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While it may be of release Kuality, apparently they do not feel that it is yet of release quality. ;-)

Edited 2008-03-21 22:43 UTC

Oh puh-leeze! Put your Klaws away!

They are creating the buzz for making the release a success while they are fixing the last bugs, I suppose.

I am currently FF 3b4. It's is fast and very stable, so I think it will be successful.

They are creating the buzz for making the release a success while they are fixing the last bugs, I suppose. "

There's also this little thing they do where they try to get all the localized versions built and tested, and all the various platforms built and tested before they do the official launch... or at least, that's my impression.

Edit: nevermind - i see they've already built all the localized versions

Edited 2008-03-21 23:21 UTC

In other words, it's not ready for prime time. Fix the bugs ... and then you're ready.

Because of marketing. Fault tolerance is the virus from Redmond.

Yeah, I like this:

If it's ready for prime time, then release the final version already. Otherwise, it's still just for developers and testers.

Personally, I'm waiting for 3.01 .. they should have most of the kinks worked out by then

The article was not very clear. I believe that what it is trying to say is that FF3 is ready for everyday use by web developers who want to familiarize themselves with the new browser without a lot of pain. FF3 is still only on the "Developers" page at mozilla.com, and that is where the changed description of FF3's status will be. There is no link to it from the front page *except* through the "developers" link.

One problem that I have noted that many projects face is how to attract an appropriate number of testers for the final phases of development and release QA. Some seem to think that people will "just know" when to become testers. Some chant "The latest mightlies are awesome!" throughout the entire development cycle. Some do alpha/beta sequences. Others resort to elaborate deceptions, releasing a "X.0" release which is really a beta, followed by an X.1 release which is intended to be the real release. This change of description regarding the status of FF3 is simply another way to send a message that the software, in it's current state, will likely not eat your children, and that it might be a good time to try it out.

I've been using Beta 4 since it came out, and it's been really unstable for me; it crashes over twice a day.

I suspect they're saying this to nudge Extension developers into updating their extensions ready for the launch. Until now, FF3's been a changing too rapidly. Why bother updating your extension when the next nightly could break it? This sends out a signal that it's safe to develop for FF3 now. They want that because they want to have lots of sexy extensions to boast about when it's released.