Mozilla Firefox 3

infobox software



caption = Firefox 3.0 on GTK+/X11 displaying Wikipedia
developer = Mozilla Corporation, Mozilla Foundation
released = initial release|2008|6|17
frequently_updated = Yes
programming language = C++, XUL, XBL, JavaScript
operating system = Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
platform = Cross-platform
size = 7.2 MB (Windows), 17.2 MB (Mac OS X), 8.7 MB (Linux) (all archived)
language = [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html Over 45 languages]
status = Active
genre = Web browser, FTP client, gopher client
license = MPL/GPL/LGPL/ [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/legal/eula/ Mozilla EULA] (for binary redistribution)
website = [http://www.firefox.com/ firefox.com]

Mozilla Firefox 3 is a version of Mozilla Firefox, a web browser released on June 17, 2008 by the Mozilla Corporation.

Firefox 3 uses version 1.9 of the Gecko layout engine for displaying web pages. The new version fixes many bugs, improves standard compliance, and implements new web APIs. Other new features include a redesigned download manager, a new "Places" system for storing bookmarks and history, and separate themes for different operating systems.

Firefox 3 had 5.67% of the recorded usage share of web browsers by July 2008, and had over 8 million unique downloads the day it was released, setting a Guinness World Record. [cite web|url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=2|title=Market share for browsers, operating systems and search engines|accessdate=2008-08-16|publisher=Net Applications]

It was codenamed "Gran Paradiso" during its development, which included 8 alpha, 5 beta, and 3 release candidates released over 2007 and early 2008. Development continued with a planned 3.1 version codenamed "Shiretoko" during the summer of 2008. [ [http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/216885/firefox-aims-for-31-release-this-month.html PC Pro: News: Firefox aims for 3.1 release this month ] ]

Development

The development name for Mozilla Firefox 3.0 was "Gran Paradiso". [cite web | url=http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.planning/browse_thread/thread/c73f6a1c25e8e7b0/b714ca46975f0109#b714ca46975f0109 | title = Gecko 1.9/Firefox 3 ("Gran Paradiso") Planning Meeting, Wednesday June 7, 11:00 am | accessdate=2006-09-17 |date=June 2, 2006 | last = Vukicevic | first = Vladimir | publisher = Google Groups: mozilla.dev.planning] "Gran Paradiso", like other Firefox development names, is the name of an actual place; in this case the seventh-highest mountain in the Graian Alps.

In 2006, the development team asked users to submit feature requests that they wish to be included in Firefox 3. [cite web |url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061013-7986.html |title=Firefox accepting feature suggestions for version 3 |date= 2006-10-13 |accessdate=2007-02-05 |last=Reimer |first=Jeremy |publisher=Arstechnica.com]

The Mozilla Foundation released the first beta on 19 November 2007,cite web |url=http://developer.mozilla.org/devnews/index.php/2007/11/19/firefox-3-beta-1-now-available-for-download/ |author=Mike Beltzner |publisher=Mozilla Developer News |title=Firefox 3 Beta 1 now available for download] the second beta on 18 December 2007, the third beta on 12 February 2008, the fourth beta on 10 March 2008, and the fifth and final beta on 2 April 2008. [cite news |url=http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=2064 |title=Firefox 3 beta 4 code freeze tonight, beta 5 release looks likely |first=Paula |last=Rooney |publisher=ZDNet |date=2008-02-26 |accessdate=2008-02-29] The first release candidate was released on 16 May 2008. The second release candidate was released on 4 June 2008 followed by a third release candidate (differing from the second release candidate only in that it corrected a serious bug for Mac users) on 11 June 2008. Mozilla shipped the final release on June 17, 2008.cite web|url=http://developer.mozilla.org/devnews/index.php/2008/06/11/coming-tuesday-june-17th-firefox-3/|title= Coming Tuesday, June 17th: Firefox 3|publisher=Mozilla Developer News] [cite news | author=Anick Jesdanun | coauthors=Associated Press | title=New Firefox Web browser to be released Tuesday | url=http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/BUSINESS/80612028/-1/NLETTER02&source=nletter-news | work=Delaware News-Journal | publisher=Gannett Corporation | location=New York | date=2008-06-12 |accessdate=2008-06-13 ] The final release of Firefox 3.0 featured in popular culture, mentioned on, among others, "The Colbert Report" on its release date. [cite web | url = http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=173608 | title = Colbert Report episode 17 June, 17th minute. | accessdate = 2008-06-18]

Version 3.1

The precursory releases of upcoming Firefox releases are codenamed " [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/minefield/ Minefield] ", as this is the name of the trunk builds. Development of Firefox after version 3.0 is split over two milestones: version 3.1 and version 4.0. Firefox 3.0, formerly in the development stage, was released to the general public on June 17, 2008. Development for the 3.1 releases takes place on the Mozilla trunk, with releases and pre-release nightly builds coming from the Mozilla 1.8.1 branch (2.0) and the [http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/nightly/latest-trunk/ Mozilla 1.9 branch] (3.0). Development for 4.0 will be based on Mozilla 2.

