A First Look at Mozilla Firefox 3.0

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ArsTechnica have posted an in-depth look at Mozilla's new project, Firefox 3.0. The significant jump from 2.0, released a mere 2 months ago is mainly due to Mozilla's use of the new Gecko rendering engine.

Mozilla has officially released the first public alpha build of Firefox 3.0. Codenamed Gran Paradiso, Firefox 3 includes the new Gecko 1.9 rendering engine which leverages the open-source Cairo rendering framework and features heavily re factored re flow algorithms that improve Firefox layout functionality and resolve some long-standing CSS bugs.

The re flow improvements in Gecko 1.9 (included in the latest Gran Paradiso nightly build, but not the alpha release) finally enable Firefox to pass the Acid 2 test, a CSS test case developed by the Web Standards Project to illuminate flaws in HTML/CSS rendering engines. To pass the Acid 2 test, browsers must comply with W3C standards and provide support for a wide variety of features that are considered relevant by Web designers. The Acid 2 test has been passed by several other browsers, including Safari, Konqueror, and Opera, but not Internet Explorer. Passing Acid 2 is considered to be a significant milestone in Firefox development.

Download: Mozilla 3.0 Nightly Alpha builds! Mozilla recommends staying with FF2

View: Full Article @ Ars.

Link to: Neowin Discussion

(3 replies) #1 supernova_00 on 13 Dec 2006 - 13:54

This is not a 3.0 alpha!!! This is a developer preview for the underlying architecture of gecko 1.9. That is why the version is Gecko 1.9 and why it was release that way to stress that this wasn't a 3.0 alpha. that will be in a few months

#1.1 Neobond on 13 Dec 2006 - 14:04

Typically new projects start with Alpha, then Beta and finally Release Candidate.

A Developer Preview is also an alpha version of a new project, it's also mentioned on the Mozilla Website.
The filename also suggests alpha firefox-3.0a1.en-US.win32.installer.exe (Alpha 1)

#1.2 xxdesmus on 13 Dec 2006 - 14:18

Quoting Mozilla.org:

Quote -

Gran Paradiso Alpha 1 is an early developer milestone for the next major version of Firefox that is being built on top of the next generation of Mozilla's layout engine, Gecko 1.9. Gran Paradiso Alpha 1 is being made available for testing purposes only, and is intended for web application developers and our testing community. Current users of Mozilla Firefox should not use Gran Paradiso Alpha 1.

Sure sounds like Alpha 1 to me

#1.3 Cryton on 13 Dec 2006 - 15:21

Yup. It's not a Firefox 3 alpha, it's a gecko 1.9 alpha (gecko being the rendering engine of firefo

. There won't be any Firefox 3 alpha/betas until a branch is cut for it.

(2 replies) #2 Skyfrog on 13 Dec 2006 - 14:36

disregard

Last edited by Skyfrog on 13 Dec 2006 - 15:07

#2.1 em_te on 14 Dec 2006 - 12:17

Such profanity and racist remarks have no place here at Neowin. I suggest you edit your post.

#2.2 xploit1030 on 14 Dec 2006 - 15:27

Your not very funny, Skyfrog edited that post almost a full day before you made your comment.

(2 replies) #3 cork1958 on 13 Dec 2006 - 14:41

Don't care for Firefox at all on Windows, but in Linux, it's pretty good. This is quite a jump considering 2.0 isn't that old.

#3.1 angrykeyboarder on 13 Dec 2006 - 22:11

Quote - cork1958 said @ #3

I use it in both Windows and Linux. It seems pretty much the same to me in either.

#3.2 EduardValencia on 14 Dec 2006 - 18:46

Firefox and linux,who cares about using this on linux,anyway,the great mayority of users DO care about using it in windows.

How about that linux troll?

#4 QwertyManiac on 13 Dec 2006 - 14:50

Whee, am gonna wait for this acid passer more intently

(1 reply) #5 mircleman on 13 Dec 2006 - 14:55

I dont get this this i have been using minefield alpha 1 for 2 months so what they do change the name now.

#5.1 Skyfrog on 13 Dec 2006 - 14:59

I believe Minefield is the codename for the trunk builds.

Last edited by Skyfrog on 13 Dec 2006 - 15:06

(5 replies) #6 Lt-DavidW on 13 Dec 2006 - 15:03

If Firefox 3.0 passes the Acid 2 test, it would be a great push towards getting IE and coders more strictly adhering to web standards.

#6.1 xxdesmus on 13 Dec 2006 - 15:48

To be completely honest, IE will very likely never pass Acid 2.

Why? If IE was to strictly conform to the web standards needed to pass Acid 2, millions (and perhaps billions) of websites across the web would break over night.

The pathetically small changes they made in IE7 already broke a few million web pages, and that was only inching towards conforming to web standards in any vague sense.

It's the curse of being that big and that popular (still roughly 90% of the market)...you can't possibly make any drastic changes without the s**t hitting the fan.

#6.2 Skyfrog on 13 Dec 2006 - 16:13

It doesn't matter, Acid2 is not a standards compliance test and for end users it's completely meaningless.

#6.3 Yochanan on 13 Dec 2006 - 23:33

Quote - Lt-DavidW said @ #6

I forgot where I read it, but the article said the Firefox 3.0 a1 nightlies did past Acid Test 2.

