End of Support For NNL with Firefox 3.0 (Continuing for 3.5 and Up)

Fair warning, people: the next version of NASA Night Launch will, almost certainly, be the last to support Firefox 3.0. Support for more-current versions of Firefox will continue.

Firefox 3.0 was first released in summer 2008. It has now been superseded by both Firefox 3.5 and Firefox 3.6 and will eventually be superseded by (on the horizon for some unspecified date in the future) Firefox 3.7.

So, NNL is moving on too. If you were thinking about upgrading from Firefox 3.0 to a more modern version, this may be the time.

After this next release, NNL support will look like this:

Windows:
- Firefox 3.5
- Firefox 3.6

Mac:
- Firefox 3.5
- Firefox 3.6

Ubuntu/Linux:
- Firefox 3.5 [1]
- Firefox 3.6 [2]

That is all. Now, back to your regularly-scheduled programming.

[1] Ubuntu 9.04 ships with a custom Firefox build based on Firefox 3.0. Fx3.5 is not shipped with Ubuntu 9.04, but is available as a separate installer.
[2] Ubuntu 9.10 ships with a custom Firefox build based on Firefox 3.5. Fx3.6 is not shipped with Ubuntu 9.10, but you may be able to find it as a separate installer or for other Linux distros.

Now Available: NASA Night Launch Version 0.6.20090524

Now available: NASA Night Launch version 0.6.20090524. This release handles several changes in the Stylish add-on. Also adds theme-specific styling for the Update Scanner add-on's sidebar.

OS X users: don't forget you need to take special steps for the Firefox bookmarks menu to look the way it should.

If you already have NNL installed, this update will be available through the usual automatic Firefox theme update method, or you can install it manually from AMO.

Firefox 3.5 Beta 4 Now Available

A new Firefox 3.5 beta is available - for testing purposes only, as always with betas. Most users should simply wait for the official release of Firefox 3.5 itself.

Get Firefox 3.5 Beta 4: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html

NNL Update: Version 0.6.20090322

Now available: NASA Night Launch version 0.6.20090322. This is a maintenance release to handle several changes in the ScribeFire add-on, mostly in the ScribeFire editor toolbar. Here's a before-and-after screenshot of ScribeFire.



If you already have NNL installed, this update will be available through the usual automatic Firefox theme update method, or you can install it manually from AMO.

NNL maxversion now includes Firefox 3.5 beta 4 "pre"

NNL's maxversion is now bumped up to include Firefox 3.5 b4pre (that is, nightly versions which will eventually become Firefox 3.5 beta 4, whenever that is released). This means you can install NNL with a nightly Firefox build -- although I'm only officially supporting official Firefox releases.

In case you missed it: Firefox 3.1 has been renumbered to Firefox 3.5. There will be no Firefox 3.1 -- it will be called Firefox 3.5 instead. Numbering on the betas will jump from 3.1 beta 3 directly to 3.5 beta 4. This will be followed by further betas of 3.5 (if there are any) and then 3.5 itself.

Stowaway

STS-119 left the launch pad right on time this past Sunday for a beautiful twilight launch. Discovery is now in orbit and docked with the space station.

After the launch, NASA announced the presence of a stowaway bat, riding the outside of the external tank, visible in pictures here. From the article:

Launch controllers spotted the bat after it had clawed onto the foam of the external tank as Discovery stood at Launch Pad 39A. The temperature never dropped below 60 degrees at that part of the tank, and infrared cameras showed that the bat was 70 degrees through launch.

... after which its temperature quickly rose above 3000 degrees F. Godspeed, little Launchbat.

Supporting Firefox 3.1 Beta 3

Here's a quick announcement for users of the Firefox 3.1 betas. Beta 3 is due out "real soon now" -- probably this week. Accordingly, the web page for NNL on AMO has been updated to allow installing with Firefox 3.1 Beta 3.

Keep in mind that, as always, whenever used with a Firefox beta, NNL is a beta too.

In other news, this Wednesday's shuttle launch is still a go. Here's a viewing guide for people on the American east coast, thanks to the Hayden Planetarium and Space.com.

NNL Update: Version 0.6.20090117

Update announcement: NASA Night Launch: the Inaugural Edition is now available. This update includes a couple of code changes for Firefox 3.1 betas, as well as theme-specific styling for the Sxipper, StumbleUpon, Tab Mix Plus and Quick Restart add-ons.

