The Mozilla Foundation has posted the second alpha edition of its next standalone browser, for now code named “Deer Park“. This version now includes an integrated update system that would make it possible to patch the browser with small-sized upgrade files, rather than forcing users to download and reinstall a full version, as is now the case. Screenshot.
That’s some pretty tasty bottled water.
these dark park alpha releases are the most stable alphas i have ever used… i cant wait to see version 1.1
I don’t understand the difference between this and FireFox… any help?
This is going to be Firefox 1.1
Because nobody’s said it out loud yet:
It is called “Deer Park” instead of “Firefox” because this is effectively a 1.1 alpha release, and the Mozilla Foundation does not want tens of millions of Firefox newbies to see the name “Firefox” and download it.
Once it goes into beta, it will be rebranded “Firefox”. No trademark issues or anything like that. It’s just an attempt to keep novices away from a developer release.
*QUEER* park!!!!!
Good to see fastback. CSS popups are showing up now. Will this fix it ?
‘Also new to Alpha 2 is a feature dubbed Fastback, which caches previously-visited pages in memory for faster display when clicking the back and forward navigation buttons. Although Fastback has been included in numerous Deer Park builds, this was the first time it’s been enabled by default.’
Would the name ‘Deer Park’ have anything to do with the issues regarding acquiring the Firefox trademarks, or is it ‘just’ a codename?
Just a codename. From Wikipedia’s article on Firefox:
According to Ben Goodger, “Deer Park is not Deer Park, Victoria, but just a symbolic name. I was riding LIRR a few weeks ago and saw the name go by and I thought it sounded nice”. Therefore, this name probably references Deer Park, New York, a CDP on Long Island.
Great. I’m looking for the next version: Ronkonkoma.
I see from the screenshot that they are moving towards a more “Mac like” preferences panel. I like it a lot.
It may be “mac-like” but anyway it’s because gnome’s HIG instead of Apple.
you’re kidding right?
http://www.keystonemac.com/images/safari-tabs-preferences.jpg
compare that with the deer park prefs. damn near identical.
Hmm. I don’t. What’s wrong withe the bar on the side?
I hope they are able to keep the firefox name, nothing like constantly changing product titles to ensure a vapid mindshare with end users.
The articles say better Mac and aqua support. Doe anyone know how much better is? So far it’s been a terrible Mac application, I guess I’ll give it a shot onight and see if it’s any better, but from what I’ve heard, it won’t be a “proper” Mac app until 2.0.
From http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/roadmap.html :
After some discourse, we have settled on the following naming structure for our releases going forward:
1. Each major release has a code name (e.g. 1.1 is “Deer Park”)
2. The alpha and beta releases are named “[codename] alpha/beta”
3. The final release is named “Firefox [version]”
The posting filter messed up the quotes, so here it is again:
From http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/roadmap.html :
After some discourse, we have settled on the following naming structure for our releases going forward:
1. Each major release has a code name (e.g. 1.1 is “Deer Park”)
2. The alpha and beta releases are named “[codename] alpha/beta”
3. The final release is named “Firefox [version]”
Where is the search bar?
It would be nifty if they fixed it so that you could easily search from the address bar (as in Opera). But that’s probably too much to ask for.
Well, you can. Just type the phrase and hit enter. Unfortunately, by default you end up with Google’s “I’m feeling lucky” result. Go to about:config and filter for “search”, and set browser.search.defaultUrl to http://www.google.com/search?lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=
Opera’s address-bar searching capabilities are substantially more advanced than that.
I guess Firefox being able to use any search engine from the location bar just isn’t advanced enough from everyone.
Hint: Right-click the search field of any given search engine, and click Add a Keyword for this Search. 🙂 To see a list of predefined searches, consult the properties menu of all the bookmarks in the “Quick Searches” bookmark folder.
Its already possible
Report about Deer Park Alpha 2 for OS X: startup is much, much faster, looks cleaner, sites load faster.
A world of difference between the pretty much useless current stable version of Firefox for Mac.
Maybe I’m stupid but I don’t see why anyone thinks there are trademark issues… this is a beta releas titled Deer Park. If there were any issues, don’t you think they would have renamed Firefox by now?
Anyway, glad to see the second beta… I was very excited using Deer Park Beta 1, this should be great too. Anything to get closer to a stable 1.1 release
… this is a beta releas titled Deer Park
Well, to be technical this is the second alpha release. Beta and/or release candidates will follow.
Other new (or now enabled) features: click & drag to reorder your tabs, and fastback.
Maybe I’m stupid but I don’t see why anyone thinks there are trademark issues…
First link I could find regarding the issue:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/0,2000061733,39197321,00.htm
According to this, http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/josh/archives/2005/07/screenshot_of_… the ground work for native Cocoa widgets (in the content area too) are there, but won’t show up until post 1.1 builds(so 1.5 might be a good bet), although he says that he’ll release and “unoffical” build before 1.1.
