Swiftweasel

Infobox Software
name = Swiftweasel

author =
developer = SticKK
latest release version = 3.0.3
latest release date = Oct 5, 2008
operating system = Linux
genre = Web browser
license = MPL 1.1
website = [http://swiftweasel.tuxfamily.org/ Swiftweasel Project]

Swiftweasel is a build of Mozilla Firefox source code, which uses non-trademarked graphics and logos. It is optimized for several architectures, and is available for the Linux platform only.

Released under the terms of the Mozilla Public License, Swiftweasel is free and open source software.

Optimization

Swiftweasel is optimized using the following methods:

P.G.O.

As of the 3.0.3 releae Swiftweasel has shifted its primary optimization from processor specific to P.G.O.cite web | url=http://swiftweasel.tuxfamily.org/wiki/index.php5?title=PGO | title=PGO] . P.G.O. stands for Profile Guided Optimization. It is a two step building process. The application is compiled one time and then ran to produce a profile. The profile is then used to guide a second compile of the application.Some of the older optimizations are still used, but there are now only Intel and AMD versions of each build. There is also a separate build for each of the versions of Ubuntu. It is also released compiled in a tar.gz package for other distributions.

Binary code optimization

*Compiled with options that optimize for speed rather than binary size.
** Swiftweasel is compiled -O3,Using url of "about:buildconfig" to check the details of the all builds] (the highest level)
***The resulting Swiftweasel binary is larger than Firefox.
**Firefox is compiled -OsUsing url of "about:buildconfig" to check the details of the 2.0 builds] (which is for binary sizecite web | url=http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc-4.1.1/gcc/Optimize-Options.html#Optimize-Options | title=Optimize Options - Using the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)] ).
*Binaries incorporate additional instruction sets.cite web | url=http://swiftweasel.wiki.sourceforge.net/About+Swiftweasel | title=About Swiftweasel]
** Intel and AMD: SSE, SSE2, SSE3, and MMXcite web | url=http://swiftweasel.wiki.sourceforge.net/About+Swiftweasel | title=About Swiftweasel] .
** AMD only: 3DNow!
*Optimization specific to the build microprocessor architecture.cite web | url=http://swiftweasel.wiki.sourceforge.net/About+Swiftweasel | title=About Swiftweasel]
** Intel 32bit: Pentium 4, Pentium 3, Pentium M, Pentium 3M, Pentium 2, Prescott.
** Intel 64bit: Nocona
** AMD: Athlon XP, Athlon, K6-2, Athlon.
** AMD64: Athlon64, Opteron
*Compiled with newer version of GCC (Firefox 2.0 uses 3.3.2, Swiftweasel 2.0 uses 4.0.3, and Swiftweasel 3.0.3 uses 4.2.3).Using url of "about:buildconfig" to check the details of the 2.0 builds] Increased Security
*Better protection from Buffer overflow attackscite web | url=http://www.redhat.com/magazine/009jul05/features/execshield/#checks | title=redhat.com | Limiting buffer overflows with ExecShield] (Swiftweasel 2.0 uses -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2; Firefox 2.0 uses gcc 3.x, which does not support this).Using url of "about:buildconfig" to check the details of the 2.0 builds] Simplify
*IPv6 DNS lookups are disabled.cite web | url=http://swiftweasel.wiki.sourceforge.net/About+Swiftweasel | title=About Swiftweasel] preventing slowdowns cite web | url=http://swiftweasel.wiki.sourceforge.net/About+Swiftweasel | title=About Swiftweasel]
*HTTP pipelining is enabled by default.cite web | url=http://swiftweasel.wiki.sourceforge.net/About+Swiftweasel | title=About Swiftweasel] Note that Fasterfox provides a GUI to adjust these settings.
*For full details, users can [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=195473 download source packages] with all changes listed.

Installed extensions

Swiftweasel has several extensions installed by defaultcite web | url=http://swiftweasel.wiki.sourceforge.net/Whats+New+2.0.0.4 | title=Extensions Added] .
* XForms
* AdBlock Plus
* [http://chrispederick.com/work/user-agent-switcher/ User Agent Switcher]
* [http://www.captaincaveman.nl/default.aspx?id=firefox_extensions&subid=quick_locale_switcher Quick Locale Switcher]

wiftweasel-specific changes

Changes made to Swiftweasel include:
* The default icon set has been replaced with the [http://arvidaxelsson.se/kempelton/ Kempelton] icon set.
* Swiftweasel uses its own settings directory. The settings, including bookmarks, history, and extensions are imported from Mozilla Firefox the first time Swiftweasel runs.
* Plugins stored in /lib/mozilla/plugins and /lib/firefox/plugins are detected and used by Swiftweasel.

wiftdove

The Swiftweasel project also builds optimized 32 and 64bit builds of the Thunderbird email client. Swiftdove includes the Lightning calendar plugin installed by default.

References

See also

* Mozilla Firefox
* Iceweasel - Another version of Firefox which is made of entirely free, as in speech and beer, content.
* Swiftfox - Swiftfox is a freely downloadable, but proprietary optimized version of Firefox.

External links

* [http://swiftweasel.tuxfamily.org/ Swiftweasel site]
* [http://linux.softpedia.com/get/Internet/HTTP-WWW-/Swiftweasel-27709.shtml Swiftweasel on Softpedia]
* [http://freshmeat.net/projects/swiftweasel/?branch_id=69657&release_id=255162 Swiftweasel on Freshmeat]
* [http://www.geektank.net/2007/06/24/swiftweasel-2-0-0-4-1-default-branch Geektank Review]
* [http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/241926 Software Headlines]
* [http://getautomatix.com/wiki/index.php?title=Software_and_Tweaks Installed by Automatix]