Mozilla Expedites Firefox Development Cycle, New Release Tomorrow

[btarunr]

There must be some latent value in version number. Close to 3 years old, Google Chrome is already at version 14 in its developer channel. The grand old man of web-browsers, Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE), which has a much slower release cycle, is at version 9. The second oldest browser in production, Opera, is at version 11. That leaves Mozilla Firefox, which is relatively newer to the market, but crawled its way past generations by versions 1.0x or 0.5x, with 0.0.1x in near-monthly minor updates. With the browser-wars hotting up as Google Chrome maintains its breakneck development cycle and MSIE regained competitiveness with version 9, Mozilla Firefox is ceding market-share. Perhaps this is pushing Mozilla to speed up its update cycle.

In Mozilla's case, this seems more like an version number inflation, because Firefox 4 was released just this March, and has only had one minor update since (4.0.1). The group is already looking to release the next "big release", Firefox 5, on 21 June, 2011. Its file locations on Mozilla's FTP are already leaked. Unlike with older major releases where each comes with a changed user interface, layout, or at least new icons; Firefox 5 user interface is identical to that of Firefox 4. The changes here are a faster webpage rendering engine, improved HTML5 support, the ability to pin bookmarked webpages to the Windows Taskbar a-là MSIE 9, and a built-in Adobe PDF reader a-là Chrome.

DOWNLOAD: Mozilla Firefox 5 (Win32)

Source: The Tech Journal

[btarunr]

Many Thanks to Black Panther for the tip.

[claylomax]

I had to uninstall 4.0 because it would crash everytime; let's see if this one is better.

[crow1001]

As fast as chrome now.

[Aleksander]

In fact they should develop the "inspect element" command!

[pantherx12]

I've been using Aurora so have been enjoying some of the new bits already : ]

Which is at 6.02a if anyone wants to get it too.

(No updates have been unstable thus far)

[bostonbuddy]

Firefox aint what it was in early to mid 2000s

[Red_Machine]

I think that this inflated version number update cycle is a mistake. Yearly releases might have been more appropriate. I just think it devalues the version number as a whole.

[inferKNOX]

I've been using the new version since yesterday. I doesn't seem like such a RAM hog anymore, but that might just be the 'version number' placebo effect.

@Red_Machine: agreed. Google Chrome's version number race is annoying, as there's barely any functional and cosmetic difference between them, even if there is under the hood.

Download the one in the English the rest of the world uses:
ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.or...0/win32/en-GB/

[Red_Machine]

I thought Mozilla said they'd be making a 64-bit version of FF5. I wants it!

[inferKNOX]

Originally Posted by Red_Machine

I thought Mozilla said they'd be making a 64-bit version of FF5. I wants it!

Well at the higher level of the dir structure I'm only seeing what looks like a 64-bit version for Linux, but nada for Win.

[cool_recep]

Originally Posted by bostonbuddy

Firefox aint what it was in early to mid 2000s

Umm, Firefox was released in 2004, right?

[Red_Machine]

From the Mozilla Support site:

Mozilla is working on providing 64-bit versions for Firefox 5.

[NC37]

Ahh more browser wars. I remember a time when I had every browser known installed. Now I just don't care and as long as its not M$ built and reliable, I run it. IE can be refined and refined forever and even become the most secure browser in the universe, but they can't change the fact that the first time I used it on my original build 8+yrs ago, it got a worm on my system. Never used IE since and I've never had any problem running without AV software all these years.

[RejZoR]

Originally Posted by inferKNOX

I've been using the new version since yesterday. I doesn't seem like such a RAM hog anymore, but that might just be the 'version number' placebo effect.

@Red_Machine: agreed. Google Chrome's version number race is annoying, as there's barely any functional and cosmetic difference between them, even if there is under the hood.

Download the one in the English the rest of the world uses:
ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.or...0/win32/en-GB/

The new numbering scheme is idiotic and a complete nightmare from a tech support perspective. Does anyone happen to remember what was new in Chrome version 7 ? Where i can tell you easily what was going on for each and every Firefox release so far. Because it made sense. Smaller version number bumps also meant smaller changes to the program. But they were saying like version numbers are constraining them. Bollocks. They were just lazy. If they'd add significant enough changes they could easily justify the larger version number more often. But now they'll release small updates and release big numbers. For what? To measure who's gentlemen sausage is bigger?

I just hope Opera won't follow this stupid route as their version numbering makes the most sense for now. Jumps by 0.1 are for hotfixes, jumps for 0.50 are for larger changes and whole number changes are for complete overhaul and a bigger step forward. Easy to follow and it just makes sense. Like it did for Firefox before version 4.0...

