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el mariachi

Member

Registered: 2007-11-30

Posts: 595

How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

I'm don't have any knowledge on programming, but recently I've found that one can build a custom firefox build using a tool called mozconf.

I've been looking around but I can't find all the answers...
How can I find out what options fit my machine in order to make firefox run as fast as it can (optimized custom build )? Is there in-depth documentation online, like relations between the options and values and hardware/software specs?

Thanks y'all!

ps: I'm talking about the latest Beta4

imagelife

Member

From: China

Registered: 2008-01-10

Posts: 49

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

hey,guy!
look at this http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Firefox
it will help you!

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el mariachi

Member

Registered: 2007-11-30

Posts: 595

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

thanks, but it doesn't explain how to make what I want :s

Endperform

Member

From: Atlanta GA, USA

Registered: 2007-09-04

Posts: 94

Website

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

You're probably going to need to go to the Mozilla site and check out their documentation to see how to build from source.  I'm just curious, though, is FF3 really slow that you want to try to optimize it?  It's running fine here.

el mariachi

Member

Registered: 2007-11-30

Posts: 595

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

no, it's pretty fast and light. I'm just a speed freak
I'm looking for a way to make it run faster on my old PIII though (not my main machine)

schivmeister

Developer/TU

From: Singapore

Registered: 2007-05-17

Posts: 971

Website

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

just compile it with -march=pentium3 -O2 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer

apprently -O3 is swiftfox's cry for glory so you may want that instead of -O2

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I need real, proper pen and paper for this.

el mariachi

Member

Registered: 2007-11-30

Posts: 595

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

-02 and 03? what are those options for?

schivmeister

Developer/TU

From: Singapore

Registered: 2007-05-17

Posts: 971

Website

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

Level of optimization..read http://gentoo-wiki.com/Safe_Cflag

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I need real, proper pen and paper for this.

miggols99

Member

Registered: 2007-06-10

Posts: 424

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

You might want to look at Swiftweasel. It's available in the AUR.

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I like KDE!
Archux - My Blog and Arch Linux tutorials | Software Care - Linux CD shop

el mariachi

Member

Registered: 2007-11-30

Posts: 595

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

I'm using now. Not THAT much difference though

twizller

Member

From: Hamilton, ON

Registered: 2007-10-24

Posts: 9

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

just compile it with -march=pentium3 -O2 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer

apprently -O3 is swiftfox's cry for glory so you may want that instead of -O2

If you have set the CFLAGS in /etc/makepkg.conf, and when you compile something, does it compile it with the flags set?

schivmeister

Developer/TU

From: Singapore

Registered: 2007-05-17

Posts: 971

Website

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

Yes, that's what makepkg.conf and make.conf are for in Arch and Gentoo respectively. Any other special and/or exclusive flags needed will already be set by the default Makefile of the build in concern, so you don't need to worry about those.

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I need real, proper pen and paper for this.

Mr.Elendig

#archlinux@freenode channel op

From: The intertubes

Registered: 2004-11-07

Posts: 4,094

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

Build FF3 from aur with -O3 -march=native and -fulrolls-loop (ar whatever it is)

Last edited by Mr.Elendig (2008-03-19 12:05:54)

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patroclo7

Member

From: Bassano del Grappa, ITALY

Registered: 2006-01-11

Posts: 915

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

Also note that '-O3' could increase startup time together with performance. And actually the major source of slowness for me in firefox is the startup time the first time I launch it. In my little experiments, a slightly slower startup time can be obtained using '-Os' and not '-O3', in order to get a smaller binary.

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Mortuus in anima, curam gero cutis

dyscoria

Member

Registered: 2008-01-10

Posts: 1,007

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

Also note that '-O3' could increase startup time together with performance. And actually the major source of slowness for me in firefox is the startup time the first time I launch it. In my little experiments, a slightly slower startup time can be obtained using '-Os' and not '-O3', in order to get a smaller binary.

I thought that -O3 would decrease original starting time (first start after a reboot), but then after that it would be faster both to startup and to run than -Os or -O2, but take up more RAM.

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patroclo7

Member

From: Bassano del Grappa, ITALY

Registered: 2006-01-11

Posts: 915

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

Yes, this is what I meant, if I understand correctly what you say. When I say that -03 "could increase startup time" I mean "it will be slower to start the first time after reboot" (time increased = firefox slower). And in my experience the original starting time of firefox is the only thing which  really is unbearably slow in firefox.

Last edited by patroclo7 (2008-03-19 12:43:46)

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Mortuus in anima, curam gero cutis

el mariachi

Member

Registered: 2007-11-30

Posts: 595

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

yes, It lags a bit on first start too.

el mariachi

Member

Registered: 2007-11-30

Posts: 595

Re: How can I optimize Firefox for my machine?

what about using the webkit engine? can it be done?