What’s New in Firefox 2
Improvements to the user interface, security tools and options for customization, combine to deliver a rich, engaging, safer and more productive Web browsing experience for all.
Tabbed browsing. Firefox popularized tabbed browsing, enabling multiple Web sites to be viewed as separate tabs contained within a single browser window, and improving people’s efficiency by helping them better organize their desktops. In Firefox 2, tabbed browsing has been further improved with the addition of individual close buttons on each tab, enhanced tab navigation features, and a session restore system that automatically restores previously-open windows and tabs when a new browsing session is started.
Spell checking. Modern Web sites are increasingly complex with the rollout of new, rich Internet applications, such as word processors, spreadsheets and blogging tools. Inline spell checking in Firefox 2 automatically checks for spelling errors and suggests corrections as users interact with Web sites, bringing a common desktop feature to the Web.
Search. Search is one of the most frequently used features of the Web. With Firefox 2, Mozilla improves the browser’s integrated search capabilities, making it even easier for users to find the information they are looking for. The new Search Suggestions feature dynamically updates a drop-down list of suggested search terms as users enter text into the search bar for Google, Yahoo! or Answers.com search engines.
Web feeds. Firefox users can now take better advantage of the frequently updated content offered by Web sites, with increased options for handling Web feeds. Users now see a preview of the content being offered and are given the option to subscribe to a feed as a Live Bookmark, using a Web service such as Bloglines, My Yahoo!, or Google Reader, or with a desktop application.
Identity theft protection. In addition to its award-winning safeguards for blocking drive-by installation of spyware and unwanted pop-up windows, Firefox 2 helps protect users from identity theft by quickly informing them when they surf to a questionable Web site. To protect users’ privacy, Phishing Protection is active by default with a local blacklist that updates hourly, rather than sending information to an external online service. An enhanced mode is available where users may optionally elect to have Firefox check the validity of Web sites with a third-party Web service, such as Google, prior to loading the site. Phishing Protection provides warnings, advice and guidance when Firefox encounters a Web site that appears to be fraudulent or malicious.
Proven security model. Mozilla’s open and transparent community-driven security model helps ensure Firefox provides the safest possible online experience. Thousands of security experts and technical contributors from around the world examine and analyze the Firefox source code, uncover potential threats and vulnerabilities, and work together to quickly identify and address emerging threats. This open, distributed, innovative approach to security puts people’s interests first and delivers the safest Web experience possible.
Customization. No other browser can be customized like Firefox 2. With thousands of add-ons that enhance the browser’s functionality and features, Firefox lets users personalize their Web browsers to fit their interests and style.
For more information on Mozilla Firefox 2 and how it delivers an easier, faster and safer online experience, visit www.mozilla.com/firefox/features.html.
Mozilla Firefox 2 is available now as a free download from www.getfirefox.com.
What's New
* Visual Refresh: Firefox 2's theme and user interface have been
updated to improve usability without altering the familiarity of the
browsing experience.
* Built-in phishing protection: Phishing
Protection warns users when they encounter suspected Web forgeries, and
offers to return the user to their home page. Phishing Protection is
turned on by default, and works by checking sites against either a local
or online list of known phishing sites. This list is automatically
downloaded and regularly updated when the Phishing Protection feature is
enabled.
* Enhanced search capabilities: Search term suggestions
will now appear as users type in the integrated search box when using
the Google, Yahoo! or Answers.com search engines. A new search engine
manager makes it easier to add, remove and re-order search engines, and
users will be alerted when Firefox encounters a website that offers new
search engines that the user may wish to install.
* Improved
tabbed browsing: By default, Firefox will open links in new tabs instead
of new windows, and each tab will now have a close tab button. Power
users who open more tabs than can fit in a single window will see arrows
on the left and right side of the tab strip that let them scroll back
and forth between their tabs. The History menu will keep a list of
recently closed tabs, and a shortcut lets users quickly re-open an
accidentally closed tab.
* Resuming your browsing session: The
Session Restore feature restores windows, tabs, text typed in forms, and
in-progress downloads from the last user session. It will be activated
automatically when installing an application update or extension, and
users will be asked if they want to resume their previous session after a
system crash.
* Previewing and subscribing to Web feeds: Users
can decide how to handle Web feeds (like this one), either subscribing
to them via a Web service or in a standalone RSS reader, or adding them
as Live Bookmarks. My Yahoo!, Bloglines and Google Reader come
pre-loaded as Web service options, but users can add any Web service
that handles RSS feeds.