Version 3.1, codenamed "Shiretoko", [cite web | url=http://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox3.1 | title=Firefox 3.1 "Shiretoko" | date=2008-06-12 | accessdate=2008-06-12] is planned to include support for the

A new operating-system-like tab-switching interface is due to be included in 3.1. [cite web | url=http://www.toolness.com/wp/?p=127 | title=Tab Navigation: Tradeoffs | date=2008-08-18 | accessdate=2008-08-18]

Version 3.1 Alpha 1 was released in late July 2008. [citation | url = http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2008/07/first-step-to-firefox-31-alpha-1-is-here/ | title = First step to Firefox 3.1: Alpha 1 is here | accessdate = 2008-07-29 |date = 2008-07-29 | author = Percy Cabello | publisher = Mozilla Links]

Version 3.1 Alpha 2 was launched on September 6, 2008, adding new video support and enhancing the speed of some JavaScript computations. Code named "Shiretoko," Mozilla said it will be the last in a short series of alpha editions, and timely released just days after Google introduced competing Chrome software Google Chrome. [ [http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=software&articleId=9114239&taxonomyId=18&intsrc=kc_top computerworld.com, Mozilla updates Firefox 3.1 with Alpha 2 build] ] [ [http://stuff.techwhack.com/4779-firefox-3.1-alpha-2 stuff.techwhack.com, Firefox 3.1 Alpha 2 released] ] [ [http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10034375-2.html news.cnet.com, Mozilla releases second Firefox 3.1 alpha] ]

Changes and features

Backend changes

One of the big changes in Firefox 3 is the implementation of Gecko 1.9, an updated layout engine. The new version fixes many bugs, improves standard compliance, and implements new web APIs.cite web | url = http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Firefox_3_for_developers | title = Firefox 3 for developers | accessdate = 2007-07-17 |date=2007-07-17 | publisher = Mozilla Developer Center] In particular, it makes Firefox 3 the first official release of a Mozilla browser to pass the Acid2 test, a standards-compliance test for web-page rendering. It also gets a better score on the Acid3 test than Firefox 2.

Some of the new features are defined in the WHATWG HTML 5 specification, such as support for web-based protocol handlers, a native implementation of the getElementsByClassName method, support for safe message-passing with postMessage, and support for offline web applications. Other new features include APNG support, and EXSLT support.

A new internal memory allocator, jemalloc, [cite web |title=A Scalable Concurrent malloc(3) Implementation for FreeBSD |first=Jason |last=Evans |url=http://people.freebsd.org/~jasone/jemalloc/bsdcan2006/jemalloc.pdf |format=PDF |date= 2006-04-16 |accessdate=2008-02-13] is used rather than the default libc one. [cite web |url=http://ventnorsblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/beta-3.html |title=Beta 3! |author=Michael John Ventnor |accessdate=2008-02-13] Dead link|date=June 2008

Gecko 1.9 uses Cairo as a graphics backend, [cite web | title=Mozilla Cairo Vector Graphics | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060219212346/http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=6498 | accessdate = 2007-01-24 |date=April 24, 2005 | publisher=mozillaZine A page describing the future usage of Cairo.] allowing for improved graphics performance and better consistency of look and feel on various operating systems. Because of Cairo's lack of support for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me and Windows NT (versions 4.0 and below), and because Microsoft ended support for Windows 98 and Windows Me on July 11, 2006, Firefox 3 does not run on those operating systems. Similarly, the Mac version of Firefox 3 runs only on Mac OS X 10.4 or higher, [cite web | url = http://www.mozilla.org/projects/granparadiso/system-requirements.html | title=Gran Paradiso - System Requirements | accessdate=2007-09-11 | publisher = mozilla.org] but, unlike previous versions, has a native Cocoa widget interface. [cite web | url=http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/software/productivity/0,1000001108,39285100,00.htm | title=Firefox 3 (Gran Paradiso) Alpha 1 | accessdate=2007-02-05 |date=2006-12-12 | author = CNET staff | publisher = ZDNet.co.uk]

