IMO...it's always a good idea to start with the most current version...which in this case is FF 39.0.3.

Yes...Avast will work with FF.

I'm not sure I understand your icon question...but FF will include their own toolbar. If you're referring to icons on your desktop...those are controlled though MS Win 7 and should remain the same.

Your wallpaper should have been downloaded through MS Win 7 and should not be affected.

No password is required/necessary with FF but depending how you use your browser and where you browse to...you may wish to password it. That's a personal decision you may make.

FF...with my experience...does not offer a default email. At one time they offered an independent email program but having never used it, I don't know if it still exists. If you currently use an independent email program like Google's G Mail...you can use the same program with FF.

Here are a few of FF informational sites that may help with your decision...with the third listing being the best, IMO. My only advice would be to keep IE until you've succeeded in setting up FF. Although I didn't use it...I seem to recall that FF will import your bookmarks, etc. from IE...thereby making the transfer easier and less time consuming.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/desktop/

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/desktop/trust/

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/products/firefox

Good luck with your decision.

Anne

Just my opinion but, newer releases of Firefox tend to patch security holes discovered in previous versions. So from a security standpoint, I'd go with the absolute newest. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

Will it work with Avast? Yes.

What happens to my s-cut d-top icons? The only change it likely make is to add a shortcut/s (taskbar and/or desktop) to make it easy to find and run.

Will my wallpaper stay the same No, it won't change your wallpaper.

"-not s-saver"? If you mean will it turn on your screensaver, no it won't.

Is a password required? To run Firefox? No. To login to forums etc.? Yes, just like in IE.

Does it have a default email? I don't know, personally, I only use web based email such as gmail, hotmail, and yahoo.

Actually, when you install it, it should offer to import your IE favorites, homepage, etc. Passwords? I think so but don't remember.

Edit: I'm slow, I agree with everything anne_ct says.

As I have previously posted:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3291079/mozilla-users-urged-to-update

Mozilla has created a stand-alone e-mail client called Thunderbird.

DA

Thanks all---

After reading around, esp the links from Anne, I think 39.0.3 will be my choice. 40 seems to be aimed at Win10. Please comment if you care to, Ill appreciate it. Will someone please post a screenshot of what an opening page will look like, if poss.?

Thanks, fredda

Thunderbird, the email client program from Mozilla, is still available. I've been using it for many years, since the wee-version numbers.

http://www.getthunderbird.com

"Default" refers to which e-mail program opens on the user's computer when a contact or mailto link is clicked on a web site. Web-based mail services historically did not work as the "default" although some of them do now as a function of the browser.Pretty much ALL mail servers and services (including Yahoo and Gmail) provide a web-based interface *and* support use of a separate mail client program such as Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail, Thunderbird, and a few others that are available. The mail client program contacts the server and downloads the mail locally to the user's computer. Web-based mail always leaves the mail on the server so one always must to log-in there to see it. Similar to bringing home your postal mail from the post office (mail client) vs. leaving it at the post office so you always have to drive back there to read it again (web-based mail).

I use web-based mail access on rare occasions, always use a client program for permanent storage of mail on MY computer so it's under my direct control. I never leave e-mail, sensitive personal data, on a "public" server.

Fredda, Firefox will (should) always automatically update itself to the latest released version or the update function can be run manually, that has no direct relation to Win 7 vs. Win 10, or whatever Windows version. The computer I'm using at the moment is XP. My Firefox on it had updated to 39.0.3 a few days ago. I manually checked the update function (Help / About Firefox) and it updated to 40.0.

DA, hmmmm. Now not sure what to do. Will I have no choice as to the auto update?

What you do is get whatever is the latest version available at http://www.getfirefox.com and then let it update automatically as needed to insure you keep up with the latest security fixes and new features. v40.0 works perfectly fine on my "outdated" XP system so I can't imagine it won't work on your Win7.

I have a Win7 system on the desk behind me. I turned around just now and am running the update on it.

I was just reading on the FF link and I am under the impression that the updates are--security updates. Not version updates. No? Ala windows.

The posters are right. I just got home from work, and found v40 ready to manually install, and also available on Filehippo.

If it were me and I was apprehensive, I would wait 2-3 days to see if there were any reported V40 concerns. If not, I would upgrade to V40. Nothing is 100% guaranteed. I think you may be somewhat overly concerned.

DA

Thanks for the advice. Think I will wait a while and see what shows up about it. Im sure you are right about being over concerned but this is a big step for me. thanks, fredda

FWIW my ff 40.x been working fine for half a day.

Fredda, you are not limited to only one browser. Why not DL FF and poke around for a while off and on. See what you like and what you need to ask about.

There is no need to "dump IE", in fact I'm pretty sure it's needed for windows updates, etc. I use IE as seldom as possible but I have IE, FF and Google Chrome icons on my taskbar. One click gets me into any one of them as well as back and forth if I were to want to.

