Method Comparison
All methods install another version of Firefox on a separate location and can be used side-by-side with the official Ubuntu Firefox of your distribution.
#1 - this method is easy to perform, gives you total control of which version you will install and it gives you only official Mozilla releases, with Firefox branding (name and logo). Additionally, it uses the same Firefox profiles as the official Ubuntu version and updates your Firefox launchers automatically. It does not provide new version checking and download. You have to download new versions manually, remove the old version before updating with a new one and perform the installation commands for each new install.
#2 - essentially the same as the method #1, but provides a way to check for updates from Mozilla
releases site and install them automatically. Also provides an automated method of removal. Initial setup is not as easy as the manual installation, but is not complicated at all, since the automated script is provided as a deb install. It requires a single command to perform installation/removal of Firefox and other Mozilla applications.
#3 - more complicated to setup, since you need to configure additional PPA repositories. Depending on the PPA selected, you will get Firefox updates that are currently undergoing security testing or updates that are currently under development. This is not recommended if you want only stable releases, since you will probably get pre-alpha, alpha and beta releases as well. Additionally, all versions will not be Firefox branded. They use the development codenames, like Shiretoko or Minefield, and a default blue logo. These versions are not only installed side-by-side with Firefox 3.5, but also have their own Firefox profile folders, which might be complicated to maintain if you go back to stable official releases or when you upgrade Ubuntu. Versions installed by this method also have their own menu launchers, available through the "Appplications >> Internet" menu.
#4.1 - this method allows you to install unlicensed development versions of Firefox like the method #3 (actually this method is included in the method #3 procedures), but updates are performed only after being proposed by the universe repository maintainers and approved to enter this repository. You won't get regular updates like using the PPA repositories, but it's easier to configure and more stable. For instance, when Jaunty was released, the version installed by this method was Shiretoko 3.5 beta4pre, then it as updated to rc2 a couple of weeks before the official release of Firefox 3.5 and was updated to the final release less then a week after Mozilla.This method also creates new launchers. Your current Firefox profiles are automatically copied and put on a separate folder under ~/.mozilla
#4.2 - this method allows you to install cutting-edge versions of Firefox, optimized for your processor and branded as Swiftfox. It can be installed by using deb files or the Swiftfox repositories. Depending on which deb file you get or which updates you accept from the repositories, you might also get development versions. For instance, by the time of writing, Swiftfox version being provided was 3.5rc3-1. The major advantage of this method is the availability of versions optimized for your processor, which might result in a considerable performance boost. In the other hand, the major disadvantage is that these versions are non-free and the source code is not available. Unlike Shiretoko, Swiftfox versions uses the same profiles as your official Ubuntu Firefox installation, but also creates it's own launchers.
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