Mozilla Rolls Out Plugin Check, Firefox 3.6 Beta 1 Builds, Fennec 1.0 Beta 4 for Maemo and Better User Feedback Integration
Here is what has been keeping the Mozilla Foundation busy recently. First of all, Mozilla wants to ensure that every Firefox user out there is not running out of date plugins. Why? Because old plugins can cause the browser to crash, can make it become unstable, and can be exploited by people with malicious intent, thus posing a security risk. To ensure that Firefox users are running the latest and safest plugin version, the Mozilla Foundation has launched the Plugin Check Page. In the past the webpage only checked that the Adobe Flash Player plugin is up-to-date; now it checks a lot of other plugins as well.
“Our web team has just pushed the full plugin check page live, checking the status of more than 15 popular plugins, with more still in the works. Visitors to the page can see which plugins they have installed and, for any that are outdated, follow an easy link to the update site. In the upcoming release of Firefox 3.6, we’ll also include built-in support for helping users keep up to date. When you visit a page with Firefox 3.6, we’ll use this same service to let you know if any of the plugins used on the site have updates available,” explained Jonathan Nightingale, Mozilla Security.
Speaking of Firefox 3.6, the Mozilla Foundation has made Firefox 3.6 Beta 1 builds available for download here. Firefox 3.6 Beta is scheduled to be released on the 21st of October. Initially Firefox was supposed to be released mid-September, but that ship has sailed long ago.
Moving on, Mozilla has also released Fennec 1.0 Beta 4 for Maemo, the software and development platform used by Nokia. It comes with several new bits and pieces, including the following:
Last but not least, the Mozilla Foundation has focused on better integrating user feedback in mozilla.com. A feedback button has been added to the Getting Started, First Run and What’s New pages. Visitors to these webpages will see a Give feedback link in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Clicking it will bring up the feedback form.
Other noticeable Mozilla releases Firefox 3.5.4 RC1 and SeaMonkey 2.0 RC1.
“Our web team has just pushed the full plugin check page live, checking the status of more than 15 popular plugins, with more still in the works. Visitors to the page can see which plugins they have installed and, for any that are outdated, follow an easy link to the update site. In the upcoming release of Firefox 3.6, we’ll also include built-in support for helping users keep up to date. When you visit a page with Firefox 3.6, we’ll use this same service to let you know if any of the plugins used on the site have updates available,” explained Jonathan Nightingale, Mozilla Security.
Speaking of Firefox 3.6, the Mozilla Foundation has made Firefox 3.6 Beta 1 builds available for download here. Firefox 3.6 Beta is scheduled to be released on the 21st of October. Initially Firefox was supposed to be released mid-September, but that ship has sailed long ago.
Moving on, Mozilla has also released Fennec 1.0 Beta 4 for Maemo, the software and development platform used by Nokia. It comes with several new bits and pieces, including the following:
- Build now works on the N900
- Streamlined bookmarking, editing, and management
- Install and manage search engines
- Improved touch-friendly theme
- Improved panning and zooming performance
- Support for add-on options in the Add-ons Manager
- Integration with Maemo5 system UI controls
- Notification of tabs opened in the background
- Numerous other bugs and polish issues addressed
Last but not least, the Mozilla Foundation has focused on better integrating user feedback in mozilla.com. A feedback button has been added to the Getting Started, First Run and What’s New pages. Visitors to these webpages will see a Give feedback link in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Clicking it will bring up the feedback form.
Other noticeable Mozilla releases Firefox 3.5.4 RC1 and SeaMonkey 2.0 RC1.
