Slow Firefox
By Richard X. Thripp at 2008-02-04T00:32:23Z in Technology. 230 words.
I was commenting on this poll [1] by Sortvind [2] at deviantART [3] about web browser usage, and want to share my wonderful insight with my readers. 
I use Mozilla Firefox because of the great tab control [4], automation [5], nice bookmarks toolbar, no text aliasing, other add-ons, and general speediness. But it slows down a lot [6] as I leave one window open for days (using Windows’ hibernation function at night); it’ll even lock up and make everything else slow as molasses, as it steals all the CPU cycles and RAM. I did re-install recently, switching from the portable version [7] to the regular Windows installer [8], but to no avail. It surely doesn’t help that I like to keep 20 tabs open.
Firefox was originally supposed to be simple and fast, replacing the slow Mozilla suite [9], but with spell-checking, RSS support, history caching [10], etc. in the core instead of being relegated to add-ons, it’s becoming increasingly heavy-weight. Inefficiencies in the code [11] don’t help either, though changes will mess up the plugins people love, I hear.
Incidentally, there is the same problem of slowness with Wordpress [12]; I and many other users have to use caching [13] to stay running during traffic spikes. Though most database-driven websites use caching, it’s particularly necessary due to Wordpress’ inefficiencies [14]. And they won’t be going away [15] or else plugins [16] will break. At least we get lots of cool features [17] out of it. 
Printed from: http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/slow-firefox-144
Short URL: mzpfg.th8.us
URLs in this entry:
[1] this poll: http://sortvind.deviantart.com/journal/poll/300725/
[2] Sortvind: http://sortvind.deviantart.com/
[3] deviantART: http://richardxthripp.deviantart.com/
[4] great tab control: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1122
[5] automation: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3863
[6] slows down a lot: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=printArticleBasic&articleId=9046561
[7] the portable version: http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
[8] regular Windows installer: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
[9] slow Mozilla suite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla_Application_Suite#Criticisms
[10] history caching: http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/02/14/2154224&from=rss
[11] Inefficiencies in the code: http://www.google.com/search?q=firefox+memory+leak
[12] slowness with Wordpress: http://www.google.com/search?q=slow+wordpress
[13] caching: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-cache/
[14] Wordpress’ inefficiencies: http://www.google.com/search?q=wordpress+digg+effect
[15] won’t be going away: http://comox.textdrive.com/pipermail/wp-hackers/2006-November/009771.html
[16] plugins: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/
[17] lots of cool features: http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/13-indispensible-wordpress-plugins-104