Firefox 3.1: The Latest

Mozilla delayed Firefox 3.1 Beta 3 a few weeks ago. Engineers then targeted February 18 for the release. That, of course, did not happen, and the third beta is currently tentatively slated for March 2.

As for a final release, VP of Engineering Mike Shaver now tells InfoWorld the current schedule on the table would put the date well out of its original early 2008 timeframe.

“To make it in Q1, we’d have to rush it more than we want to,” he says.

Shaver also adds that Mozilla may insert a fourth beta into the process. Developers had initially planned for only two betas but added the third back in November.

Firefox 3.1: TraceMonkey Talk

The date discussion comes as some Mozilla developers are calling for the 3.1 browser’s JavaScript engine, known as TraceMonkey, to be pulled completely from the product. The engine has been cited as the main hold-up with the release.

“Without TraceMonkey, we probably could have shipped 3.1 final by now, or, if not now, within the next month,” one developer posted in a company forum. “I think there should be a limit to the amount we’re willing to slip 3.1 to accommodate TraceMonkey, and I think we should decide what that limit is.”

Another developer suggested leaving TraceMonkey functionality in, but having it disabled by default (as was the case with past beta releases).

“Adventurous users can turn it on, and we can turn it right back on by default on the trunk / 3.2 alpha work,” he says. “Releases require compromise-logic, and there’s good stuff in 3.1 being blocked by TM.”

Shaver, the vice president of engineering, indicated to InfoWorld that TraceMonkey probably won’t be cut altogether. “We’re always looking at all of our choices, but I don’t think it’s likely,” he said.

Firefox 3.1 Update: Possible Fourth Beta, Talk of Pulling TraceMonkey Altogether is a post from: The Inquisitr

Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 also marks the debut of web worker thread support and support for video and audio tag elements. Other under-the-hood additions include the W3C Geolocation API, JavaScript query selectors, CSS 2.1 and 3 properties, SVG transforms, and offline applications. A full list of added features is available here.

The new beta is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. There’s one more step before the final release — Mozilla decided a couple of weeks ago to go for a third beta prior to finishing the new Firefox. Beta 3 is expected to come out in early January, with the full 3.1 release to follow soon after.

Meet Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 is a post from: The Inquisitr

The build, branded as Firefox 3.1 beta 2 rather than as Mozilla Minefield, appeared in Mozilla’s nightly builds directory early Wednesday morning, as first spotted by the folks at TG Daily. It has the much-touted TraceMonkey Javascript engine enabled, along with what TG Daily interprets as a “look and feel” that “appears to be final.”

Mozilla had originally planned to have Firefox 3.1b2 locked down by early November with a release soon after, so this would fit within that same timetable. The preliminary plans, though, called for the full 3.1 release to follow by late 2008 or early 2009. Now, a third beta will be debuted in early January instead.

The extra beta will be used primarily for last-minute fixes and testing, particularly related to features added into beta 2. Those features include TraceMonkey as well as the private browsing mode and other improvements.

“The insertion of another beta also offers another public consultation point for web and add-on developers, allowing us to react to their feedback,” lead developer Mike Beltzner explains. “With wide-reaching changes like those listed above, it was felt that this was prudent, especially if it could be done without major impact to schedule.”

Beltzner says no changes affecting themes or add-on compatibility will be made in the third beta.

Mozilla Releases New Firefox 3.1 Update, Prepares for Third Beta is a post from: The Inquisitr