Over the past seven years, we've come to expect Firefox Web browser releases to bring major new interface changes, improved performance, and browsing tools. But since Mozilla decided to follow Google's frequent release strategy, we'll have to temper our expectations for new Firefox releases. Version 5 of Mozilla's volunteer-crafted browser software brings a lot of fixes, but pretty much zilch when it comes to interface advancements or new user tools.
In the new schedule, any new features that don't make a cut-off date are excised from the version, and judging by version 5, this rigid release plan will result in some less than sensational new version numbers. The one "new" feature users may notice is that the browser's "Do Not Track" setting is more visible at the top of the Privacy tab on the Options dialog.
Under the hood, Firefox 5 adds support for a few new Web technologies, most notably for CSS animations, which let Web designers create effects like having text slide across the window, using keyframes. Mozilla also claims improved standards support for HTML5, XHR, MathML, SMIL, and canvas, but on the HTML5test.com measure of HTML5 support, Firefox 5 does no better than version 4 (see slideshow above), with a score of 240 out of 400 points, compared with Google Chrome's score of 291.
A recently noted security threat is addressed in version 5, too. A researcher at the Context Information Security consulting firm issued a warning last month that WebGL, a 3D graphics technology for the Web, introduces some serious vulnerabilities. Microsoft today issued a study with similar warnings. Firefox 5 implements some protection for WebGL vulnerabilities, in particular protection against Cross-domain WebGL textures. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to ward off WebGL's security issues.
Other changes for Firefox 5 include: better spell checking in some languages; improved canvas, JavaScript, memory, and networking performance; better Linux desktop integration; and improved background tab performance.
In the end, the lack of buzz and excitement over a major new release could hurt Firefox's popularity. According to Net Applications market share numbers, Firefox started the year with 22.75 percent market share, and last month was down by more than a full percent, to 21.71 percent. Of course, stiff competition from Google Chrome and a hot new Internet Explorer version are the most likely causes of the drop-off.
To download the release candidate for yourself, head to Mozilla's Future of Firefox page, where you can switch to the Beta channel for this release candidate, or to the "Aurora" channel for further out, less-stable versions.
No comments:
Post a Comment