I recently did a system upgrade which included Firefox 3.6 The first issue was that it simply would not open with the existing profile. Deleting (hiding with a new name) the .mozilla folder solved that---then the question was how to get my old bookmarks. I solved it by using the "import from html" option under the "manage bookmarks" utility.

In the process I found that FF3.6 creates it's own bookmarks.html file but does not appear to use it for anything. New bookmarks go into "places.sqlite" Looking at some related threads suggests that this is actually not new in FF3.6.

First it seems odd that this Firefox "upgrade" would not at least import key items from the old profile(s). Also, I have the impression that FF has evolved into something excessively complex.

I have tried Google chrome and was favorably impressed.

Any comments or insights?

Was your upgrade of firefox distribution based or direct from mozilla ? I've not had issues with distro based upgrades, but plenty with mozilla. Even using firefox to update itself has resulted in problems, most recently not even starting after installation. I have had to go back to my old version.

I think the bookmarks.html file is a placeholder for the Export bookmarks to html menu option.

Not tried chrome. Google have too many fingers in the pie IMHO.
I might try chromium if I hear enough favourable reports.

Part of system upgrade (Arch).

Interesting what you say about "bookmarks.html" I have never done **anything** to cause a write to that file (eg I have never before even opened the "manage bookmarks" utility. But all my old bookmarks were in that file...

Why the animosity towards Google---don't we need some serious competition for MS?

The older versions used to use that file, the newer versions don't.

I have no animosity towards google. I just don't like having one person controlling too many factors.
Competition for MS is one thing, replacing one behemoth with another is silly.

Always remember that google has one main product - you.
Your data is their currency with advertisers.

The only way to opt out of their incessant data gathering is to avoid letting them see your data.

Plus there's the whole China situation where they caved in to the Chinese Govt.s demands.
If they can do that in China, who's to say they won't or aren't doing it elsewhere.

Network security is all about minimum necessary exposure, and I for one like to have as much control as I can over my online profile. Trusting google is anathema to that ideal.

But that's just me.

I use gmail, and have a domain that uses gmail for transport. Any sensitive content is encrypted though.

Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.2) Gecko/20100115 Firefox/3.6
works just fine here. I have been updating it using the built in update feature since firefox 2.0 with very few issues.

bookmarks.html ??
you do know that FF on longer uses that !! Right.

that file went dead in 3.4

and 3.5 will import it from a OLD 3.2


HOW OLD was the os before you "updated"
Arch
PS i use the mozilla.bin install and do not use arches's

FF 3.6
Seamonkey 2.0.3
Epiphany Web Browser 2.28.2 ( Arch install )

You want to switch to Slackware . The official 3.6 release works OK, including automatically imported bookmarks from the old version. Get Slack - you know it makes sense.

In case anyone is interested, bookmarks.html still works perfectly fine on my FF 3.6 installation, at least in so far as importing/exporting bookmarks (so I don't know how/when/if FF itself actually uses the file on its own, unless I tell it to when restoring/backing-up); bookmarks.html it is my preferred choice for exporting my bookmarks, and is also (as should be obvious) the format I use when importing my saved bookmarks from a FEBE backup (like if for example my profile gets blown all to hell, and I restore everything from a FEBE backup).

In openSUSE 11.2 (&11.3M2) it works fine. This is from distro. When I tried the Mozilla version there were problems.

FF now uses bookmark(date).json for importing and exporting bookmark data in addition to the *.sqlite files. Makes a new copy on every closure.

To you maybe.....

Seriously, I'm having trouble seeing how the Arch version could screw up something so fundamental as import of settings. In the Arch forums, they make reference to 3.6 having issues.

Anyhow, all is working now, and getting to the bottom of this one is going to have to wait for income tax and other 2009 closeout chores (groan)

Thanks to all fo the goo info.

Goo and foo, it's the best !