firefox upgrade required?

[Ian Rose]

ian wrote:

>I'm trying to load some themes and extensions into firefox, and it says
>I need to upgrade?!? I'm running the version of firefox that came with
>ubuntu (1.0.2) and their page says I need the newer version to even get
>themes (1.0.4).  This isn't available in the apt repositores, and
>mozilla only offers a .tar.gz file which, as I understand it, would
>create conflicts with apt package management, or at the very least a
>complete duplicate copy of firefox.
>
>How long untill this will be available in the ubuntu repositories? and
>will someone please slap mozilla upside the head for causing such an
>inconvinience over a minor version change!  The page sounds like
>something from windows update "in order to keep your computer safe when
>using the internet.... blah blah"
>
>  
>
If I understand correctly, the security fixes from 1.0.4 have been 
patched into the official Ubuntu 1.0.2 version as security updates, but 
there won't be an official 1.0.4 in Hoary. The problem arises because 
the Mozilla site only checks the raw version number, and so doesn't 
recognise that you have a fully patched browser. There are three solutions:

1) Tell mozilla.org about it, and see if they correct their version checker.
2) go to http://backports.ubuntuforums.org - there is an unofficial 
backported version of 1.0.4 there
3) Cheat! type "about:config" in the address bar of Firefox, and 
"vendor" in the filter. Locate the string "general.useragent.vendorSub", 
and change it to "1.0.4".

Mozilla have been told about this situation, and yes, the version 
checker is a bit rough and ready, but to be fair they are putting 
security in their browser higher than user convenience, and while their 
implementation is a bit flaky (especially for Ubuntu users), their 
priorities are spot-on.