Mozilla tested Firefox 3.0

On December 8, Mozilla launched the first version of Firefox 3.0 browser. It is expected that the official version of this open source browser will be released later this year.

The developer said the purpose of launching the first beta version of Firefox 3.0 is to give users and programmers a first look at the next version of Firefox.

Mozilla recommends that users should not test this version of Firefox 3.0 Alpha 1.

Thus, it took just six weeks after the official version of Firefox 2.0 released Mozilla users to release the first beta version of Firefox 3.0.

However, Mike Schroepfer, Mozilla's vice president of engineering, said the development of Firefox 3.0 probably took a year. This means that the official version of Firefox 3.0 will be available by the end of next year.

Developers hope Firefox 3.0 will make a leap in the direction of programming standalone web applications with features that are completely different from desktop applications.

Firefox 3.0 browser - codenamed Gran Paradiso - will better support standard graphics formats such as Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) or Canvas. Schroepfer said Firefox 3.0 has changed some architecture-related factors to increase performance.

Firefox 3.0 will also provide better support for the Cairo graphics library. This is a graphic standard that allows web pages to be printed in the same paper as the web page displayed on a PC, Mac or mobile device screen.

Mozilla also plans to upgrade its ability to browse the web, save addresses and protect user privacy.

Hoang Dung