Frontend changes

As for the frontend changes, Firefox features a redesigned download manager with built-in search and the ability to resume downloads. [cite web | url=http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/3.0b1/releasenotes/ | title=Firefox 3 Beta 1 Release Notes date=2007-11-19 | accessdate=2007-12-05 | publisher=mozilla.com ] Also, a new plug-in manager is included in the add-ons window [cite web | url=http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2007/08/first-look-to-firefox-3s-new-download-manager/ | title=First look to Firefox 3’s new download manager | date=2007-08-11 | accessdate=2007-08-12 | last = Cabello | first = Percy | publisher = mozillalinks.org] and extensions can be installed with a package manager. Microformats are supported for use by software that can understand their use in documents to store data in a machine-readable form. [cite web | url=http://wiki.mozilla.org/Microformats | title=Microformats (Mozilla Wiki) | date=2007-05-24 | accessdate=2007-06-03]

The password manager in Firefox 3 asks the user if they would like it to remember the password after the log on attempt rather than before. By doing this users are able to avoid storing an incorrect password in the password manager after a bad log on attempt. [cite web | url=http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2007/09/firefoxs-password-manager-gets-smarter/ | title=Firefox’s password manager gets smarter | date=2007-09-01 | accessdate=2007-09-07 | last = Cabello | first = Percy | publisher = mozillalinks.org]

Firefox 3 uses a "Places" system for storing bookmarks and history in an SQLite backend. [cite web | url=http://wiki.mozilla.org/index.php?title=Places&oldid=46000 | title=Places | date=2006-10-16 | accessdate=2007-02-05 | author = Mozilla Wiki contributors | publisher = Mozilla Wiki] The new system stores more information about user's history and bookmarks, in particular letting the user tag the pages. It is also used to implement an improved algorithm for the new location bar auto-complete feature (dubbed the "Awesomebar.") [ [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/3.0a8/releasenotes/ 3.0a8 release notes] ] [ [http://wiki.mozilla.org/Places:Fx3UIPlan Places:Fx3UIPlan - MozillaWiki ] ]

The Mac version of Firefox 3 supports Growl notifications, the OS X spell checker, and Aqua-style form controls.

Themes

To give the browser a more native look and feel on different operating systems, Firefox 3 uses separate themes for Mac OS X, Linux, Microsoft Windows XP, and Microsoft Windows Vista. When running on GNOME, Firefox 3 displays icons from the environment; thus, when the desktop environment icon theme changes, Firefox follows suit. [ cite web | title = A first look at the Firefox 3 visual refresh for Linux | url = http://arstechnica.com/journals/linux.ars/2007/11/15/afirst-look-at-the-firefox-3-visual-refresh-for-linux | date=2007-11-15 | accessdate=2008-07-11 | author = Ryan Paul] Additional icons were also made to be used when no appropriate icon exists; these were made following the Tango Desktop Project guidelines. [ cite web | title = A first look at the Firefox 3 visual refresh for Linux | url = http://blog.mozilla.com/faaborg/2007/11/13/update-on-the-firefox-3-linux-theme/ | date=2007-11-13 | accessdate=2008-07-11 | author = Alex Faaborg] Additionally, the GTK version has replaced the non-native tab bar that was implemented in Firefox 2.0 and instead uses the native GTK+ tab style.

The default icons and icon layout for Firefox 3 also changed dramatically, taking on a keyhole shape for the forward and back buttons by default on two of the three platforms. [cite web | url=http://blog.mozilla.com/faaborg/2008/01/22/navigation-toolbar-on-windows/ | title=Keyhole Shape | date=2007-01-23 | accessdate=2007-01-23 | author = Alex Faaborg | publisher = Alex Faaborg] However, the keyhole shape does not take effect in Linux or in the small-icon mode. The Iconfactory created the icons for the Microsoft Windows platform. In addition, separate icons sets are displayed for Windows XP and Vista.

References

External links

* [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ Mozilla Firefox homepage] for end-users
* [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/ Mozilla Firefox project page] for developers
* [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/legal/eula/ Mozilla EULA]
*dmoz|Computers/Software/Internet/Clients/WWW/Browsers/Firefox
*Secunia|19089|NAME=Mozilla Firefox 3.x
* [http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2317294,00.asp Review of Firefox (PC Magazine)]