SeaMonkey Project Blog

Hi all,

No, the blog hasn’t been hacked.  You may wonder what “4 Non blonde’s song” mean.

They released a song some time ago called “What’s going on?”  And I’m sure that’s exactly what everyone’s thinking of.

Yes.  What’s going on?  Some might even say, “WTF is going on? Where the hell are the new releases?”

I had wanted to write out an analogy of how it’s like walking up a large sand dune in slippers and then being transported/teleported into a jungle where you’re sinking in quicksand only to then find yourself treking up a sand dune again….

Then I gave up and felt it’d be easier just to say that I am doing my best in getting the following done:

1. set up a new infra somewhere
2. get us migrated to balrog
3. Keep our current infra ‘working’.

“Hey, dude.. there are ONLY three things you need to do?  What the hell’s the hold up?”

Also note I have a 9 to 6 job.

So there’s really only so much time I can spend on this.  Well, to be fair, it isn’t so much as ‘time’ as ‘brain cells’.  My brain isn’t as good as it used to.. (hey what’s that laughter in the background?).   The “Cogito ergo sum” is starting to be quite questionable since while I think,  I’m not sure I am.  And if I am, I am what?

Anyway, I just want to apologize for not getting things done quickly. I am certainly feeling the pressure that the trains are still rolling.

:ewong

Hi All,

Just want to quickly mention that we’ve released SeaMonkey 2.48b1.

Unfortunately, there are a few items that you’ll need to be aware of:

1. updates are problematic as some users won’t get any updates as the update url format has changed to include CPU capability but our updates server doesn’t have that capability without much fudging which makes it even more fragile.   While I am trying to migrate to the newer updates server, it’s a slow progress.  I apologize.
2. Windows SSE2.. like 2.46, non-SSE2 capable users will remain in 2.39b1.
3. OSX10.7 and older versions are no longer supported.  (Not happy but this is the way of progress.)

If there are problems with updates/running 2.48b1, please report it to us (either in bugzilla.mozilla.org or on the newsgroups or even here, though this isn’t much of a support channel).

We will spin 2.48 as soon as we can.  At the moment, we’re fixing the infrastructure.

Many thanks to your continual support and patience.  Goodness knows we need them.

:ewong

Hi everyone,

For those who are wondering what’s going on, we are in the process of spinning 2.48b1; however, aside for a slight code issue, we’re encountering a few infra-related malfunctions (mostly due to my fault).

Comparatively speaking, it is ‘smoother’ than 2.46 only because we’ve disabled the extensions.  Still though, the infra issues are somewhat disappointing.

We’re already at build 4 and I’m hoping we won’t hit #9, like we did last time.

Thank you all for your patience,

:ewong

Hi,

I’d just like to mention that officially, 2.46 isn’t supported on OSX 10.7 and 10.8; but apparently, some have managed to get it working.  As I’m not even remotely knowledgeable in OSX64, I have no way of knowing what is not supposed to work in OSX 10.7 to 10.8. (Though… it *is* Christmas. 🙂 )

Now the question some people are probably asking.  If 10.7 -> 10.8 *aren’t* supported, then why are they being updated to 2.46?

Good question.   [Yes.. let’s watch me squirm for an answer.]

Basically, I done goofed.  With so much vested energy in the release process, it had slipped my mind that OSX 10.7 and 10.8 aren’t supported (as did the non CPU SSE2 issue).  So those affected ‘can try’ 2.46, but it’s unsupported.  Worse comes to worse, you return to 2.40.

I seem to remember writing about how this is an example of technology ‘improving’ (for some definition really) leaving those who use hardware(that still work, mind you) wondering what to do.   [I realize that I can probably ramble on with a diatribe on how technology is seemingly ‘improving’ but it’s still not making our lives any bit easier.  But I’ll just dispense with it. 😛 ]

I apologize for not mentioning this or even fixing this (not sure how I can do that), aside for getting crazily-rich and buying everyone a brand new machine of their choice.  (Yeah… as Kenny Nolan once sang, “I like Dreaming”.)

:ewong

[Standard disclaimer: Everything I’ve written above are my views alone.  It may or may not reflect the views of the SeaMonkey project and its members.]

Hi everyone.

This is directed to fellow Windows SeaMonkey users.

SeaMonkey 2.46 (Well, it would’ve started with 2.44) will not work with systems that do not have CPU SSE.  This is unfortunate as what ‘should’ have happened was we release a version which would “act as a watershed” to check for CPU SSE and report (in the case of not having CPU SSE) that the user’s system is not supported anymore.  That’s what should have happened (probably around 2.43), but since the browny stuff hit the proverbial fan (requiring us to miss 5 releases 🙁 ) post-2.40-release, we totally missed that opportunity.

So, as I mentioned in my newsgroup post, 2.40 users affected by this are stuck with 2.40 unless they upgrade to/purchase a new system; but as far as I understand, non-SSE CPUs are mostly pre-Pentium III era  (as SSE was introduced in the Pentium III) (got this from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaming_SIMD_Extensions ).

I don’t know how many users are affected by this (due to lack of any telemetry or statistics in front of me), I’m hoping they won’t form a mob and come look for me.  😛

All jokes aside,  it is unfortunate that this needs to happen, just like the removal of support for OSX64 10.{5, 6, 7 and 8}.  But I guess this goes with the territory when things are ‘improving’ at a break-neck pace.

:ewong

Hi

First off, there are issues with the website not showing updates to 2.46.  That was my oversight and is being followed up with a patch.

Secondly, updating 2.40 to 2.46 is not working (as like 2.39-> 2.40).  That is currently being worked on.:ewong

Hi All..

My goodness.

2.46 has finally been released! <or insert in your mind as many ! as you want>

It has been a painful and arduous journey and it has finally come to this moment.  SeaMonkey 2.46 IS OUT!

Please do check it out and report any badness (the bad badness… not the good badness..if such things exist) that happens.

Oh one more thing that I might have forgotten to mention.

SeaMonkey 2.46 is out!  ;P

Seriously though…  I do have one nagging feeling that updating for Windows 64 bit users *might* have an issue.  If so, please post here or on the newsgroups and I’ll fix it.

My goodness….  I think I’m going to cry.

:ewong

Hi everyone,

Just want to update everyone that the repacks WERE completed and just like I thought, the next step (l10n verifications and updates) was busted.  (This whole process reminds me of a spluttering engine.  Get it going… it stops for a moment.  Get it going again…  stops…ad nausuem til it gets to the destination.)

Anyway, once I have the updates part done, and the updates verifications (this part is another scary part… then again… all of ’em were..  I guess it’s not ‘scary’ but more or less like apprehension, but I digress),  things will hopefully (touch wood) go more smoothly until the point of release.  After that…  the potential for issues still exist.   But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

But the fact remains…  we’re getting closer..

:ewong

Hi all,

Like wow.  I mean… Really. Wow.

Long story short, having just pushed an updated fix and moved the tags to the repository, I just did a sample osx64 l10n repack and it worked!

So, I went ahead and ordered the rest of the locales repacks.

Once the repacks are done… it’s the updates part and if I did the builds and repacks ok, the updates *should* be ok; but like I said before, we’ll get to that bridge when we cross it… or was it we’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.

Anyway…  fingers crossed.

:ewong