431113 - Extremely slow AJAX/Javascript performance with Firefox 3.0b5 for Linux

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[u308343]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9b5) Gecko/2008041514 Firefox/3.0b5
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9b5) Gecko/2008041514 Firefox/3.0b5

I am not a web developer so I'm not sure what type of code is doing what. But it seems like AJAX or Javascript related websites are causing serious slowness on the couple of machines that I have.

#1  Gmail scrolls extremely slowly when in the inbox (compare to normal HTML mode for Gmail which can be selected at bottom of the page)

#2  http://www.tuaw.com scrolls extremely slowly (especially compared to Windows XP on my same machine)

#3  Any website with the AJAX style images (that pop up on screen) for example:
        http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/downloads/ssotd/#latest
        http://www.transmissionbt.com/screenshots.php

#4  http://www.shacknews.com/
      This page is the worst.  When an image near the top transitions to the next image it freezes Firefox completely until the transition is complete.

#5 Countless other sites with this kind of code.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Open Firefox 3.0 b5
2. Goto any of the websites listed above


Expected Results:  
Compared to Windows XP version of Firefox 3.0 b5 on my same machine performance is EXTREMELY slow.

I run Ubuntu 8.04 i386 but I have also tried the 64 bit version with the same results. My computer is:  Athlon 64 3800+, 2gb RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT if that has any impact. This happens with both Compiz-Fusion enabled AND disabled. This also occurs with both the open source NV drivers and NVIDIA's "restricted" drivers installed via apt-get.


I have also filed a bug report on Ubuntu's bug website here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/firefox-3.0/+bug/223238

Comment 1

[u308343]

UPDATE:   I have since narrowed down this problem...

I disabled the nvidia-glx-new drivers that come with Ubuntu 8.04. These drivers are version# 169.12+2.6.24.12-16.34  and the problem is GONE.

It is difficult to pinpoint whether it's NVIDIAs fault or Firefox 3.0b5s fault because I also have Opera 9.5 beta installed WITH and WITHOUT the drivers and there are zero performance issues.

It is now clear the problem exists between Firefox 3.0b5 and the NVIDIA Linux drivers (at least the ones on Ubuntu's 8.04 repository)

Comment 2

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

Reporter, are you still seeing this issue with Firefox 3.6.x or later in safe mode? If not, please close. These links can help you in your testing.
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+Mode
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles

Comment 3

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

No reply, INCOMPLETE. Please retest with Firefox 3.6.10 or later and a new profile (http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles). If you continue to see this issue with the newest firefox and a new profile, then please comment on this bug.