Firefox 2.0 Already!!

[sarcle]

Microsoft can suck my ass. Firefox is walking all over them, eating their lunch and diddling their wives.


An alpha version of Firefox 2.0 should be released as a public beta next month. Although part of the long standing roadmap for the open source browser, the timetable was confirmed by the publication of the minutes of the Mozilla.org staff meeting held earlier this month.



Version 2.0 is expected to create a simple, flexible system that unifies all search back ends, make adding keywords easy and more obvious, allow for engines to be added and removed easily when upgrading and allow for simple configuration for business needs.
There also plans for enhanced security, blacklisting and anti-phishing measures to be fitted to the new version. However, no details of what they might be have been released yet.



Little is known about IE 7.0. It is known, however, to feature tabbed browsing and enhanced security, which have been the two biggest selling points for Firefox.


If this information doesn't piss you off I don't know what will. Their browser is obsolete come February. Microsoft has still nothing to say for themselves.

[sarcle]

Link to the news story.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/82216/firefox-20-alpha-due-next-month.html

[gammascalper]

Firefox extends its technological edge over Microsoft again (yawn). Imagine that, a free browser created probono competes with and beats the behemoth.

Mozilla Foundation's advertising is another story... I think the Firefox buttons are pathetic. In order to promote uptake of the browser, you've got to understand the IE userbase. "Got Firefox?" and slogans like that are meaningless and don't spur action.

How about:

"Hate updating Internet Explorer?"

"Worried about viruses when Browsing?"

"The results are in: Firefox 1, Internet Explorer 0"

[sarcle]

Boy, they were quick to try an attempt at damage control on this one.

Here is the IE7 team leaders response. Exactly what I knew it would be.


Watch the IE Team blog for updated information http://blogs.msdn.com/ie (http://blogs.msdn.com/ie)

We know everyone wants to see the latest work and I can assure you that the team is working hard on that and not just sitting back twiddling our thumbs to tease you allhttp://channel9.msdn.com/emoticons/emotion-1.gif. As announced on the blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/12/06/500599.aspx (http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/12/06/500599.aspx) we expect to release a preview this quarter and we are well on track for that.

Sorry I can't say exactly when it will be available but this is not something we just rush out. We'll come over here and announce when it is if one of you don't beat us to it http://channel9.msdn.com/emoticons/emotion-5.gif

Thanks
-Dave


This says nothing and explains nothing.
Link to thread.
http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=156577

[sarcle]

Firefox extends its technological edge over Microsoft again (yawn). Imagine that, a free browser created probono competes with and beats the behemoth.

Mozilla Foundation's advertising is another story... I think the Firefox buttons are pathetic. In order to promote uptake of the browser, you've got to understand the IE userbase. "Got Firefox?" and slogans like that are meaningless and don't spur action.


I don't think it's really anything that simple. Microsoft does have the best minds in the world at their company, only because they can afford to pay them.

I think, and it's just a theory. That these moves are all political. With the recent European Anti-tust suit, along with the Korean one. I personally believe that IE7 is well and ready, but they are purposely delaying to avoid similar suits. Let's face it, how well does this put Europe's and the Korean claims to a monopoly when Firefox is kicking the crap out of them on this issue, when Microsoft does have more resources and money to have IE20 out by now. Plus they don't have much to lose, IE doesn't make them revenue anyways so they can afford this delay.

I personally hate conspiracy theories but this seems to be the most logial take on this.

[bwhhisc]

I go with Sarcles theory, and add the "X-Box factor". In getting that product to market in time for Christmas, Microsoft got massive bad press from the online gaming community etc. with the problems of games freezing up, error codes, and problems in online game play.

Microsoft is perhaps putting some extra distance between product launches to avoid the possibility of a similar PR backlash for IE7.

[sarcle]

Maybe I am just not well spoken enough. I can accept that. But would someone try and tell this joker that he isn't answering anything.

There are nothing but "maybes" "shoulds" and "ifs" coming out of his mouth.

Here is the link to another new blog today.
"As we have already said we expect to release an updated preview for IE7 this quarter"

Notice how he uses "expect" not "will" He does this in all of his posts. I would just like to step through the screen and choke this idiots tech-nerd ass. :)

http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/01/19/514980.aspx#comments


I know I am skating on thin ice there as I have posted to many critical comments already. Thanks for the help.

[Edwin]

Another theory: IE7 will make or break Vista.

There will be HUGE publicity surrounding the official launch of IE7 (and the beta runup as it gets closer to being the final version) - if Microsoft don't get it right, then their already delayed Vista is likely to suffer enormously from the knock-on effect.

[Rubber Duck]

So have I got this right? IE 7.0 is Microsofts belated attempt to rip-off Firefox 1.0, except that we are not actually going to get a release but something along the line of "What the Butler Saw"?

[sarcle]

So have I got this right? IE 7.0 is Microsofts belated attempt to rip-off Firefox 1.0, except that we are not actually going to get a release but something along the line of "What the Butler Saw"?

Yes, more or less. "Come on guys, it's so hard getting this out. We just working so hard, please pity us."

Meanwhile 2.0 will be out in February eclipsing all of these things that Microsoft took over two years to perfect and still don't have it right.

This is the latest posting at channel9

I can confirm that it's not ready. IE7 in Vista 5270 has two major issues for me: the return of a rendering bug that was last seen in IE5 (the same site in IE5 (http://www.ookii.org/vista/ie5.gif), IE6 (http://www.ookii.org/vista/ie6.png), IE7 (http://www.ookii.org/vista/ie7.png), only the IE6 one is correct), and installing the MSDN Library for Visual Studio 2005 on Vista x64 causes IE7 to crash on 90% of webpages. No sir, it's not ready by a longshot! http://channel9.msdn.com/emoticons/emotion-1.gif

EDIT: I know the screenshot is actually of IE7 5231, but the issue remains in 5270. But, Dave assures me they're working on it.

http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=156577

It's mickey mouse hour over there.

[Rubber Duck]

It's mickey mouse hour over there.

Yes, it looks to me as though the current Grandiose Farce will be redubbed IE 8.0, IE 6.0 will be re-released with the latest security patches, a new logo and the Verisign Pluggin. Vista? Probably 2010.

Best Regards
Dave