 328](/classilla/tenfourfox/issues/328).
Note that some later strings may require new translation. If your language is not listed, or a string is appearing in English and not your desired language, you can contribute: see [issue 328](/classilla/tenfourfox/issues/328).
## 10.4Fx does not display some fonts (Tamil, Arabic, ...) correctly.
@ -196,7 +144,15 @@ Font rendering in TenFourFox is accomplished with an older library called ATSUI
We cannot automatically detect these fonts due to limitations in the system libraries we require to remain compatible with 10.4, so we keep a "blacklist" of webfonts and webfont URLs that are known to cause problems. When the browser is requested to use a font on the blacklist, it quietly drops it and switches to a fallback font which will hopefully display correctly.
Unfortunately, maintaining the "blacklist" is a manual process. Periodically as URLs change or new fonts are used, the blacklist must be updated. If a site you use is causing this problem, you can submit font URLs for investigation. While you can just open a ticket on Tenderapp with the offending website and wait for us to figure it out, a better way to get the problem fixed is to [follow the steps in this support ticket](https://tenfourfox.tenderapp.com/discussions/problems/8558-turbotax), which will greatly expedite the process.
Unfortunately, maintaining the "blacklist" is a manual process. Periodically as URLs change or new fonts are used, the blacklist must be updated. If a site you use is causing this problem, you need to identify the font URL:
* Get to a page with the bad fonts.
* Go to Tools, Web Developer, Inspector. Wait for the Web Inspector panel to load.
* You will see two main panes on the lower half of your browser. On the right pane, click the Fonts tab.
* Click the button "See all the fonts used in the page."
* Scroll through the list of fonts. Some will not appear or will not say "Abc." These are the defective fonts. Below each entry is a little box with part of a URL. Click in that box, Command-A to select all and Command-C to copy.
You can then submit a patch to [issue 566](/classilla/tenfourfox/issues/566), or post the URLs to that issue and ask for assistance.
## Can I use AppleScript to control 10.4Fx?
@ -217,7 +173,9 @@ If you get this window frequently, there are a few ways you can improve the brow
* Remove unnecessary browser add-ons. These sometimes will interfere with some sites.
* Consider enabling basic adblock (next question), which can improve browser performance overall.
* Use the NoScript add-on and allow JavaScript only to run on certain necessary sites.
* [Disable the unresponsive script warning entirely.](http://tenfourfox.tenderapp.com/discussions/problems/174-unresponsive-script-warning)
* Disable the unresponsive script warning entirely: go to `about:config`, find the option `dom.max_script_run_time` and set it to zero.
You can also turn JavaScript on and off manually by checking or unchecking the option under Tools.
## How do I use the built-in adblocker?
@ -227,13 +185,13 @@ Basic adblock is just that: basic. It does not, nor is it designed to, completel
You can use basic adblock in combination with other adblock add-ons, though basic adblock can be substantially faster if used by itself. Basic adblock also functions in Private Browsing windows, which implement additional tracker blocking.
To enable basic adblock, go to Preferences, click TenFourFox, and check "Enable basic adblock." You can [suggest other sites](https://tenfourfox.tenderapp.com/) to block on Tenderapp.
To enable basic adblock, go to Preferences, click TenFourFox, and check "Enable basic adblock." The internal list may be periodically updated. If you have suggestions, post a patch or make a pull request.
## Does 10.4Fx support Firefox Sync?
If you have a Firefox account, you can use Firefox Sync with TenFourFox. This will enable you to synchronize your history and bookmarks with Firefox on other computers or on your mobile devices.
**Sync is a service provided by Mozilla, not by the maintainers of TenFourFox. You use it at your own risk. Support is "best-effort" and may end abruptly without warning at any time.** Because we don't control the backend software, incompatible changes could occur without warning which may not be immediately fixable, and it is possible these changes could permanently prevent TenFourFox from accessing Firefox Sync in the future. It is also possible, however unlikely, that data formats might change in future versions and corrupt or erase your history, bookmarks or other settings. You are strongly advised to **keep backups of your TenFourFox profile** and have another system with regular desktop Firefox available for synchronization in case TenFourFox is unable to access your data.
