Posted 11/10/09 at 11:00:00 AM by Norman Chan

Firefox may be your default browser, but that doesn’t mean you really use it to its full potential. Mozilla’s browser is a big threat to Microsoft not because it’s fast and full of unique features, but because it’s also extremely customizable. Add-ons, style scripts, and hidden preferences let you personalize your Firefox experience to meet your tastes and needs. Sure, you may know about hidden easter eggs like the about:robots page, but we’re going show you the 20 most essential tips, tricks, and tweaks to this super browser.

Read on to get started!

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Posted 08/19/09 at 09:35:49 AM by Paul Lilly

Mozilla isn't putting a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to upgrade to Firefox 3.5 (such a tactic wouldn't be feasible - we ran the numbers), but don't put it past the open-source browser maker to try and nag Firefox 3.0 users to death.

We suppose if you've gone this long without upgrading, you probably have your reasons why, or maybe you're just an overweight, forgetful gamer living in Seattle (it wasn't us that said it). Whatever the reason, Mozilla plans to send out messages to Firefox 3.0.13 users urging them to upgrade to Firefox 3.5 because it's "twice as fast."

Staunch holdouts who refuse to see what all the fuss is about are welcome to ignore the upgrade offer, but will again be reminded in 24 hours. Or select the option to never upgrade, but according to news and rumor site The Register, doing so will only remove the upgrade prompt for "several weeks or months," not permanently.

If the reminders don't bother you, the lack of security updates and patches might. Firefox 3.0 users have until January 2010 to upgrade before Mozilla cuts off support.

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Posted 08/18/09 at 10:08:04 AM by Paul Lilly

If you're a Firefox user, you may want to check which version you're running. That's because Dana Blankenhorn over at ZDNet has apparently discovered that Firefox 3.5 kills support for Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant 1.0, and while that may put a smile on some open-source fans' faces who despise everything Microsoft, it's a different story for programmers who require .Net support.

As long as you're running the most recent version of Firefox, this looks to be a moot issue. Released earlier this month, Firefox 3.5.2 appears to play nice with .Net, with our add-ons manager showing Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant 1.1 installed. We're also given the option to uninstall it, which hasn't always been the case with previous versions.

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Posted 07/17/09 at 02:30:28 PM by Florence Ion

Throughout the five years, Mozilla has dramatically improved the Internet browsing experience by producing stable, open-source applications that bring simplicity to our virtual lives. The latest version of Firefox is a prime example of how Mozilla integrates practical features into its products, like the inclusion of private browsing, tear away tabs and location awareness, while still maintaining a strong user base and delivering a stable browser.

However, the buck doesn’t stop there: Mozilla Labs has conjured up several new open source Firefox add-ons that aim to further enhance your web experience and promote better, more efficient browsing. Long time Firefox users are already familiar with the browser’s ability to become fully customizable with the inclusion of add-ons, so the concoctions coming out of Mozilla Labs should be no surprise. Read on to discover some of the latest releases from our favorite open sorcerers, but be aware that most Mozilla Labs projects are still in a prototype stage, so install at your own risk.

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Posted 07/17/09 at 10:01:11 AM by Paul Lilly

Less than a month after release, Firefox 3.5 receives an incremental update bringing the most current stable version to 3.5.1. As might be expected, the 3.5.1 update addresses several security and stability issues, as well as an issue that was making Firefox take a long time to load on some Windows systems, Mozilla says.

"We strongly recommend that all Firefox 3.5 users upgrade to this release," Mozilla said in a statement. "If you already have Firefox 3.5, you will receive an automated update notification within 24 to 48 hours. This update can also be applied manually by selecting 'Check for Updates...' from the Help menu."

On a related note, Mozilla said it is no longer supporting supporting Firefox 2.0.0.x, which "contains known security vulnerabilities." So in other words, pretty much every Firefox user should go grab the latest update.

Release Notes
Firefox 3.5.1 Download

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Posted 07/15/09 at 07:21:58 PM by Pulkit Chandna

Mozilla has confirmed the presence of a critical vulnerability in Firefox 3.5. The vulnerability is nestled in the browser’s Just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compiler – part of the new TraceMonkey engine – and can be used to execute malicious code. Hackers may lure gullible Firefox 3.5 users to websites containing code meant to exploit the flaw. While Mozilla burns the midnight lamp in finding a solution, you can simply disable the JIT. However, it must be noted that disabling the JIT will have an adverse effect on JavaScript performance. 

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Posted 07/15/09 at 01:30:11 PM by Paul Lilly

According to Mozilla, a bug was discovered last week in Firefox 3.5's Just-in-Time JavaScript compiler and was disclosed publicly on Monday. Mozilla classifies the vulnerability as "critical," saying it can be used to execute malicious code. More specifically, by exploiting the bug, a hacker could trick a victim into viewing a malicious website containing the exploit code.

"This vulnerability is due to an error in the way JavaScript code is processed," the US-CERT acknowledged. "Exploitation of this vulnerability may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code. Additionally, exploit code is publicly available for this vulnerability."

While Mozilla said it is currently working on a fix, Firefox 3.5 users don't have to be sitting ducks. Mozilla says the vulnerability can be mitigated by disabling the JIT in the JavaScript engine, which you can accomplish by doing the following:

1. Enter about:config in the browser's location bar
2. Type jit in the Filter box
3. Double-click the line containing javascript.options.jit.content and set the value to false 

Mozilla warns that this is a temporary fix and will reduce JavaScript performance. Once an official fix has been put in place, you'll want to go back in and change the value back to true.

If you'd rather not mess around with about:config settings, you can still disable JIT by running Firefox in Safe Mode, which is accessible from the Mozilla Firefox folder.

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Posted 07/03/09 at 05:45:33 PM by Paul Lilly

After several delays and a lot of anticipation, Mozilla on Tuesday released Firefox 3.5, officially joining the next-generation of browser wars where heavy focus has been put on JavaScript performance. But is the new browser ready for prime-time?

Due to the number of complaints users have been posting -- ranging from longer load times to intermittent crashes believed to be a result of the TraceMonkey JavaScript engine -- Mozilla has issued a community "BugDay" set for July 7 to stomp out the bugs.

"We will try to narry down any important bugs that were missed, or were regressions from Firefox 3.5, and get them into a point update quickly," reads a post on quality.mozilla.org.

Some 55 known bugs exist in the latest release, some of which will be addressed in Firefox 3.5.1 expected to be released by the end of the month.

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