[AsRock]

Originally Posted by Red_Machine

From the Mozilla Support site:

Good then hopefully there be 64bit one version of Seamonkey then.

[Red_Machine]

Originally Posted by NC37

Never used IE since and I've never had any problem running without AV software all these years.

You really should run AV software. Microsoft's Security Essentials is the best of the free offerings right now and can even beat some paid offerings from other companies.

[slyfox2151]

Originally Posted by cool_recep

Umm, Firefox was released in 2004, right?

yes, and mid 2000s would be between 2004ish to 2006-7

[RejZoR]

Originally Posted by Red_Machine

You really should run AV software. Microsoft's Security Essentials is the best of the free offerings right now and can even beat some paid offerings from other companies.

Last time i checked it wasn't... It's on-access engine is slow as hell and detection is not exactly best in class even though its not bad either. avast! and Panda Cloud are imos till a better option...

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by btarunr

There must be some latent value in version number. Close to 3 years old, Google Chrome is already at version 14 in its developer channel. The grand old man of web-browsers, Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE), which has a much slower release cycle, is at version 9. The second oldest browser in production, Opera, is at version 11. That leaves Mozilla Firefox, which is relatively newer to the market, but crawled its way past generations by versions 1.0x or 0.5x, with 0.0.1x in near-monthly minor updates. With the browser-wars hotting up as Google Chrome maintains its breakneck development cycle and MSIE regained competitiveness with version 9, Mozilla Firefox is ceding market-share. Perhaps this is pushing Mozilla to speed up its update cycle.

In Mozilla's case, this seems more like an version number inflation, because Firefox 4 was released just this March, and has only had one minor update since (4.0.1). The group is already looking to release the next "big release", Firefox 5, on 21 June, 2011. Its file locations on Mozilla's FTP are already leaked. Unlike with older major releases where each comes with a changed user interface, layout, or at least new icons; Firefox 5 user interface is identical to that of Firefox 4. The changes here are a faster webpage rendering engine, improved HTML5 support, the ability to pin bookmarked webpages to the Windows Taskbar a-là MSIE 9, and a built-in Adobe PDF reader a-là Chrome.

DOWNLOAD: Mozilla Firefox 5 (Win32)

Source: The Tech Journal

I run usual firefox update allready like 3 days ago and it auto updated to version 5.Didnt need any early leaked.

EDIT: and definitely see some speed improvements.

[crazyeyesreaper]

Originally Posted by RejZoR

Last time i checked it wasn't... It's on-access engine is slow as hell and detection is not exactly best in class even though its not bad either. avast! and Panda Cloud are imos till a better option...

except they dont sit at 30-50mb of resource usage,

MSE is light and tell me how often do you actually have to scan your system, i only need to scan once every 5-6months and always turn up clean with mbam and mse so seems kinda worthless to have a resource hog AV that well since im not a complete moron on the internet downloading from every link possible will need the extra 4-5mins of my life back cause i get a virus every day like my uncles wife.... even with Kaspersky she gets viruses... Users the biggest difference in Viruses infecting a machine an A/V cant stop user stupidity.

[MikeMurphy]

Originally Posted by RejZoR

Last time i checked it wasn't... It's on-access engine is slow as hell and detection is not exactly best in class even though its not bad either. avast! and Panda Cloud are imos till a better option...

I disagree. MSSE is outstanding on all fronts.

On another note, FF5 fixes the blurry fonts issue. Settings are now found under pre-installed addons.

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by MikeMurphy

MSSE is outstanding on all fronts.

well Its slow on updates and scanning,but can live with that..I even changed my paid complete Avast! internet security for MSE.its just so much less compicated and easy on system.

[naoan]

Not amused with this version change... what's the point anyway?

And most of my addon now refuse to load, good job Mozilla. Yes, I know there's a workaround for it, but end user shouldn't required to do it just because they feel like joining the stupid race with Chrome.

[BazookaJoe]

I have to say that as a user I personally believe that FireFox has lost and forgotten everything that made it attractive to begin with.

I no longer feel that Firefox is MY browser and it's a little saddening - most recently they enforce radical interface changes with not even a CHOICE to the user - based on OTHER browsers that I have obviously chosen NOT to use as I'm still using Firefox.

I may as well just USE chrome now - it's lighter anyway.

Everything that made Firefox DIFFERENT, and hence gave it value, is slowly evaporating away as it chameleons itself into the common swamp of samey-samey design - it's no longer unique...

... it's no longer attractive.