**Sync is a service provided by Mozilla, who do not support TenFourFox. You use Firefox Sync at your own risk.** Because we don't control the backend software, incompatible changes could occur without warning which may not be immediately fixable, and it is possible these changes could permanently prevent TenFourFox from accessing Firefox Sync in the future. It is also possible, however unlikely, that data formats might change in future versions and corrupt or erase your history, bookmarks or other settings. You are strongly advised to **keep backups of your TenFourFox profile** and have another system with regular desktop Firefox available for synchronization in case TenFourFox is unable to access your data.
In addition, we advise you **do not synchronize preferences with TenFourFox** (uncheck that box). Certain important settings are configured differently for performance and compatibility reasons in TenFourFox; these settings are inappropriate in mainline Firefox, and mainline Firefox settings may cause adverse behaviour in TenFourFox.
@ -245,7 +203,7 @@ We offer [an archive of some add-ons](https://sourceforge.net/projects/tenfourfo
Note that adding large numbers of add-ons will make your browser *slower*, and a badly-coded add-on may cause your browser to act in unexpected ways. If the browser starts acting incorrectly, consider temporarily disabling or removing add-ons to isolate the problem. You can view the addons that are installed and disable or uninstall them as necessary by going to Tools, Add-ons.
Remember: add-ons and plugins are not the same; [[we don't support plugins and here's why|PluginsNoLongerSupported]]. That said, even though we permit add-ons, **add-on support is best effort only**. If an add-on trips a bug in the browser, we may or may not fix such bugs at our sole discretion, even if the bug is critical. You use add-ons at your own risk.
Remember: add-ons and plugins are not the same; [[we don't support plugins at all and here's why|PluginsNoLongerSupported]]. That said, even though the browser will run add-ons, you use those add-ons at your own risk. If one of them breaks the browser, that's _your_ problem.
Tiger users should note that even if an extension works with PowerPC, some may require Leopard.
@ -277,7 +235,7 @@ WebM video support for VP8 and VP9 is built into TenFourFox, including for YouTu
If a site offers HTML5 H.264 video as an option, such as Vimeo and many news sites, you can install the [[MP4 Enabler|PlayingH.264]]. This installs a sidecar library that adds support for playing H.264 and other MPEG-4 video formats directly inside the browser. This library is separately distributed due to licensing differences, and is only supported on systems 1.25GHz or faster (G4/7450 and G5).
Some sites will work with the older [[QuickTime Enabler|QuickTimeEnabler]] add-on and will offer the best performance as the video plays outside of the browser. While we still support the QTE, unfortunately it relies on your system's QuickTime libraries to play streaming video, which means it works on fewer sites than the MP4 Enabler.
Some sites will work with the older [[QuickTime Enabler|QuickTimeEnabler]] add-on and will offer the best performance as the video plays outside of the browser. While the QTE is still compatible with TenFourFox, unfortunately it relies on your system's QuickTime libraries to play streaming video, which means it works on fewer sites than the MP4 Enabler.
## Online video is too slow on my Mac.
@ -325,8 +283,6 @@ Unfortunately, many sites do not offer any bitrate options, though these sites u
Unfortunately, no Power Mac, not even the Quad G5, can currently play high definition WebM in the browser at any reasonable frame rate.
Improving video performance is an active area of TenFourFox development.
## Does 10.4Fx support MP3 audio?
Yes. TenFourFox supports playing back MP3 files and streaming MP3 audio (such as many Internet radio sites), as well as HTML5 audio encoded in MP3. For example, Shoutcast and Soundcloud are compatible. This support is built-in to TenFourFox and no special software is necessary.
@ -351,6 +307,4 @@ However, 10.4Fx does use native CoreGraphics for many portions of the browser, w
## This document didn't answer my question.
Please [open a support ticket on our TenFourFox Tenderapp](http://tenfourfox.tenderapp.com/) and one of our friendly support volunteers will try to help you.
If you wish to talk directly to the developers, feel free to drop by and comment on [our TenFourFox Development blog](http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/).
You may be able to talk to the developer(s) at the [TenFourFox Development](http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/) blog, but remember: there is no support. You should not expect an answer, and certainly should not expect exactly the answer you want. Remember, the browser is a hobby now and nothing more.