The Mozilla project

The Mozilla project and Firefox:

About Mozilla project:

The Mozilla project is a global community of people who believe that openness, innovation, and opportunity are key to the continued health of the Internet. Best known for the Mozilla Firefox browser it is involved in a range of activities from development of web application suites to keeping the internet an openplatform.

To know more about the efforts and the underlying principles check the Mozilla manifesto here:

http://www.mozilla.org/about/manifesto.en.html

The "Mozilla" Story:

Mozilla was the mascot of the now-disbanded Netscape Communications Corporation, formerly called Mosaic Communications Corporation. Initially, the mascot took various forms, including that of a helmeted astronaut or "spaceman", but the eventual choice was a Godzilla-like lizard thought to go well with the Godzilla-like name. It was designed by Dave Titus in 1994.

Mozilla was featured prominently on Netscape's website in the company's early years. However, the need to project a more "professional" image (especially towards corporate clients) led to it being removed. Mozilla continued to be used inside Netscape, though, often featuring on T-shirts given to staff or on artwork adorning the walls of the Netscape campus in Mountain View.

When Netscape acquired the website directory NewHoo in 1998, they rebranded it the Open Directory Project with the nickname "dmoz" (Directory of Mozilla) due t

o its similarity to the Mozilla project. An image of Mozilla was placed on every page of the site, which remains the case today, despite Netscape's disbanding after its acquisition by AOL.

"Mozilla" today is used to refer to the free software/open source project that was founded in order to create the next-generation Internet suite for Netscape (refers to the Netscape Navigator browser which was the most used in the 90's).

The Mozilla Organization was founded in 1998 to create the new suite. On July 15, 2003, the organization was formally registered as a non-profit organization, and becameMozilla Foundation. The foundation now creates and maintains the Mozilla Firefox browser and Mozilla Thunderbird email application, among other software.

About Mozilla Firefox:

Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite, managed by the Mozilla Corporation.

What gives Firefox an edge over other browsers?

Apparently, the features it offers to its more than 200 million satisfied users.

The features of Firefox are:

• Add-ons (Functions can be added through add-ons created by third-party developers),
• Tabbed browsing,
• A spell checker,
• Security,
• Standards,
• Incremental find,
• Live bookmarking,
• A download manager,
• an Integrated Search System that uses theuser's desired search engine.
• And You (A large community base that constantly contributes and supports the browser)

With all these features in Firefox who needs another browser ;)

........................................

User Opinions:

“Extension, the ability to customize the functionality of the browser, is the huge killer feature of Firefox that sets it apart from other browsers.”

Matt Wilcox on Zeldman.com

Jacksonville Web Design said on September 3rd, 2008 at 1:49 pm:

I have installed Chrome both at work and at home, a laptop and 2 desktops. As excited as I am trying to be about it, so far I am not that impressed. Yeah, it is cool and all, a good idea and minimalistic for sure, but I do not see a noticeable speed increase over Fx3… some pages maybe yes, most I would say about equally fast. Also, on all 3 machines, there are times when perhaps my mouse freezes for 1-2 seconds, or I close the Chrome browser then have to wait as my machine is unresponsive for 1-4 seconds. This is new behavior as of yesterday’s Chrome install. It makes me wonder what is really going on in the background. Yes I want to love it but theextensions and reliability that I am getting out of Fx3 will behard to beat. Fx3 will remain my default browser for now.

Thanks,

Jim S. on Zeldman .com

http://tentonweb.com/

Jacksonville, FL

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Check the link provided below for information on open source.

The link to the article on open source in wilipedia: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source

The First Post

Hey there

 feels  really great to be able to voice my  opinions freely upon various things especially on open source (one thing I am really passionate about). 

Wouldn't it be great if you had the freedom to use technology just as the freedom of speech/ the right to expression? 

        

That is exactly what open source is all about - the right to use technology for development and personalised experience of various applications.

This means ->  with the Open source software you could use, change, and improve the software, and redistribute it in modified or unmodified form.  

Open source software is the most prominent example of open source development and often compared to user generated content.It is very often developed in a public, collaborative manner.

With proponents such as The Mozilla Foundation and Debian project the open source software movement has gained the much needed momentum. 

The well known product of The Mozilla foundation is the Firefox web browser.

The Firefox browser has attracted wide user participation so much so that it has a community for constant development and support.It would only help get a more personalized experience if users such as you and I get involved in the community.

I would like to add that you dont need to have a technical background to participate in the open source initiative.You could join the mozilla community and help spread firefox by becoming a campus rep or by starting an open source club in your community. 

Did you know?

You could promote Firefox in your campus and help spread Firefox as a Campus Rep. Details on how you could do it are here: 

 http://www.spreadfirefox.com/campusreps

-> By becoming a Mozilla Campus Rep you get a cool t-shirt and a certificate that you could add to your resume.

-> You might as well be selected for an internship as a recognition of your efforts to promote mozilla firefox.

 Start right now............Go to:

 http://www.spreadfirefox.com

and get Firefox at : http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/ 

1.GET Firefox...2.Get involved ............. and GO Fox today!

-------->>>>Mozilla Campus Rep : Sireesh

P.S: I've placed a slide show of the pics taken at the spreadfirefox campaign I conducted in the Mozilla watch. However the link to the pics on flicker is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31593158@N06/sets/72157608211317679/

I have added a video survey on you tube, you could check it out at :

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-tOi7LXfaA