#6.4 AfroTrance on 14 Dec 2006 - 07:45

Quote - xxdesmus said @ #6.1

Why? If IE was to strictly conform to the web standards needed to pass Acid 2, millions (and perhaps billions) of websites across the web would break over night.

I'm sure if they made IE only be strict with XHTML doctypes, all would be fine. AFAIK, IE6 doesn't even recognise XHTML doctypes. I don't know what IE7 does.

In fact, this would be the best thing they could do. All the newbie pages can be in HTML 4 and rendered with IE's convoluted rendering engine, while anyone who knows what they are doing and want their page to look the same across every browser can use the stricter XHTML.

Last edited by AfroTrance on 14 Dec 2006 - 07:55

#6.5 Fanon on 14 Dec 2006 - 15:02

Quote - AfroTrance said @ #6.4

They've been doing that since IE6.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....nhancements.asp

Is it perfect? No, but the ground work is there.

#7 mircleman on 13 Dec 2006 - 15:20

mine says minefield 3.0 alpha 1

#8 Smeltn on 13 Dec 2006 - 16:35

Mine says version 3.0a1

Is it just me or do the fonts on webpages look cleaner? And neowin looks really clean with it?

#9 mormat on 13 Dec 2006 - 18:45

Interesting, is there any other feature except new rendering engine? (hope, new FF will start/work faster)

#10 xxdesmus on 13 Dec 2006 - 19:26

Some say it's quicker, but at this early state I haven't seen any difference really.

Most of the features that will end up in v3 aren't in there yet. Places for example hasn't been added in yet. Basically at this point the rendering engine is the only obvious difference.

[Update] *snip* ignore this. I figured out it has nothing to do with Firefox 3

Last edited by xxdesmus on 13 Dec 2006 - 22:32

#11 chris4 on 13 Dec 2006 - 23:18

GO FIREFOX!

Can't wait for final release.

(1 reply) #12 Angel Blue01 on 14 Dec 2006 - 00:06

I thought 3.0 was supposed to get rid of Gecko (finally)?

#12.1 Cryton on 14 Dec 2006 - 01:18

Quote - Angel Blue01 said @ #12

huh?

(1 reply) #13 krupini on 14 Dec 2006 - 03:05

Here is what's i don't understand. I got my first taste of html and web programming back in ie5 and netscape days. Then, I could create the simplest of pages and it would look different in ie and netscape. And I thought hmm, the #1 priority for browser developers should be standard compliance. Forward to year 2006 and I could open dreamweaver, once again create the simplest of pages like a blank page with one textbox in it and once again ie7 and firefox 2 would display it differently. I see all kinds of features get implemented in browsers like tabs, rss, and blah blah blah . But shouldn't you get the basics right first, and them move on to getting new features. Its like me laying a pile of sh**t and then decorating it with sparklers and strawberries over time thinking it will make it smell better. So its good it passes Acid 2 test, but it should have done it years ago.

#13.1 +Ned on 14 Dec 2006 - 21:53

"If you create the simplest of pages, like a blank page with one textbox," it will look the same in Firefox and Opera but not IE. It will never look the same in IE. Microsoft will make or follow their own rules. Actually, the complex pages should render the same as well.

#14 Webgraph on 14 Dec 2006 - 03:15

Well finally, Firefox passes Acid 2! Now if only people would stop using Internet Explorer and switch to something else (Firefox, Opera, Safari, or whatever), then Microsoft would be forced to improve IE even further.

But then again, I probably won't try Firefox 3 until Beta 1 comes out as with any other Firefox release.

(2 replies) #15 guruparan on 14 Dec 2006 - 09:49

I WONT migrate to firefox for the reason SIMPLY passing the ACID 2 TEST...there are a LOT of factor in consideration...Still our company (a BIG MNC in IT)...doesnt want to move to IE7, since they are strong enough to stick with IE6 until our corporate website are tested ONLY for ie7...

Our firefall actually doesnt allow Firefox!!...simply because, it FAILED in lot of security related functinalities...

(And our senior IT consultants says MS will provide a patch if anything is site on...but we cannot urge similar things (providing a patch) from any opensource partner...

#15.1 lbmouse on 14 Dec 2006 - 14:59

Sounds like you seriously need a new senior IT consultant. My company is one of the world's largest Microsoft Certified Partner companies and I don't know of any of my programmers that doesn't at least have FF installed let alone use it exclusively. A decent IT policy will have security the highest on the priority list but will also let you pick the right tool for the right job for you.

#15.2 Cryton on 14 Dec 2006 - 19:11

I would very much like to hear about these security related functionality tests that firefox has failed. I would be happy to find if bugs have been filed against the issues you have seen, and if not, file a bug on your behalf. The devs can't fix what they don't know about, and if you know of areas where firefox is somehow insecure, then getting such information into bugzilla will certainly contribute to making firefox a better product.

(2 replies) #16 Fanon on 14 Dec 2006 - 15:12

I want a Firefox alpha with Tamarin =(

#16.1 Cryton on 14 Dec 2006 - 19:12

That'll be for Firefox 4 / Mozilla 2, but in the meantime if you're able to roll your own builds of firefox, check out http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Tamarin which apparently explains how to build with Tamarin enabled.

#16.2 +Ned on 14 Dec 2006 - 21:58

Fanon: I take it you're a developer?

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