Firefox 3

[AlexJ]

Ffx 3 has reached it's second beta and isn't far from full release.

I've had Minefield (as it was called during development) as a secondary browser for a while and now with the new beta version, I find it's stable enough to take over full time from Ffx 2.

What's new? Well there's some nice additions, the download manager is much improved and supports multiple session resuming (break the connection, close the browser etc. and you can still pick up where you left off). There is the option built-in to load-up with the tabs when you closed. The address bar now searches your history as opposed to finishing off what you're typing. Takes a bit of getting used to, but is very useful when you can't remember the start of an address but can remember the page name or subdomain.

Only downside is that currently a lot of extensions don't work, although these are likely to be supported pretty soon as updates are released.

[Puni/Void]

Sounds interesting, so thanks for the news, Alex. I'm very happy with the version of Firefox I'm currently using, but it will be nice with some upgrades and new features.

[Harrison]

The improved session restoring and download manager sound useful, although I'm happy with the plugins I'm using that does these in FF2.

I probably won't upgrade straight away, until the plugin support increases and the existing coders update their plugins. Although I might install it on another system for testing.

[Buleste]

I've downloaded it and starting to give it a try. They have managed to install some of the old bugs back in like the inability to get all of the IE bookmarks but on a general usage level it's still the same old Firefox. Much needed now Netscape is dead.

[Harrison]

Is Netscape dead? I know it has dropped from the mainstream in recently years, but version 9 was only released this year and supports the use of all FF2 extensions.

[Stephen Coates]

They finally decided that they are no longer going to make it anymore, so yes, it is dead.

Apparently it is now just FireFox repackaged and so is quite pointless.

[Harrison]

I didn't know that. I was quite surprised that it lasted as long as it did, but it was also a little sad considering that Netscape used to be the standard browser everyone used in the late 90's. It just shows how times change and popularity for everything shifts.

[Stephen Coates]

Yes, and it seems to be happening again. IE is (was?) the most popular browser and more and more people are switching to Firefox.

Now it's only a matter of time before everyone switches from Firefox to Opera (but I've already done this :))

[Buleste]

More than anything i think it goes to show that the first bunch of internet companies that managed to survive have lost their way now they are bit mega corporations like AOL. Their creativity has gone the way of all large corporations which is why no one uses Netscape anymore.

[Harrison]

Very true. Normally when small imaginative companies are bought up for their innovative products this happens. EA is a great example.

But contrary, although many dislike and put the company down, I actually think Microsoft are quite different. I recently watched a great video about typography. It was an hour long interview with the Microsoft typography team who design the technology used within Windows to handle type and fonts. This team was given a lot of freedom to explore type and how the human brain analysis's shape, size, colour, edges etc... And the end result is cleartype. XP gained this in SP2, but the full version of this technology in Vista is even better. Using coloured pixels to smooth text and make it look crisp and easy to read.

Best of all, the main typography guy in the video really tears into Apple's OSX type technology and shows how crap it is by comparison. That alone warmed me more to Microsoft instantly! :lol:

Watching that video showed me that the image and reputation Microsoft have gained over the years is far from the whole truth. As with any very large corporation only the headlines attached to them are ever remembered by the general public, and much that goes on behind the scenes is never widely known.

[Buleste]

It has to be said when M$ steal someone elses ideas they do actually manage to improve it most of the time even though it may take a few attempts.

[Stephen Coates]

I watched that video about cleartype. It was very interesting.

But anti-aliasing still hurts my eyes and I much prefer to save smooth fonts for the printer, and for big fonts.

Microsoft have definately made some good products. You only have to look at Office and Windows 2000 to realise that, although there will still be some people that don't like them. My MS mouse is also nice.

[Harrison]

MS Mice are the best in the world! And I know many Apple users secretly use them too! ;)

[Buleste]

Firefox 3 is now in release candidate mode.

[Buleste]

FF3 RC2 has been released.

[Harrison]

Not long till the first final release now then. :)

[Buleste]

I would say just before IE8 comes along and screws things up as M$ will implement something just to bugger up FF.

[Bloodwych]

I would say just before IE8 comes along and screws things up as M$ will implement something just to bugger up FF.

You mean like Silverlight? :D

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=firefox+silverlight&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

[Harrison]

Yep. I've been moaning about Silverlight since its concept. Why do we need to competing format to rival flash? It just muddies the water and creates incompatibility where none existed and where the product wasn't needed.

Although now it is in it's second version release I have to admit that it is starting to look quite powerful, with a complete visual studio based programming environment built in, meaning in theory you could do much more with Silverlight, than you can easily do in Flash, directly utilising the host system, rather than just the browser.

The downside of Silverlight is that in true M$ fashion the product works from a programmers perspective foremost, compared to Flash, which has always been from a designers perspective, with more advance programming if needed.

[Buleste]

The reason M$ releases things like Silverlight is because they want to dominate the whole software market. That way rather they create the rules for the internet etc which means they will kill off any competition. Quite simply they want to become the most powerfull organisation in the world.

[Harrison]

Want to become? I thought they already were? They are worth more than any other software company. I just checked Forbes and they are estimated to currently be worth $253.15 Billion and are ranked as 7th richest company in the Global 2000 list on there.

Companies higher up that list are unsurprisingly mostly Oil/Gas Operations, with PetroChina heading the list, with an estimated $546.14 Billion! :blink: Why are our petrol prices still going up??? :hmmm:

[Buleste]

They aren't there yet as people still get to tell them what to do Like internet standards and the EU. They'll only be happy when they have free reign to do anything they want.

[Harrison]

They may not have in reality, but you forget that they are American. Therefore they are already under this misconception that they do already have free reign to do anything that want!

[Buleste]

Lets face it M$ aren't American. They're their own corporate nation and will probably end up buying their own little country so that they can operate however they want.