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We're still waiting for word on the next version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer, but Mozilla today released the first beta test of Firefox 3.0, previewing the features to be included in the next version of the open-source browser. The preliminary version is available to anyone, but for now, Mozilla recommends that only developers and testers use it.
Still, I'm giving it a try -- and writing this blog post in it, in fact. The first thing I noticed was the new information bar, asking if I wanted to save my user name and password upon logging into our Web-based blogging software. As explained in this Mozilla Links post, one major difference is that it appeared after I logged in, not before, so I wouldn't have been saving mistaken log-in information if I had gotten it wrong.
But at this point in the evolution of Web browsers, is there really room for dramatic improvement? Something that would do for Firefox 3 what tabbed browsing and security did for the original Firefox? See this page for details on the changes and additions being made in the new Firefox version, in areas including security, personalization and user interface.
Because it's an open-source project, the features haven't been secret. But now that it has reached the stage of a public beta, it's interesting to ask what, if anything, Firefox 3 will mean for the browser competition, particularly given the relative silence out of the IE team.
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I think taking a larger share of Facebook would be a good move. Facebook is preparing itself to be the platform of the web and this is exactly what MS needs. Also incorporating facebook services with outlook and hotmail could be extremely useful. Unfortunately, a complete buyout would put MS's name behind the service which could turn users away (as fickle as young people are) so, like the previous 250 million investment, it would need to be quiet."
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Posted by unregistered user at 11/20/07 1:00 p.m.
But at this point in the evolution of Web browsers, is there really room for dramatic improvement? Something that would do for Firefox 3 what tabbed browsing and security did for the original Firefox?
Opera is secure, and had tabbed browsing before Firefox or IE. FireFox just had a food fanbase.