First Firefox 4 beta released today

Mozilla released the first beta of Firefox 4 today. Details here:

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-20009793-12.html

 

A visual tour of the Firefox 4 beta 1 is available here:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/200621/firefox_4_beta_1_a_visual_tour.html?tk=hp_blg

 

I have WinXP, and I don't see anything special. The toolbars are spare, mainly because none of the addons I use are compatible with 4.0. I have been using the preview version of b1, and I use, now b2. Most interesting is the Tools|addons page, which is full page, rather than a popup, and it gives a lot of info about the extentions (though incompatible), themes and plugins. I get an interesting message when I click "get addons ":

 

I have been running off this trunk since 3.7a4pre. Install all the nightlies automatically so I just noticed, 2 days ago, that we were up to 4.0b. True, most add-ons will not work, but my Brushed Aluminum theme is still hanging in there. Overall, I have nothing but praise for it. Although it seems to take forever to load.

 

But is it faster than 3.6 ? 3.6 slows down on some sites to a crawl.

 

4.0 may be faster, since none of the addons are compatible, so it carries less baggage.
As for the effects of plugin-container.exe which protect Firefox from Flash crashes, there is no difference between 3.6.6 and 4.0. Actually, a lot of people have had significant problems with this new addition. I, personally, I had repeated crashes in 4.0b1, but not 4.0b2, and cautions from AVG Identity protection.

 

4.0 beta1 release notes say that there is:

. 3.6.6 release notes state that:

. To me, although worded differently, it is the same thing. There is may be a different version of plugin-container.exe, but it is not explained, and are supposed to do the same thing.

 

I did as suggested, and none of the existing disable extentions could be enabled. I tried to install one, and saw no way to do it. I tried to drag and drop in the extention page, and nothing happened.
I, also, tried a search of addons for 4.0, and I saw an amazing number of them, although mostly useless to me. I tried to add one of moderate interest, and it became listed in the extention page, but I saw no way to use it. The original website gave no hints. And, when tried to "install" it again, thinking that something went wrong, I was informed that the extention existed, already, but could not find it. Restarting 4.0 does not bring back existing Tabs , actually Home Tabs, although it restores if I close Firefox, and then reopen. 4.0 is a big pain, so far.

 

They are listed incompatible, and they don't work. As examples, I use the Prefbar which shows up as a toolbar, and there is no toolbar to activate. Another important, for me, addon is IE Tab, which allows me to use Firefox on sites created with Microsoft software, as well as Forecastfox. Nothing!
I tried to install Nightly Tester Tools, which lets me by-pass the compatibility check, but it is, also incompatible.
I, finally, when to the mozilla addon page, and did search for addons for 4.0, and I pick an Italian dictionary. As I said before it was listed with my addons, but I find no way to use it.
Can you give an example of an addon which works for you?