The latest release is January 20, 2009 (0.6.20090117). Now available from AMO.

New in this version:

• For the add-on StumbleUpon, adds styling of the SU message notification and reply bar (which appears over a page sent to you by another user after you click the incoming message icon in the SU toolbar).
• For the add-on Tab Mix Plus, restores the appearance of the "New Tab" button in the tab strip. This was broken in the previous NNL release by rules added to handle the Fx3.1beta2 new tab button.
• For the add-on Sxipper, adds more rules to finish restoring usability to its Training dialog.
• Extends restart button styling to the Quick Restart add-on. (Thanks NGamer for pointing that out.)
• Adds styling to the Fx3.1 beta2 "certificate error" page.

Under the covers:

• Updates notifications.css to assign icons in the info, warning and critical states. Adds file icons/error-16.png (by duplicating file icons/blacklisting_favicon.png) for use in notification bars. This handles the new-for-3.0.5 about:rights notification bar, which is type="info". This is basically a late catch-up with some Fx3 changes.
• Adds (but doesn't yet use) global/icons/sslWarning.png
• From netError.css, removes -moz-background-clip: padding from the main #errorPageContainer (because on Fx3.1b2, was a gap between background and border at the inside of corners).
• In menulist.css, removes border coloring from .menulist-compact. This isn't used in Firefox, but Thunderbird uses it in the Compose window.
• A couple sekrit undercover changes for Tbird 2 compatibility.

Special thanks to Clint Bell, Jon Connelly, Dean (NinjaTek), DMCrimson, Shingoshi and everyone else for bug reports and help with testing.

NNL Update: Version 0.6.20081231

Update announcement: just in time for the new year (and happy new years, everyone), there's an update of NASA Night Launch available. This update includes several new features for Firefox 3.1 betas, as well as theme-specific styling for the Sxipper, Mobile Barcoder, and DownThemAll add-ons.

The latest release is December 31, 2008 (0.6.20081231). Now available from AMO.

New in this version:

• Several refinements for Firefox 3.1b2.
• Adds support for the Sxipper add-on. Sxipper's Training dialog has a white background which requires special handling on dark themes.
• Adds support for the Mobile Barcoder add-on. If barcodes are displayed on typical black popup background, it foils image recognition on certain mobile phones. Instead, we now display with a white background and thin border. This was only an issue in context menus over a link or over selected text -- and not in the statusbar popup for this add-on.
• For the DownThemAll add-on, removes the theme-specific "Donate Now" image from the DownThemAll Manager (since they've upgraded to a version of the image that works great with dark themes).
• For Mac/OS X menus, now handles the case of the bare document icon (a page with no favicon) in the history menu. This is in addition to previous Mac-specific styling of the bookmarks menu. Requires an updated Stylish stylesheet http://userstyles.org/styles/11097.
• Under the covers, several code changes to improve maintainability.

Bug reports welcome - file them on the Mozillazine Forums NNL support thread. Keep in mind that when used with Firefox betas, NNL is a beta, too.

And, as always, thank you for flying NNL.

It's Update Season Again

Happy holidays, everyone, and season's greetings -- update season, that is. With a new major release of Firefox around the corner (Firefox version 3.1, due Q1 of 2009), NASA Night Launch will need to be updated as well.

Usually, I try to stick with about one update a month (so NNL keeps up with changes in other extensions, and so users know it's in active development). However, with a major Firefox release, everything speeds up. Firefox changes, extensions change, and NNL changes too. Frequent updates are the result.

Not everyone wants updates. In particular, people with low-speed connections need to guard their limited bandwidth. If you want to disable update checks so you only get them when you specifically ask for them, then 1) install the MR Tech Toolkit add-on, 2) restart Firefox, then 3) right-click on the theme in the Add-ons Manager list and 4) pick "Disable Update Check". Hopefully that'll make life easier. Just keep in mind: if you do that, you'll have to go check for NNL updates yourself, and you risk falling behind in NNL compatibility with your other add-ons. If you're not on dial-up, you don't need this and shouldn't do this.

When used with the Firefox 3.1 betas, this theme is a beta too. There Will Be Bugs. Want to help? Feel free to report bugs on the Mozillazine Forums NNL support thread.