Firefox 52 introduces WebAssembly, adds warnings for non-HTTPS sites, drops plugins, and...

[midian182]

The latest version of Firefox has arrived for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. Version 52 introduces several new features and tweaks, including WebAssembly, which Mozilla says allows “near-native performance for games and apps.”

Low-level assembly-style language WebAssembly allows the likes of 3D games, CAD, video editing, and scientific visualization to run in a browser at almost the same speed as native applications – all without the use of plugins. Mozilla added that developers would be able to use WebAssembly to speed up some existing web apps. Ars Technica notes that the technology will be supported in the next version of Chrome (57), and Microsoft is also working on Edge support.

To back up its WebAssembly "game changer" claims, Mozilla and Epic Games have released a demo of a 3D scene (below) that is running inside Firefox 52 using the Unreal Engine. As you can see, it looks pretty impressive.

Another new Firefox addition is the automatic detection and notification of captive portals -the public Wi-Fi login services for places like hotels and airports that can be incredibly irritating to use.

Security has been boosted with a feature that displays a “This connection is not secure” message when users select the username and password fields on pages that don’t use HTTPS. Thereby reminding them that their credentials could be stolen on these unencrypted pages.

Additionally, plugins that use the Netscape Plugin API (NPAPI) have been disabled, with the only exception being Flash. Like other browsers, plugins including Java, Silverlight, and Acrobat, are no longer supported in Firefox.

You can see the full changelog here.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/68440-firefox-52-introduces-webassembly-adds-warnings-non-https.html

 

[Puiu]

Once all browsers get proper support for WebAssembly I might try doing something with it.

 

[DelJo63]

The Hangouts plugin dies too until an assembly is created.

 

[mcborge]

Youtube does not like this version, not on my system anyway. Since updating to 52 youtube vids keep graphically glitching just before the whole page goes black for a bout 10 seconds. Fyi when I move the browser out of the way during a page blackout my desktop is always completely fine.

 

[hyperspaced]

This is the future. Just imagine the explosion of GUI frameworks, therefore apps of any kind, soon after the official release of WebAssembly.

 

[tomkaten]

https://s3.amazonaws.com/mozilla-games/ZenGarden/EpicZenGarden.html

This is the demo. Just tested it on my 4790 and GTX 1060, in Firefox 52 x64 and it runs perfectly, not a single glitch or hiccup... Solid 60 FPS in 4k (full screen). It looks amazing.

Give it a shot, it's great.

 

[DelJo63]

Youtube does not like this version, not on my system anyway. Since updating to 52 youtube vids keep graphically glitching just before the whole page goes black for a bout 10 seconds. Fyi when I move the browser out of the way during a page blackout my desktop is always completely fine.

Runs for me

 

[mcborge]

I just updated to the new windows slow ring build and everything is back to being fine and dandy... Go fig.

 

[pencea]

Yet it's still slower and not as responsive as Chrome...

 

[havok585]

@pencea, pure bs.

 

[tomkaten]

Chrome updated to 57 this morning, looks like it's now supporting WebAssembly as well, demo runs flawlessly on it (used to generate a "not supported" error on ver. 56).

 

[pencea]

@pencea, pure bs.

Does my comment bother you that much for you to be rude?

It's not just me that finds that mate. A quick search and reviews yields a lot of people are experiencing it too.

https://www.google.com.au/search?so... slower than chrome&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.7093j0j7

 

[OortCloud]

I went to a demo of WebAssembly a couple of years back. They cross compiled Unreal Tournament and UE from C++ to WA and got it up and running in 3 days then demoed it onstage - amazing stuff.

Chrome has already added this to v57 and Edge has a test browser with support, so thankfully using HTML to build rich clients could finally soon start becoming a thing of the past.

 

[ArtBa]

I use my computer do do work, not play games. And to do work, NPAPI plugins are required. There are too many password managers, security plugins, and so on, that I depend on. I've turned off updates to Firefox, and I won't be turning them back on, any time soon. I may have to switch to Opera, or some other browser, that actually allows me to do my job. Give the gamers their own browser. Leave the rest of us alone.

 

[OortCloud]

I use my computer do do work, not play games. And to do work, NPAPI plugins are required. There are too many password managers, security plugins, and so on, that I depend on. I've turned off updates to Firefox, and I won't be turning them back on, any time soon. I may have to switch to Opera, or some other browser, that actually allows me to do my job. Give the gamers their own browser. Leave the rest of us alone.

WebAssembly isn't just about playing games its about allowing developers to create rich applications in the browser without the massive constraints of HTML.

 

[ArtBa]

The gamers can claim Firefox as their browser. Personally, I want NPAPI plugin, as they are necessary productivity aids. I'll be switching to Opera, or some other browser. Firefox is now unusable.