* Inline spell checking: A new built-in
spell checker enables users to quickly check the spelling of text
entered into Web forms (like this one) without having to use a separate
application.
* Live Titles: When a website offers a microsummary
(a regularly updated summary of the most important information on a Web
page), users can create a bookmark with a "Live Title". Compact enough
to fit in the space available to a bookmark label, they provide more
useful information about pages than static page titles, and are
regularly updated with the latest information. There are several
websites that can be bookmarked with Live Titles, and even more add-ons
to generate Live Titles for other popular websites.
* Improved
Add-ons manager: The new Add-ons manager improves the user interface for
managing extensions and themes, combining them both in a single tool.
* JavaScript 1.7: JavaScript 1.7 is a language update introducing
several new features such as generators, iterators, array
comprehensions, let expressions, and destructuring assignments. It also
includes all the features of JavaScript 1.6.
* Extended search
plugin format: The Firefox search engine format now supports search
engine plugins written in Sherlock and OpenSearch formats and allows
search engines to provide search term suggestions.
* Updates to
the extension system: The extension system has been updated to provide
enhanced security and to allow for easier localization of extensions.
* Client-side session and persistent storage: New support for storing
structured data on the client side, to enable better handling of online
transactions and improved performance when dealing with large amounts of
data, such as documents and mailboxes. This is based on the WHATWG
specification for client-side session and persistent storage.
* SVG text: Support for the svg:textpath specification enables SVG text to follow a curve or shape.
* New Windows installer: Based on Nullsoft Scriptable Install System,
the new Windows installer resolves many long-standing issues.
Downloading and Installing
Profile Folder - Firefox stores your user data in one of the following locations:
Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003 Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox
Windows NT WINNT\Profiles\<UserName>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox
Windows 98, ME Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox
Mac OS X ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox
Linux and Unix systems ~/.mozilla/firefox
Any version of Firefox that you install after removing Firefox 2 will continue to use the data from this profile folder.
Extensions and Themes
Extensions installed under Firefox 1.5 may be incompatible and/or require updates to work with Firefox 2. Please report any issues to the maintainer of the extension. When you install Firefox 2 all of your Extensions and Themes will be disabled until Firefox 2 determines that either a) they are compatible with the Firefox 2 release or b) there are newer versions available that are compatible.
Known Issues
All Systems
* Some firewall software may silently block Firefox from running. This often happens immediately after Firefox has been installed or updated from a previous version. There are configuration instructions available for most popular firewall programs to help you ensure that Firefox is allowed to connect to the Internet.
* Dictionaries for several locales can't be packaged with the builds, and must be manually downloaded by right-clicking in a text area and selecting "Add Dictionaries..." from the shortcut menu. New dictionaries are regularly being added to Mozilla Add-ons, so if you don't see the particular dictionary you need, check back later.
* When trying to print web pages with text areas, if the text area contains a misspelled word and spell checking is enabled, all the following content of the text area will not be printed. You can right-click in the text area and uncheck "Spell check this field" to turn off spell checking temporarily while you print.
* Access key definitions provided by web pages can now be triggered using Alt+Shift+key on Windows, Ctrl+key on Mac OS X, and Ctrl+Shift+key on Unix.
* The Session Restore functionality provided in Firefox 2 will restore connections to services which use session cookies to maintain login state such as GMail. It is recommended that users with concerns about the privacy implications of this behavior change the value of browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash to false.
* The option for "Shrink to fit" has been removed in Firefox 2. If you wish to change this from the value you had set in your previous version of Firefox, change the value of browser.enable_automatic_image_resizing.
* To install Firefox on a multi-user system in a location in which users do not have write privileges, Firefox must be run at least once by a privileged user. Alternatively, an empty file must be created in the following directory: <install-directory>/extensions/talkback@mozilla.org/chrome.manifest
* Software Update will not work if Firefox is installed to a location on your disk to which you do not have write access, since Software Update needs to replace or create files in this location.
* Some financial institutions use port 563 for secure logins, which results in an error message. If you encounter this error, make sure that network.security.ports.banned.override includes 563 in the comma-separated list of banned network ports to override.
