Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
Summary: Mozilla's Firefox browser is a lot like an aging athlete: It's far easier to stay in shape than it is to fall out of shape and recover. Firefox is in that latter camp, a slightly plump browser that aims to be as buff as a sprinter---even "super-duper fast" in its next version.
Mozilla's Firefox browser is a lot like an aging athlete: It's far easier to stay in shape than it is to fall out of shape and recover. Firefox is in that latter camp, a slightly plump browser that aims to be as buff as a sprinter---even "super-duper fast" in its next version.
When it comes to browsers, the success of Google's Chrome reveals thin is in. Minimalist matters. The challenge for established browsers like Internet Explorer and Firefox is that they have to slim down a bit. However, that's easier said than done when you have a bunch of plug-ins, add-ons and an established user base you can't afford to alienate.
With that backdrop Mike Belzner, vice president of engineering at Firefox, delivered a Webcast outlining plans for Firefox 4. The message boils down to three words (Techmeme): Performance, power and personalization. Firefox needs to be fast, tidy and support new technologies such as 64-bit, Direct2D on Windows and other items.
Gallery: First looks at Firefox 4
The big plan (video) is to get Firefox 4 to folks by November. Everything Belzner outlined Tuesday came with a heavy caveat: Plans will change. In a nutshell, Belzner laid out plans to hit three areas:
- Users should get a fast browser with cleaner navigation, the power to manage relationships with Web sites and customization features.
- Web developers should get tools to create quick Web apps, HTML 5 technologies, native multimedia and other developer goodies.
- And Firefox 4 should be built on a platform that's stable, secure, optimized the latest hardware and armed with more speed.
Here's a look at some of the Firefox 4 concepts (all stamped with a big "plans may change" logo):
Belzner also did a nice job at outlining the current state and risks for the various project parties. Here's the look at the gaps for users.
There's a chart for Web developers too in Belzner's slides. The most notable point is that one gap for Web developers was that Firefox's syntax maps to the W3C not Webkit.
And here are the platform risks, which made some interesting points. For instance, does Firefox support touch? How about driver integration?
Like most Mozilla projects, this one is worth watching. And the best thing is that it's all out in the open for educational purposes.
Here's the full Slideshare presentation:
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Talkback
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
What issue with chrome. I use the beta and it's just perfect. When I browse the net, speed is real important, browser gadgets comes second. Spying? Do you seriously think that a respectable company like Google would risk everything by spying. You watch way too many James Bond...
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
That's the price you pay for using their free spyware
lol... :D
Oh I guess Generically popping up site history is SPYING... OMG :O
If that's spying on you, then you better stay off of Public Roads too. That monitor your every turn and failure to yield, what color your car is and what your license number is. Then they can use it to get your name, address and all your personal information, you never dreamed they knew. Stores, markets, malls, office buildings, banks all record everything you do. You most likely have Millions of pictures of you stored somewhere in this World!
Most of all don't ever use programs by Apple like iTunes which is notorious for Spyware, adware and yes..... malware processes running in the background on your computer. They know who you are better than you do!
AT least Google Chrome doesn't do any of that on your computer. But.... even worse (like Microsoft), own your Operating System and tell you that they don't use any of the personal information they gather for anything. Well then what do they gather it for? ....just to log every key stroke and program open close for their own health? Doubt it. If you have a real firewall... do you ever notice how many times your OS wants to contact Microsoft?
Grow up people...... and yes Chrome uses the exact same Add On structure, so the many of the same Add Ons run on it as they do in Firefox! ;)
You dont work in computer security
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
I don't have that issue
RE: RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
Screen Shot #4 is scary.
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
if you look at the screen shot closer, you see a stop sharing my location option...
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
I think that what this feature does is allows you to block a cookie that a random site adds to your computer and then tracks you form sending the data that it is requesting. This is a good thing and should be part of all browsers. Speed is no longer the issue for me and should be at least part of the website developers responsibility. Sites seem to be the most demanding of bandwidth not necessarily the browsers rendering there of.
lrfocke
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
It can, but it probably wont.
How fast does it need to be???
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
RE: Firefox 4: Can it become 'super-duper' fast?
-The only use I can think for that is for porn sites :/ Not really something they want to put up if they`re trying to simplify things up.
Thin? I like a full-figured browser.
Any developers eager to see fuller CSS3 implementation? Chrome is still spotty with CSS2. Try "text-transform" and see Chrome smile vaguely and shrug. (I don't need a new IE--choosy about which 10-year-old standards it'll implement.)