Major Firefox release delayed

The next version of Firefox has been delayed for a few months, the Mozilla Foundation confirmed Thursday.

Earlier Mozilla stated on its Web site that the next major release of Firefox, called version 1.1, would be released in July. But on Wednesday, lead Firefox engineer Ben Goodger updated the group's road map to indicate that the next major release would now not be until after August.

Adding new features to the open-source browser has taken "a bit longer than initially expected," according to Tristan Nitot, the president of Mozilla Europe.

The next release will now be called Firefox 1.5 as it includes more features than initially planned, Nitot said. "What we have been doing is better than initially planned, so instead of calling it 1.1, we think it deserves the name of 1.5," Nitot told ZDNet UK.

The Mozilla Foundation is planning to release the beta version of Firefox 1.5 in August, and has said the final version will be out sometime around September. Nitot said the foundation generally avoids committing itself to firm release dates because they can easily slip.

"You won't see many occasions where we mention release dates because we know it's risky to mention them," Nitot said. "I've been in the software industry too long to make any commitments in terms of dates--you always end up being wrong."

Earlier this week, ZDNet UK interviewed Asa Dotzler, the community coordinator for the Mozilla Foundation, about some of the most important features in the next major release of Firefox. These include an automatic update system, support for Scalable Vector Graphics, and a package that allows the creation of custom clients for Web services.

Ingrid Marson of ZDNet UK reported from London.

[pythonhacker]

That is good news

This sounds likes the Firefox team is going to
deliver some really cool features in 1.5.

Hey, this is good news from Mozilla. How come it deserves to be under an ominous sounding title "Dog days for Firefox"?

Personally, I would prefer that these guys
take their time to work on the code to iron out
bugs and inconsistencies, so that we won't have a replay of the scenario that happened with Firefox 1.0.5 .

[Below Meigh]

Dog days of August...

It is possible that it was meant the release would be August...and not the expected July date. Hence 'Dog Days of August'.

[pythonhacker]

That is good news

This sounds likes the Firefox team is going to
deliver some really cool features in 1.5.

Hey, this is good news from Mozilla. How come it deserves to be under an ominous sounding title "Dog days for Firefox"?

Personally, I would prefer that these guys
take their time to work on the code to iron out
bugs and inconsistencies, so that we won't have a replay of the scenario that happened with Firefox 1.0.5 .

[Below Meigh]

Dog days of August...

It is possible that it was meant the release would be August...and not the expected July date. Hence 'Dog Days of August'.

[PCCRomeo]

I'm glad they're taking their time...

Like they said, it'll allow them to better iron out the kinks and add more features. We (the Firefox users) can wait because unlike Microsoft, they have been updating their browser each time a flaw surfaces.

[PCCRomeo]

I'm glad they're taking their time...

Like they said, it'll allow them to better iron out the kinks and add more features. We (the Firefox users) can wait because unlike Microsoft, they have been updating their browser each time a flaw surfaces.

[M C]

Tell me what major software product HASN'T slipped?

Again, CNet are masters of taking the mundane and presenting it as something we're supposed to be interested in.

Slow news days are hell, I guess.

[M C]

Tell me what major software product HASN'T slipped?

Again, CNet are masters of taking the mundane and presenting it as something we're supposed to be interested in.

Slow news days are hell, I guess.

Flip Floppers!

The Mozzila Devs are worse then John Kerry! And it's very funny how you guys support them and say oh good job guys take your time! While when Microsoft stumbles you're quick to cry foul and say that open source is the only way to develop software because it's "faster".

Stop Flip Flopping, FireFox should have keep it simple and just worked tighting code for future security issues. I mean the only reason any of us use it is so we don?t get viruses. Now they?re adding a full month more of development? Now they?re saying it won't be done till September but don't count on our scheduled ship dates because we don't commit to those?

Hmm I think all the folks who donated to these guys are starting to see way to many cracks in the FF armor. I know they better be putting an auto update feature in FF because only Techies even know when a new build is released. All the bandwagon folks aren't going to update until it's too late.

I just don't get it, all they needed to do to beat Microsoft was to make a secure browser from the get go and not add new features until it was rock solid. New features equal bugs, and now that the extensions giving third parties more access to the browser more and more bugs will appear.

Bad move, stop helping Microsoft!

[System Tyrant]

Well, I am sure

this is going to come up sooner or later. Mozilla is pulling a Microsoft. They can't deliver the goods when they say they can.

Of course, hopefully, unlike Microsoft the delay is actually caused by new features and security fixes and not because they really are overshooting what they can do. I also hope we don't hear about this new feature and that new feature that is being cut to get the new program out the door by 2010.

Ok. Now that's out of the way.

Although I agree that they should limit the bells and whistles until the browser code is like granite I do think they are trying to meet market demand. I feel that if Mozilla rest on security alone they will fail. Nobody likes stagnant water.

They have to offer new features while balancing security. If they only focus on security they will never add new features because they will always be adapting old technology to new technology and there for always focusing on security with no new features.

Flip Floppers!

The Mozzila Devs are worse then John Kerry! And it's very funny how you guys support them and say oh good job guys take your time! While when Microsoft stumbles you're quick to cry foul and say that open source is the only way to develop software because it's "faster".

Stop Flip Flopping, FireFox should have keep it simple and just worked tighting code for future security issues. I mean the only reason any of us use it is so we don?t get viruses. Now they?re adding a full month more of development? Now they?re saying it won't be done till September but don't count on our scheduled ship dates because we don't commit to those?

Hmm I think all the folks who donated to these guys are starting to see way to many cracks in the FF armor. I know they better be putting an auto update feature in FF because only Techies even know when a new build is released. All the bandwagon folks aren't going to update until it's too late.

