Visitor:

Firefox for AIX 4.3.3

Main goal is keeping a safe and modern browser available for older RS/6000 workstations. So no GTK2, no SVG no cairo support available. These are optimized static builds against GTK+ 1.2.10 from the original source. Tested on AIX 4.3.3 ML11, AIX 5.1 ML9, AIX 5.2 ML9 and AIX 5.3 ML4. The AIX 4.3.3.0 build is reported to work successfully on AIX 6.1 too. If you want a hasslefree installation with no predepency hell, use the AIX 4.3.3 builds even on AIX 5.
If you prefer the fancy GUI and SVG support of a GTK2 build you can use my builds for AIX 5.1. On machines with 512MB RAM or more there is no considerable performance penalty except a much longer first startup time. If you have IBM's outdated Firefox 1.5.0.12 up and running this one is for you.

For a preview look here.

Firefox 2.0.0.18
Update recommended

Firefox 2.0.0.17

Firefox 2.0.0.16

Firefox 2.0.0.15

Firefox 1.5.0.12
There is no reason to use this release of Firefox today. Use latest Firefox 2.0 instead.

Firefox 1.0.8 for AIX 4.3.3 just for the completeness this historic release is kept available.
md5sum: 087aaa6d6789dbb51ddf6b0be1cc8d32

Compiled for the common CPU model which works on all RS/6000 and pSeries.

For CDE integration there is a CDE Type and Action with an icon.

If you have 256MB or more RAM you also may be happy with the Seamonkey Suite.

Software dependencies:

All you'll need is you could get from IBM.
Earlier revisions may work (or not).

AIX 4.3.3 ML 11 with X11 installed and C++ runtime libs xlC.aix43.rte 6.0.0.10 or later

From AIX Toolbox install or update to:
installp image:
rpm.rte 3.0.5.36

mandatory runtime rpms: glib-1.2.10 , gtk+-1.2.10, libjpeg-6b and libpng-1.2.1.

For running on AIX 6.1 you'll need X11.compat.lib.X11R6 and this little patch appending the location of the X11R6 shared lib into the wrapper script "run-mozilla.sh".

Minimum hardware:

45 MB free disk space in installation filesystem after installing all prerequisites. Untar under "/opt".

Installation:

Install or update the rpm.rte installp image, then install or update the rpm's from AIX Toolbox.
I start with libjpeg, libpng then glib and finally gtk+.
Then you are ready to untar Firefox. I prefer it under /opt.

I recommend creating a separate filesystem for /opt and create a symbolic link "ln -s /opt/freeware freeware" in the directory /usr/opt pointing to /opt/freeware.
If you install some more from AIX Toolbox /opt can be enlarged.

For the first time Firefox (like Mozilla, too) likes to be started once as root.
Subsequent startups of Firefox will be faster.

Performance:

It depends on your machine. I found it useable with a 120MHz PowerPC 604, and really nice with 233MHz (or more...)

If using Java appletts you soon want more horsepower. You may find less sufficant. But don't expect it will work with less than 128MB RAM. Netscape 4.8 has a snappier GUI (Motif!) but rendering is much slower. The memory footprint is comparable.

The slowest machine I have tested is my 7011-250 with 80MHz PowerPC601, 256MB RAM and GXT150 graphics. A 7012-370 works quite well with 128MB RAM or more.

It's much(!!!) faster than a GTK2 build for AIX 5.1

If you want to know how Firefox is build or how to build it from source, go here.

Mozilla and Firefox are licensed under the MPL and Trademarks of the Mozilla Foundation apply
AIX, RS/6000 and pSeries are Trademarks of IBM

Nov, 12 2008

Uli Link

For feedback feel free to contact me: ul.mcamafia (at) linkitup.de