I would also suggest downloading Firefox and seeing you like it. It's very difficult to get rid of Internet Explorer but it doesn't matter because you can have as many browsers as you like. I have Internet Explorer (which I almost never use), Firefox (primary), Chrome (secondary), and SeaMonkey (mainly because it has a basic HTML editor in it).

40.0.2 now.

Speaking of FF......

First major issue w/Linux -- FF is breaking quickly after opening in Mint Linux. I THINK it happened w/the latest 40 revision, but not sure. "Refreshing" FF, using "safe start" and deleting my profile didn't help. Made me a bit angry, but eventually decided to try another browser. Only listed/approved browsers for Mint other than FF were Opera and Chromium. Opera seems like the most familiar, so running that now (but it doesn't have FF's useful plugins like Noscript & Ghostery).

Searching on the internet didn't bring up any recent posts on this problem, so not much else to do yet.

40.0 seems to be run for me. Mint with the Mate desktop.

But I just brought it up to test, perhaps it would crash in a bit?

Just recently(with the 39.0 upgrade) I switched over to ESR, only because an extension I use (Local Filesystem Links) quit working. I extracted ESR and linked to the executable so basically it's standalone.

fredda, don't let the last couple of posts bother you. beng and chugger are using a different type of operating system, not Windows like ours. Those issues won't concern most users.

Actually, I never knew FF could be used with Linux. Very good to know if/when I feel the need to bail out of MS.

I updated my laptop FF with the latest version because I was bored and it was V 40, so far so good. They are right about having 2 browsers. If you download it and don't like it, it's easily removed. If you want to hang on to it for awhile to learn, you can still use IE if you want.

I read that IE is an integral part of Windows and you shouldn't try to removed it. Firefox has a start page which you can change if you don't like it. I used it for a long time because I don't like cluttered desktop, nothing on it but a box for searching.

I appreciate all the replies. Some more than others. Having no idea what it looks like, I can't imagine what to expect. Still looking for my 'big girl pants". I am just a novice user. Still thinking about it, tho.

thanks, fredda

If it helps...I'm a seasoned FF user and I'm sticking with v. 39. I took a look at the contents of v.40.0 and 40.0.2. FF can keep both for a while. I'm not interested. Here are the links to the Notes for both. This may help you decide what you wish to do, Fredda.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/40.0/releasenotes/

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/40.0.2/releasenotes/

Anne

I don't think a user with normal PC experience (and with neither exposure to nor understanding of the depths and bowels of the project) can knowledgeably assess whether or not to do a software update. Even someone with advanced technical knowledge can often not make sense of details gained from only an over-the-fence peek.

My advice - accept all updates. When there are cosmetic or unintended hiccups, they're usually detected and fixed in days. For Windows, have restore points so that problems can be rolled back. For browsers, have two or more onboard and current. If one starts acting silly, use another for awhile.

As far as differences between browsers? Eh, not really to my eye. They all do the same things the same ways. Some are smaller, some are larger. As with most software, most people don't need or use the bells and whistles so special features don't much matter.

Anne,

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox/

Firefox updates aren't only about new features.

dadoes...yes! Thank you. I have that tucked aside, too but hadn't thought fast enough to include it. Let me say this about the most recent FF upgrades. If my system crashes one more time today...I'll be upgrading, too. Sigh I've never had this problem and I don't need it now. My system is clean so it's not due to any unwanted "traveler". I have a feeling it's related to the FF Java script problem. By tomorrow...I, too, may be a convert. :-)

Anne

I just sent negative feedback to FF yesterday. I am so tired of pages not loading or taking forever to load. This is occurring more and more. After doing system maintenance it is terrible. As an example, at this time I can't even get on one of my financial sites or a major newspaper.

It started around FF28, and It is not a site issue as I can jump over to another browser and get on right away. I do have four other browsers available.

DA

Well...I'm not a convert to 40.0.2 yet...but we'll see what this day brings. I'm still with 39.0.3 and I found, DA, that a lot of previous issues were corrected and ceased annoying me with the 39.0.3 version. If my system doesn't freeze up today...I'm going to chalk yesterday's issues up to my ISP. I'm wondering whether all the Win 10 traffic and browsers trying to accommodate it is what's causing some of these issues. I read a pro's article yesterday that offered that Win 10 is the worst thing to come down the pike in a long, long time and he, personally, won't go near it for at least two years. Of course...that's his opinion...but it certainly makes one wonder.

Off to a late breakfast. :-)

Anne

Thanks, Richard. Some discussion here about getting different FF versions on Mint:

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=202594&p=1053079&hilit=firefox#p1053056

The only problem I recall ever having with Firefox version updates is that the recent interface change which puts the program Options/preferences in a content page instead of a separate floating window conflicts with the Aeon Clouds theme that I've used for years. Google search quickly found a fix.

One thing I forgot in my earlier post is the short comings occur with all add-ons disabled too.

The loading is the only negative issue I have had with FF for quite a while.

DA

Thanks again to all you kind folks who took your time to try and help. After much thought, I decided to stay with MS and I now have I.E.11. Easy Peasy.

I like this forum a lot, Hugs to all,

fredda