I using Mozilla Firefox Deerpark alpha 2 on my Windows machine as my main browser. This browser is stable and works well. Also nearly all my extentions works. 🙂
Mozilla is approaching Mozilla Firefox 1.1 within a short period I think.
They made the installer look better (at least on Linux) and it seems to start up faster than before. The whole interface doesn’t seem sluggish anymore and the Alpha Version is very stable.
I’m looking forward to updating my browser.
They have fixed the issue with GNOMEs “simple” style! I can finally see the underlying menus when having the cursor over them!
Maybe it’s just me, but fastback seems to makes a huge difference when surfing through forums like this, where I’m constantly backing up to previous pages. Fixes a problem I didn’t know I had.
Good stuff.
Has anyone had trouble getting the nppdf.so plugin to work properly in the Linux version? It won’t work in my installation but works fine with 1.0.5.
Yeah…that fast forward/back thing is GREAT!
The Winbloze version is working pretty well so far – hopefully the Linux version is up to par too (I’m switching to Kubuntu soon, hehe). Aside from a few extensions not working *hint* d-e-v-e-l-o-p-e-r-s *hint*, Deer Park Alpha 2 feels faster than v.1.0.5 and is actually pretty stable for an Alpha release. Firefox is getting better and better every day and I can’t wait for v1.1 to be released. 🙂
You could always set up custom keywords to emulate opera’s search fuctions.
Just downloaded the Linux version a second ago. I can’t speeak for the stability yet, but this has got to be the fastest Firefox build I’ve seen in a loooong time.
The static address bar (a.k.a. location bar).
The order of the URLs visited doesn’t change.
orestes…do you use Adobe’s Acrobat 7? If so, could you put the sym link or copy the nppdf.so file to your plugins directory and see if a .pdf document will show? On 1.0.5 it works perfectly, but on Alpha 2 for me, it “starts” but the stops with a blank page…..
Other than that…this thing is fantastic!
Same deal here. It starts but shows a blank page.
Before trying this alpha i was the opera user because firefox feels slow at rendering and back/forward operations, and overall ui was kinda sluggish. Now Im using deer park as my main browser because its pretty fast. And only 1 crash during two days of hardcore browsing, not so bad for testing build.
Indeed. It’s nice to see Firefox pick up Opera’s render cache feature (for quick back/forward) and a bit of tab management.
Indeed. It’s nice to see Firefox pick up Opera’s render cache feature (for quick back/forward) and a bit of tab management.
Wiould you be saying the same if IE stole one of Firefox’s features? Right.
Back on the subject, I use Deer Park now to see how it goes. One thing that bothers me is the settings menu. Nicely done and all, but there are so many settings. Firefox was known to be simple, non-bloated (compared to Mozilla) but I think they’re headed towards the same road. And there’s this sanitize options. Ridicules and confusing name for something that took 2 seconds of work before.
One thing that bothers me is the settings menu. Nicely done and all, but there are so many settings. Firefox was known to be simple, non-bloated (compared to Mozilla) but I think they’re headed towards the same road.
You do realise that the only extra item in the Settings is the “Sanitize” option. They simply re-designed the dialog so there was no longer any need for the kludgy “Advanced” tree-view, instead everything is now nicely organised.
So: it’s not bloating the browser as this functionality was all there already (bar Sanitize which really isn’t that big a deal).
Secondly, it’s not bloating the interface, as all they’ve actually done is work to make it more usable.
They have still stuck with offering the core feature-set that users will want, there is no progression to an overloaded Mozilla-style browser.
That said, I think they should look into adding integrated RSS support a la Safari for version two. It need not be built into the browser, but it would nice to have it as an optional extension in the installer, similar to the way the Web Development tools are shipped at the moment.
You do realise that the only extra item in the Settings is the “Sanitize” option. They simply re-designed the dialog so there was no longer any need for the kludgy “Advanced” tree-view, instead everything is now nicely organised.
So: it’s not bloating the browser as this functionality was all there already (bar Sanitize which really isn’t that big a deal).
Secondly, it’s not bloating the interface, as all they’ve actually done is work to make it more usable.
The privacy tab has 5 subtabs. Most of them only have one setting. How is that if not bloated?
Thanks,orestes…I thought so. I didn’t file a bug report, but this one is so obvious that I’m sure it’s been filed…I’ll check bugzilla in a bit to see if it’s there…
Sorry, I can find the answer to the question someone asked before.
Where is the search bar (the search bar, you know, the little white box near the location bar, with a “G” for google, where you can type some keywords, push Enter and the result page opens on the browser, and, yes, you can use other search engines if you prefer)?
