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| Fight Fire With Firefox |
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Reviews August 2004 • Vol.15 Issue 8 Page(s) 21-22 in print issue |
Fight Fire With Firefox | ||
 Anyone who had an interest in the technology industry during the mid-to late-1990s spent a considerable amount of time taking sides in the so-called Browser War. The lengthy battle between Netscape, the company that brought the browser to the masses, and Microsoft, the software behemoth that wanted a piece of the growing online action, did much to fuel Web innovation as each company raced to expand its audience by releasing new versions packed full of new features. Microsoft prevailed in the end for one very good reason: Its browser, Internet Explorer, came bundled for free with every version of Windows Microsoft sold. IE still comes bundled free with every version of Windows, and 80% of all computer users depend on it as their primary browser. Netscape's share of the market has dwindled to practically nothing—less than 5% by most measures—but its influence continues thanks to the Mozilla project. Netscape unofficially launched the project in 1998 when it announced that it would publish the source code for Netscape Navigator. Six years later, Mozilla is on the verge of releasing Firefox (formerly referred to as Firebird), a critically acclaimed open-source browser that could spur a second Browser War. There's certainly a lot to like about Mozilla Firefox, starting with its lean 6.2MB download. In contrast, the latest IE download is weighed down by as much as 75MB of bloated features and commercial add-ons that many users simply do not need. Instead of bulk, the Mozilla developers focused their efforts on providing only those capabilities that users most appreciate. For example, the sleek interface boasts a built-in Google search menu and a hidden pop-up blocker to go along with the handful of petite navigational buttons and the requisite address bar. The inclusion of the ad blocker and search menu saves you the hassle of downloading third-party add-ons, such as the Yahoo! Companion Toolbar or the Google Toolbar, that do the same thing. Another thing about Firefox that we particularly liked is the tabbed browsing feature. This feature allows you to open multiple Web sites within a single Firefox window rather than opening separate windows for the sites you want to access. The open sites are identified by tabs near the top of the browser window so that you can access each one with a single click. The browser also features an integrated download manager that helps you handle your downloads by, among other things, allowing you to specify a permanent download folder and establish file associations. Firefox isn't the first browser to offer tabbed browsing and a download manager, but we certainly appreciate the features whenever they're available. Other features worth mentioning include Type Ahead Find, a shortcut feature that lets you access hypertext (text-based hyperlinks) shortcuts simply by typing a few letters on the keyboard; a Password Manager that remembers your passwords and enters them in the appropriate fields whenever necessary; toolbars that are completely customizable; a large viewing window that Mozilla claims is at least 4% larger than IE's viewing window and 10% larger than Opera's; downloadable themes; and a Bookmarks Manager that lets you sort bookmarks by name, location, date added, date last visited, and several other criteria. We also enjoyed the advanced Web Features function, which makes it possible to avoid many of the Web annoyances caused by scripts (small programs designed to perform particular functions), such as unsolicited modifications to the size of the browser window or image content. Mozilla Firefox 0.8 is a preview product. As with any preview product, this one will undoubtedly undergo several changes before the final version is released. A Mozilla spokesperson informed us that prerelease modifications will include a new default interface; improvements in the way the program handles extensions (small programs that add increased functionality to another program); the ability to migrate users' bookmarks, passwords, and even cookies to Firefox from Netscape and Microsoft browsers; the addition of an automated update notification feature, which will alert users to the presence of product updates; and the addition of Flash, RealPlayer, and QuickTime plug-ins to the browser download package. Preview or not, Firefox is a worthy competitor to IE and is certain to gain the approval of anyone who wants to wriggle out from under the Microsoft monopoly.  by Jeff Dodd Mozilla Firefox |
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