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November 29, 2005 4:53 PM PST
Mozilla takes wraps off Firefox 1.5
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Firefox 1.5, available free via download, is the browser's first major update since creator the Mozilla Foundation introduced it about a year ago. Since then, Firefox has emerged as one of the most popular alternatives to Microsoft's Internet Explorer, with more than 100 million copies downloaded in the first year, more than 40 million active users and about 8 percent of the browser market.
Firefox is also one of the most widely distributed open-source programs, meaning anyone can use and modify the code. Thousands of volunteer programmers contributed to the new version of the browser, and more than 750,000 people were involved in testing it since Mozilla, a nonprofit, released the first test version Nov. 1.
New in the 1.5 version are more sophisticated security and performance features. In addition to a more effective pop-up blocker, the updated browser is designed to ease security updates. The program checks daily for patches, downloads them automatically and then prompts users to install them, said Chris Beard, vice president of products at Mozilla.
Other improvements include "forward" and "backward" browsing buttons designed to load Web pages more quickly. A new drag-and-drop feature for browser "tabs" lets users keep related pages together.
Firefox 1.5 also supports new Web programming standards, such as AJAX, that enable more graphical capabilities in Web pages. And the browser features more sophisticated application programming interfaces for people who build and use add-on programs, such as browser-based weather updates.
Mozilla plans to introduce new versions more frequently from now on. Firefox 2.0 is due in mid-2006, and the 3.0 release is set for the first quarter of 2007. The group expects to release security and stability updates every six to eight weeks.
In keeping with its grassroots image, Mozilla is tapping its users to help promote the new version of Firefox. It plans to publish their amateur video endorsements on its Web site. Anyone can upload a video for the group's review.
See more CNET content tagged:
Firefox 1.5,
Mozilla Corp.,
Firefox,
Web browser,
open source
And who knows, IE 7 may well bomb.
Strange to me they let the little boy come up with tab browsing first, I believe in the end that is their downfall and more will slowly start using Firefox.
IE7 should have been released ages ago, IE6 is old and slow and crap in general.
How much longer do you think it would have taken M$ to relaese IE7 if it wasnt for firefox becoming so popular???
i think IE7 wouldnt have come till 2007 if it wasnt for firefox showing just how bad IE6 is, but thats just my opinion.
but then microsoft could have said somethig like 'the 7 in IE7 is for 2007'
but thats just me being stupid
Another fact is I see more and more sites that push standards compliance. Most of them don't push Firefox directly, but they do link to it. I personally know more and more developers that like the ability to use CSS 1&2 to create the layout of their sites and they hate (and I do mean hate) the fact that IE 6 & 7 won't support even a meaningfull amount of CSS standards. As one of my friends said "I have to do more work to make my pages work in IE than I do in any other browser".
My thought here is when IE 7 is released some people may very well switch back to it. However, I think Firefox will continue to take market share, even if it's slowly. When it comes down to it Microsoft is still ignoring web developers (Microsofts own developers admited that they still aren't supporting web standards even at web developers request, that comes from one of their blogs).
The simple fact is that websites should be written once run everywhere (yeah I stole that from Java). Many of the browsers out there are trying for better and better web standard compliance. And many developers are starting to follow those standards. The problem is IE. Instead of creating webpages that are awsome they spend a lot of time making sure their pages are compatible with IE.
To be fair I have had trouble with standards even in standard compliant browsers, but those are usually much easier to work around than either not supporting or incorrectly supporting web standards.
In my opinion the browser shouldn't matter. All companies that create browsers should strive to follow a set standard. I believe that standards has been defined by the W3C. I belive that that Microsoft has intentionally corrupted the adoption and usage of such standards for monitary gain. In the end it is the web developer and the consumer who are hurt the most by this.
Weather you use IE or Firefox does not matter, what matters is the competition, and when products improve we all win. That is what the FTC in particular was created to insure.
Although our main OS is just as buggy as it was 20 years ago (some say more-so), look at the CPU's, hundreds of times faster and practically bullet-proof. If we could only get the OS to follow, ?what a wonderful world it would be?
Also check out Mozilla's Thunderbird for your emailing needs.
-JC
The headline is wrong. Firefox 1.5 was never "under wraps," and 1.6 won't be either. Software "under wraps" has been found to be a bad idea for users so we don't do it.
I like Mozilla Firefox just fine and do not plan to switch to IE7. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Back in the old days when I was using IE, I was constantly having to add domains to the "trusted domains" list and generally holding IE's hand. Who needs it?
Tom
I hate to sound ignorant, but I've looked into the settings and it doesn't mention it as an option.
Thanks.
- Didn't take long did it?
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by robertcampbell2
December 7, 2005 12:52 PM PST
- Security Focus has published an exploit for the new and improved Firefox 1.5. http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/73
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