Firefox Beta 2! (also poll)

[thegathering]

Originally Posted by desktoplinux.com

Mozilla released Beta 2 of its upcoming Firefox 2 browser for developer review Aug. 31, emphasizing that it is being made available for testing purposes only. The release contains a number of new features, as well as some enhancements to look and feel.

Spread the word:
digg this story
"Firefox 2 Beta 2 is intended for Web application developers and our testing community," the team said on the Mozilla development website. "Current users of Firefox 1.x should not use Firefox 2 Beta 2 and expect all of their extensions and plugins to work properly.

The final Firefox 2.0 is expected to be completed in early 2007, the team said. More beta versions are expected to be released this fall and winter.

Key new features in beta 2, as listed by the team, include:

* Visual refresh -- Firefox 2's theme and user interface have been updated to improve usability without altering the familiarity of the browsing experience. For instance, toolbar buttons now glow when you hover over them.

* Built-in phishing protection -- Phishing Protection warns users when they encounter suspected Web forgeries, and offers to return the user to their home page. Phishing Protection is turned on by default, and works by checking sites against either a local or online list of known phishing sites. This list is automatically downloaded and regularly updated when the Phishing Protection feature is enabled.

* Enhanced search capabilities -- Search term suggestions will now appear as users type in the integrated search box when using the Google, Yahoo! or Answers.com search engines. A new search engine manager makes it easier to add, remove and re-order search engines, and users will be alerted when Firefox encounters a website that offers new search engines that the user may wish to install.

* Improved tabbed browsing -- By default, Firefox will open links in new tabs instead of new windows, and each tab will now have a close tab button. Power users who open more tabs than can fit in a single window will see arrows on the left and right side of the tab strip that let them scroll back and forth between their tabs. The History menu will keep a list of recently closed tabs, and a shortcut lets users quickly re-open an accidentally closed tab.

* Resuming your browsing session -- The Session Restore feature restores windows, tabs, text typed in forms, and in-progress downloads from the last user session. It will be activated automatically when installing an application update or extension, and users will be asked if they want to resume their previous session after a system crash.

* Previewing and subscribing to Web feeds -- Users can decide how to handle Web feeds (like this one), either subscribing to them via a Web service or in a standalone RSS reader, or adding them as Live Bookmarks. My Yahoo!, Bloglines and Google Reader come pre-loaded as Web service options, but users can add any Web service that handles RSS feeds.

* Inline spell checking -- A new built-in spell checker enables users to quickly check the spelling of text entered into Web forms.

* Live Titles -- When a website offers a microsummary (a regularly updated summary of the most important information on a Web page), users can create a bookmark with a "Live Title." Compact enough to fit in the space available to a bookmark label, they provide more useful information about pages than static page titles, and are regularly updated with the latest information. There are several websites that can be bookmarked with Live Titles, and even more add-ons to generate Live Titles for other popular websites.

* Improved Add-ons manager -- The new Add-ons manager improves the user interface for managing extensions and themes, combining them both in a single tool.

* New Windows installer: Based on Nullsoft Scriptable Install System, the new Windows installer resolves many long-standing issues.

Who's excited?

[Mike]

Originally Posted by thegathering

Who's excited?

Not gonna lie, I've lost all bladder control.






But on a serious note, I hope they've fixed the memory leak problem. I don't like 30% of my memory being devoted to a browser.

[Ben Martin]

Firefox is great, and a new improved version is just awesome. I can't wait to try it once it comes out.

[fimmel]

im still waiting for firefox to start using less memory.....like 1/3 of what it is now would be great..
/forest

[Jessica Boucher]

Remember, you can dig up forum stats like browser use in the "Extras" section of the "Quick Links" Menu.

This month, the usage was...
MS IE - 3418465 - 54.1 %
Firefox - 2362457 - 37.4 %
Safari - 218809 - 3.4 %
Opera - 119316 - 1.8 %
Mozilla - 73944 - 1.1 %
Unknown - 61528 - 0.9 %
Netscape - 35761 - 0.5 %
Wget - 8715 - 0.1 %
Konqueror - 3972 - 0 %
Camino - 2821 - 0 %

[Dan Petrovic]

Firefox is the only way to go

Tabs are amazing.

[Bill_Hancoc]

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

Firefox is the only way to go

Tabs are amazing.

Ditto

I couldnt live without tabbed browsing now that i have had it...not to mention extensions such as All-In-One Gestures...i have fallen in love with that extension....i even find myself trying to use it in Windows explorer

[Alexa Stott]

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

Firefox is the only way to go

Tabs are amazing.

Yeah, I love tabs!

Some of the new tab features, like the one that opens links in a new tab instead of a window, are really cool. I can't wait to see it completed.

[Michelle Celio]

Originally Posted by AtalanteStar25

Yeah, I love tabs!

Some of the new tab features, like the one that opens links in a new tab instead of a window, are really cool. I can't wait to see it completed.

Thats always been there you just had to apply it.

Originally Posted by Mike

Not gonna lie, I've lost all bladder control.
But on a serious note, I hope they've fixed the memory leak problem. I don't like 30% of my memory being devoted to a browser.

Me either. Notice, Firefox isn't even on the task bar ... (Sorry it's large..I'm lazy)

[Clark Gilbert]

Wohoo, first to vote for Opera!

I'm my experience and on my laptop I've experienced quicker load times with Opera. Plus, I generally just like the features more than FireFox.

[Jeff Rodriguez]

I second that Opera vote. Clark and I probably make up that 1.8%

Anyway, Opera 9 already has most of those features built in. Not to mention widgets and Bit-torrent support.
I use the spell check in Opera all the time.

So, why doesn't Opera get all the hype?

[thegathering]

Originally Posted by Ogre

I second that Opera vote. Clark and I probably make up that 1.8%

Anyway, Opera 9 already has most of those features built in. Not to mention widgets and Bit-torrent support.
I use the spell check in Opera all the time.

So, why doesn't Opera get all the hype?

I've never liked opera. The plugin base for Firefox is both comical and amazing. Nowhere else can I get a Litany of Fear plugin for a web browser. Many linux packages come default with Firefox, not all do, but many do.

I guess it's the feel of the software. While Opera is now freeware and no doubt great software, for a long time, it was merely shareware, a status that alienated alot of users. Firefox was the first software to be built to break the Microsoft monopoly and has that rebellious GNU feel to it, the one that says "I was created by people who are working to benefit users over making a quick buck".

As far as software goes, it's clear Opera is a better performer. However, I would gladly sacrifice 1 second or so difference it takes to load both for the comical userbase of Firefox.


That's my .02

[Eric Finn]

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/8453/cdlinkskw3.png
Actually, Firefox, although I haven't tried out Opera in quite a while.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I'm an Opera guy but I use Firefox more. I just haven't had the chance to put Opera on my new computer yet.

[ebmonon36]

I have used Firefox now for about a year. I used IE6 out of habit, but had Firefox installed and would use it on occasion. When the IE7 beta came out, I installed it to see what it was like. I used it for about 15 minutes and it pushed me over the edge and I promptly switched all of my shortcuts and settings to go to Firefox. IE7 has the tabs, but it just doesn't feel right compared to FF.
Eric