Some see Firestorm 6 as slower then v5, others do not. But there is a design feature in FS that may bite you and have you thinking it is the viewer. It isn’t necessarily just your imagination. Seems if you alternate between 5.1.7 and 6.0.1 Beta and have them sharing cache, which seems like a smart idea, you may well see a slowdown.
The viewers apparently look for a cache they made and if they do not find it, they delete the contents of the cache folders and build a new cache. So, when you first run 6 and attempt to share 5’s cache it deletes the cache and begins reloading. If you switch back to 5 the process repeats and each time to switch between versions, at least according to one of the FS peeps I trust.
Looks like we need to use one or the other. I’ve been using 6 and I like it. I don’t see a reason to switch back and forth. But… if you feel the need to switch back and forth, I suggest you assign a separate cache to 6.
We also know the Lindens are looking at and possibly already working on revamping the viewer cache. I am expecting significant changes in 2019. I also suspect the FS Devs have their own ideas about improving the viewer cache. So hopefully, we will see a mix of cache improvements in this coming year. Continue reading