I just don't get it, all they needed to do to beat Microsoft was to make a secure browser from the get go and not add new features until it was rock solid. New features equal bugs, and now that the extensions giving third parties more access to the browser more and more bugs will appear.

Bad move, stop helping Microsoft!

[System Tyrant]

Well, I am sure

this is going to come up sooner or later. Mozilla is pulling a Microsoft. They can't deliver the goods when they say they can.

Of course, hopefully, unlike Microsoft the delay is actually caused by new features and security fixes and not because they really are overshooting what they can do. I also hope we don't hear about this new feature and that new feature that is being cut to get the new program out the door by 2010.

Ok. Now that's out of the way.

Although I agree that they should limit the bells and whistles until the browser code is like granite I do think they are trying to meet market demand. I feel that if Mozilla rest on security alone they will fail. Nobody likes stagnant water.

They have to offer new features while balancing security. If they only focus on security they will never add new features because they will always be adapting old technology to new technology and there for always focusing on security with no new features.

[rmccabe916]

New features for Firefox?

I saw the new features that Mozilla has planned to put on Firefox and can say that the biggest one is the Auto-update and security features, which can both be good and bad. However, the other "new" features are ripped off from Opera. Fastback and the ability to re-arrange tabs are a few examples. I just wanted to make sure that people know where the idea for these features really came from.

[Rounin]

What?

Does that mean Chevy ripped off Ford when they built a car with doors?

[rmccabe916]

New features for Firefox?

I saw the new features that Mozilla has planned to put on Firefox and can say that the biggest one is the Auto-update and security features, which can both be good and bad. However, the other "new" features are ripped off from Opera. Fastback and the ability to re-arrange tabs are a few examples. I just wanted to make sure that people know where the idea for these features really came from.

[Rounin]

What?

Does that mean Chevy ripped off Ford when they built a car with doors?

[rmbrain]

Potential crappiness in the Firefox web browser

I'm not so sure this will be pulled off as easily or as smoothly as I originally expected, due to the recent Greasemonkey exploit. This will open the door for more hackers to flood the Firefox market. Hopefully the developers are smarter to take their time and watch Firefox grow. If Firefox was to have no changes for the next 5 years, it would still cut into IE's market share because Firefox rules. I also agree that IE7 will increase Firefox's exposure, because Microsoft will not be able to pull off any project so good unless it was open source. But an open source Windows would be pretty cool.

--Dylan Knight Rogers
www.binaryopinion.com

[rmbrain]

Potential crappiness in the Firefox web browser

I'm not so sure this will be pulled off as easily or as smoothly as I originally expected, due to the recent Greasemonkey exploit. This will open the door for more hackers to flood the Firefox market. Hopefully the developers are smarter to take their time and watch Firefox grow. If Firefox was to have no changes for the next 5 years, it would still cut into IE's market share because Firefox rules. I also agree that IE7 will increase Firefox's exposure, because Microsoft will not be able to pull off any project so good unless it was open source. But an open source Windows would be pretty cool.

--Dylan Knight Rogers
www.binaryopinion.com

[Andrew J Glina]

Numbering

It is sad to see Mozilla going down the dark path of Netscape ("This version is so good that we are going from version 4 to 6") and WinAMP ("This version is like v2 and v3 combined, thus it is v5"). Adding more features is not a reason to skip numbers. Perhaps it is the infulence of AOL? Perhaps Microsoft should try this stupid angle and call Longhorn "SP1".

[Scott W]

they aren't skipping whole numbers...

they are skipping decimal places. they feel that 1.5 is HALFWAY between 1.0 and 2.0 thus the name 1.5. i say, take a little time rather than cutting out things like MS are doing. MS just half-arse their way through stuff and don't even release a finished product never mind all the extra features. mozilla think that they need to take a step back and re-evaluate everything and make the browser as good as possible, (even though they don't need to if they are competing with IE7).

[Andrew J Glina]

Numbering

It is sad to see Mozilla going down the dark path of Netscape ("This version is so good that we are going from version 4 to 6") and WinAMP ("This version is like v2 and v3 combined, thus it is v5"). Adding more features is not a reason to skip numbers. Perhaps it is the infulence of AOL? Perhaps Microsoft should try this stupid angle and call Longhorn "SP1".

[Scott W]

they aren't skipping whole numbers...

they are skipping decimal places. they feel that 1.5 is HALFWAY between 1.0 and 2.0 thus the name 1.5. i say, take a little time rather than cutting out things like MS are doing. MS just half-arse their way through stuff and don't even release a finished product never mind all the extra features. mozilla think that they need to take a step back and re-evaluate everything and make the browser as good as possible, (even though they don't need to if they are competing with IE7).

[rdean]

This is why they don't announce dates...

Open Source's release date is "when it's ready." SOmeone slipped up and gave a target, and now News.Com has an article about how they missed their release date.

[rdean]

This is why they don't announce dates...

Open Source's release date is "when it's ready." SOmeone slipped up and gave a target, and now News.Com has an article about how they missed their release date.

Petition to Back out patch for Firefox Bug# 303806

If you don't agree with the changes to the Winstripe theme please comment in http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=315361&postdays=0&postorder=asc&postsperpage=15&start=0 and sign the petition to back out the bug that brought us the excessive padding and the hideous flat look on classic systems http://www.petitiononline.com/fx303806/petition.html

Petition to Back out patch for Firefox Bug# 303806

If you don't agree with the changes to the Winstripe theme please comment in http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=315361&postdays=0&postorder=asc&postsperpage=15&start=0 and sign the petition to back out the bug that brought us the excessive padding and the hideous flat look on classic systems http://www.petitiononline.com/fx303806/petition.html