Windows
* When installing as a restricted access user on a shared machine into a location that you can write to, there may still be negative side effects (default browser/other keys not being set correctly). The browser should still function however. When installing as a restricted access user do not attempt to install over an installation in a restricted-access/shared location as this may destroy that installation.
* Firefox may hang when closing after viewing a PDF file in some older versions of the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug in. If you experience this make sure you are using the newest version of the plug in.
Mac OS X
* The "Close Other Tabs" action on the shortcut menu of a tab can fail with an error when more than 20 tabs are open.
* Some users have reported problems viewing Macromedia Flash content on Intel Mac computers. To work around this problem, users can remove or move the PowerPC version of "Flash Player Enabler.plugin from /Library/Internet Plug-Ins.
* After installing a new plug-in, Firefox may continue to display information for the older version of the plug-in in about:plugins. If this happens, quit Firefox, delete the "pluginreg.dat" file from your profile folder, and relaunch Firefox.
* Java does not run on Intel Core processors under Rosetta.
* There is no Talkback on Intel-based Macs when running natively or under Rosetta. The Apple Crash report program should launch in the event of application crashes.
Linux and Unix systems
* If Firefox is installed to a location with spaces in the path, Firefox may not be able to set itself as Default browser and may keep prompting at startup. The work around is to install into a path without spaces.
* GNOME integration does not work properly with Fedora Core 3. Users of Fedora Core 3 will need to download and install linc-1.0.3-3.1.i386.rpm. After installing the RPM, perform the following command in the directory you installed Firefox into (you will need write permission):
touch .autoreg
The next time you start Firefox, GNOME integration should be functional.
* firefox -remote (mozilla-xremote-client) no longer works on urls containing commas, and is deprecated. firefox -new-window /url/ will open the url in a new window; firefox -new-tab /url/ will open the url in a new tab.
Troubleshooting
* Poorly designed or incompatible Extensions can cause problems with your browser, including make it crash, slow down page display, etc. If you encounter strange problems relating to parts of the browser no longer working, the browser not starting, windows with strange or distorted appearance, degraded performance, etc, you may be suffering from Extension or Theme trouble. Restart the browser in Safe Mode. On Windows, start using the "Safe Mode" shortcut created in your Start menu or by running firefox.exe -safe-mode. On Linux, start with ./firefox -safe-mode and on Mac OS X, run:
cd /Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/
./firefox-bin -safe-mode
When started in Safe Mode all extensions are disabled and the Default theme is used. Disable the Extension/Theme that is causing trouble and then start normally.
If you uninstall an extension that is installed with your user profile (i.e. you installed it from a Web page) and then wish to install it for all user profiles using the -install-global-extension command line flag, you must restart the browser once to cleanse the profile extensions datasource of traces of that extension before installing with the switch. If you do not do this you may end up with a jammed entry in the Extensions list and will be unable to install the extension globally.
If you encounter strange problems relating to bookmarks, downloads, window placement, toolbars, history, or other settings, it is recommended that you try creating a new profile and attempting to reproduce the problem before filing bugs. Create a new profile by running Firefox with the -P command line argument, choose the "Manage Profiles" button and then choose "Create Profile...". Migrate your settings files (Bookmarks, Saved Passwords, etc) over one by one, checking each time to see if the problems resurface. If you do find a particular profile data file is causing a problem, file a bug and attach the file.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What can I do to help?
We need help from developers and the testing community to provide as much feedback as possible to make Firefox even better. Please read these notes and the bug filing instructions before reporting any bugs to Bugzilla. You can also give us your feedback through this feedback form.
2. Why haven't you responded to the mail I sent you?
Use the forums. The Firefox team reads them regularly. We all get a lot of email and your email may get lost.
3. Where can I get extensions and themes (add-ons)?
Extensions and Themes can be downloaded from Firefox Add-ons.
4. Who makes Firefox 2?
Lots of people. See Help->About Mozilla Firefox, Credits for a list of some of the people who have contributed to Firefox 2.
5. Where's the Firefox 2 source code?
A tarball of the Firefox 2 source code is available for download. The latest development code can be obtained by cvs. Firefox-specific source is in "mozilla/browser", "mozilla/toolkit", and "mozilla/chrome". Please follow the build instructions.
6. Where is the mail client?
Firefox 2 works with whatever mail client is the default on your system. However, we recommend Mozilla Thunderbird, our next-generation email client and the perfect complement to Firefox.