back to article Latest Firefox boosts video chat, 3D graphics, JavaScript performance

The Mozilla Foundation has shipped Firefox 22 to the release channel, bringing with it improved support for web-based real-time communications and a significant performance boost for some JavaScript applications, among other features. The new version comes with support for the nascent WebRTC API enabled by default for the …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Video chat?

    OK, didn't we just see an exploit against Flash that allowed access to a computer's camera and mike?

    Do we really want the browser itself, rather than a plug-in which can be disabled, to be handling video conferencing?

    1. LinkOfHyrule
      Joke

      Re: Video chat?

      The latest build of Firefox actually comes with a free strip of black electrical tape for you to plonk over your webcam - they'll send it to you in the post!

    2. Ian Yates

      Re: Video chat?

      I'm not a Firefox user, but I trust the Fx devs to fix such an exploit faster than a third-party plugin.

      Hopefully the RTC thing is an option in the preferences, as well.

    3. BillG
      Meh

      Re: Video chat?

      No, we can't trust the browser to handle video conferencing. Imagine the fun Mozilla will have with "bugs".

      I stopped at Firefox 19. Each new revision after that changes things.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "WebRTC " sounds like more NSAWare

    "WebRTC is a proposed standard that enables browser-based voice calling, video chat, and peer-to-peer data sharing."

    and it is enabled by default!

    How do I turn this feature off to stop my computer spying on me and uploading its contents to the Cloud?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "WebRTC " sounds like more NSAWare

      "How do I turn this feature off to stop my computer spying on me and uploading its contents to the Cloud?"

      Simply by not doing anything "interesting" in front of it? So remember, no J Arthurs with Firefox 22, unless your pooter isn't bedecked with camera and mic.

      Luckily my home machine doesn't have a permanently attached camera or mic. If I weren't AC, then I'd be using the "I'll get my coat" icon, and the wag line "mine's the one with the big bundle of tissues in the pockets".

    2. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: "WebRTC " sounds like more NSAWare

      There's media.navigator.enabled in about:config if the pop-up asking you if you want to give permission isn't good enough but that's just to give you a false sense of security, what it really does is it flag your IP address for "enhanced data non-collection".

    3. Shell

      Re: "WebRTC " sounds like more NSAWare

      You're prompted to enable access to your camera & microphone. You could always chose NOT to say yes. Easier to do that than have someone who wants to use WebRTC have to start fiddling with configuration options, yes? Incidentally, this is the same as Chrome, which has had WebRTC for a while now.

  3. Uncle Slacky Silver badge
    Headmaster

    "twice as slow"?

    What's wrong with "half as fast"?

  4. MJI Silver badge

    Not shutting it down until

    I backup my google search XML.

    Every time FF upgrades it replaces my google search XML with a blue toilet seat.

    Sorry but google colours are red green yellow blue, like the teletext buttons

  5. Peter Fox
    FAIL

    Fail

    Update trashed my feed reader

    Update decided to make everything small so every site needs Ctrl+plusing

    DON'T

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Fail

      That's odd - the nightlies and betas had the opposite effect for me, making the default font size too big and ignoring settings in the font preferences. Seems to be fixed for me in the actual release version.

  6. Proud Father
    Unhappy

    Nope!

    v22 breaks Slingbox web player plugin, went back to v21 and it works ok.

  7. aggh
    WTF?

    A hard reset

    Hmm, I just upgraded and it uninstalled all my extensions! Although, it did package them up nicely and dump them in an "Old Firefox Data" folder on my desktop, so I guess that's something....

    Still, I did have about 20 extensions installed, so it might be a good type to re-evaluate which ones I really need...

  8. i like crisps
    Unhappy

    But what about...

    ...FINFISHER? Does 22 come with FINFISHER because if it don't i'm gonna real unhappy.

    Yours sincerely

    Director of Operations, NSA.

  9. Jes.e

    If you would like to see a brilliant demo of WebRTC

    ..check out the rather amazing Chrome experiment "Cube Slam" which I ran into yesterday:

    https://www.cubeslam.com

    It demonstrates real time web chat, multi-player gaming, advanced 3D, audio, everything..

    It will even work if you don't have anyone to play with as you can play the bear!

    (Yes it IS pong.. but pong brilliantly re-imaged.)

    Over here in Chrome, any app which wants to use the camera or microphone puts up a browser request.

    I know this post sounds like an ad, but having viewed many HTML5 demos, I've never been so excited by anything I've seen in my browser recently.

    Of course this web page could be a sneaky means of getting us tech folks to get all positive of this slightly disruptive technology by the powers that be. The game is a little *too* slick. I can't think of a single user interaction design complaint with it.

    I assume it will play nice with the new Firefox 22.

  10. Ed_UK
    FAIL

    But I don't want video chat, 3D graphics, JavaScript performance...

    I just want to... browse...browse...browse.

    Stop that! We'll have none of that browsing.

    But, Dad...

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