Interviewed by CNN on 04/10/2011 22:58, Tony Higgins told the world:
I'm currently using SeaMonkey 2.0.14. What can I expect with upgrading
to Version 2.3.3? I get constant reminders to upgrade.
Well, THE major feature change (which happened in 2.1) is the new
"Places" bookmarks system (the same one that Firefox uses since version
3). This allows, among other things, full syncing of your bookmarks with
other computers (and even phones) through Firefox Sync.
There were also a few changes to the user interface -- new Add-Ons
Manager and new Data Manager, for instance -- but those shouldn't
directly impact your browsing.
You get new Gecko versions, the same ones current Firefox versions are
using, so page rendering is the same (and as fast as) new Firefox. For
instance, Seamonkey (and Firefox) now pass the ACID 3 rendering test,
Javascript is getting faster every version, and SM 2.4/FF 7 had some
work done to use less memory.
Oh, and also there's a built-in feature to send websites an user-agent
string advertising Firefox compatibility. This means that most sites now
treat Seamonkey as Firefox, instead of "generic unknown brand X
browser". Although I found that sometimes it's better to turn off that
feature.
When I upgraded to the current version my profiles were copied to
another location which I had difficulty locating and then couldn't get
to work and had to re-establish all of my 5 email accounts using the old
location. It seems to me I also had trouble with my bookmarks.
Will this happen again? Is there an upgrade guide with step-by-step
instructions?
No, if you are already using SM 2.0.x, the upgrade can be done by simply
installing the new version on top of the old (that is, by letting the
installer use the defaults). There are only minor changes to the
profile, not needing a full conversion like what happened in the 1.1 ->
2.0 migration. So, no special procedures needed, at least in theory.
Still, as has been pointed out, sometimes shit DOES happen, so it's a
good idea to back up your profile beforehand. Also, if by some reason
you decide to go back to the old version, it's best to have a
non-upgraded profile to go back too.
Known issues with the upgrade:
- If you go directly from 2.0.x to 2.2 or higher, your downloads history
is not migrated. Most users don't care about it, though (I don't, in
fact I clear my downloads history regularly). If you are one of the few
that DO care, you should download Seamonkey 2.1 and upgrade to it before
doing the final upgrade to the current version. Otherwise, just go ahead
with the latest version (manual or auto-update).
- SOMETIMES the bookmarks are not converted correctly. But in most
cases, the problems can be fixed manually with no special tools. The two
most reported problems I have seen are:
1- Bookmarks are not converted at all (when you open the Bookmarks
manager, you find it empty). Solution: from Bookmarks Manager, open
Tools, Import HTML and import your bookmarks.html file.
2- Bookmarks are imported (you see plenty of your old bookmarks inside
the Bookmarks Manager) but your Bookmarks toolbar is empty. Solution:
look around in the Manager -- you will probably find a folder with all
your old Toolbar bookmarks (I forget what it's called). Just move the
bookmarks to the "Bookmarks Toolbar" folder.
- Another frequent source of complaints regards add-ons (extensions)
that no longer work. In most cases, the cause of this is that the add-on
author did not update the compatibility version list of the add-on --
that is, the add-on CLAIMS it is not compatible with the new version,
although in fact it works fine. The easy workaround for this problem is
to install the Add-On Compatibility Reporter add-on, which disables
add-on compatibility checking. Be aware that the Compatibility Reporter
is not a panacea, though: some add-ons WON'T work correctly with the new
versions. So exercise caution in the beginning.
The most current version is 2.4.1. You will see some people telling you
to stay clear of it, recommending some previous version. Let me dispel
some of the fears. Yes, some people DID run into problems. I'm not
dismissing their problems. But the plain truth is that the new versions
-- EVERY new version -- have worked fine for the vast majority of users.
I had only a couple minor hiccups myself (that "Bookmarks toolbar" thing
I mentioned above, and the need for the Add-on Compatibility Reporter in
order to use some of my extensions).