Because the search bar is still present, just disabled in the screenshot, I hope…
And indeed, where did the searchbar that put Opera to shame go? (not sarcastic!)
You have to visit a search site, such as http://www.google.com. You cannot use the search bar in the browser.
What I did was go to goggle, then right click in the search field and selected keyword, named bookmark g with keyword of g and viola, Opera style “g search pharse” searching from the location bar baby! Thanks for the tip whoever said that!
what is the icon theme that you are using on the screenshot?
hehe :}
From the article:
# Software update system to streamline product upgrades (currently disabled– will be turned on shortly for testing)
# Faster browser navigation with improvements to back and forward button performance – Fastback
# Drag-and-drop reordering for browser tabs
# Improvements to popup blocking
# Better support for Mac OS X (10.2 and greater) – Safari profile migrator, Aqua compliance and shell service
# Several security enhancements
I am constantly amazed about what features the developers keep adding to FF. When, FF seems perfect (to me) they add more improvements. Personally I am looking forward too:
1) Fastback
2) Update feature
3) Security enhancements (I am curious).
Does anyone know about Cairo?
What does ‘disable common annoyances’ do in options ?
hmmmm.
Directly from the help system:
Select the but disable common annoyances checkbox to disallow sites to move or resize existing windows, raise or lower windows, disable or replace context menus, hide the status bar, or change status bar text.
“What does ‘disable common annoyances’ do in options ? ”
It filters all forum posts originating from Linux users.
Maybe Debian can call all future Debian releases of Firefox “Deer Park” to avoid that whole naming mess
Or maybe they could just call it Firefox, since I really doubt they’re going to include alpha or even beta software in Debian.
Maybe they gave up on Firefox 1.0 builds and are working hard on 1.1. Fine with me. I’m using the Alpha. Wished more extensions worked with it, but it is really stable and doesn’t crash all the time.
“You have to visit a search site, such as http://www.google.com. You cannot use the search bar in the browser. “
Bugger! I prefer having a separate text box for searching so I hope this has only been removed from the dev release.
Bugger! I prefer having a separate text box for searching so I hope this has only been removed from the dev release.
Erm, there is a separate text box for searching. I don’t know if it’s there by default (I migrated my Firefox 1.0.5 prefs) but if it’s not, you can customise your toolbars to add it in.
The new fast back/forward function is so cool! it’s so rapid you can’t even notice you’ve changed page!
That said, I think they should look into adding integrated RSS support a la Safari for version two. It need not be built into the browser, but it would nice to have it as an optional extension in the installer, similar to the way the Web Development tools are shipped at the moment.
They do. They’re called Live Bookmarks.
http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/live-bookmarks
I like some of the new features they have added.
Some like the following are very useful.
1. Option to force links that open new windows
in a new tab
2. Option to ignore common Javascript annoyances
3. Option to remove entries from download manager .
A neat piece of work by FF developers.
Way to go Firefox!
I like some of the new features they have added.
Some like the following are very useful.
1. Option to force links that open new windows
in a new tab
2. Option to ignore common Javascript annoyances
3. Option to remove entries from download manager .
EXCELLENT! I migrated from Opera to Firefox because of the website compatibility issues that were practically gone with Firefox, but the few things I missed were enforced tabs, the ability to manage files in the download manager, and quick back and forwarding.
Now if they could only solve the memory-bloat..
It seems that it now works with the proxy server where I work. Perhaps now they’ll stop blocking downloads of it with Websense…
And it’s something to look forward to. Seriously, the tabs on top instead of on the side makes it a whole lot easier to navigate your Preferences. People who are clearing cache and stuff all the time know what I’m talking about. So I really don’t see a problem with it.
Can you help me verify this situation. I open two tabs. Rearrange them using the new drag’n’drop. after that the tabs stop switching between the pages.
I didn’t post a bug report because mine’s not a clean install (SuSE 9.3 with some extensions.) I don’t want to bother the develops if it is a error in one of the extensions (i suspect all-in-one-gestures). If someone has problems like this please write so we can figure out what’s wrong and help the guys.
Did they finaly put in the SVG support?
This Alpha is realy cool. The forwards and back speed is great. Firefox 1.1 is going to be great. Hopefully I will be able a file a few bug reports but as of yet it has not crashed or bugged.
The new update system will update alpha 2 to the next version when they bring the service online.
Happy bug hunting !
Keep up the good work !
But when I decided to check for updates i got this error
AUS: Update XML File Not Found (404)
Since this is just an alpha then it should be fixed…
I did liked the sanitize feature.
It sould be working in the next month or so. It hasnot been turned on yet
I figured it out right before posting my original comment, but thanks.