New the ‘private browsing’ function (also known by some as ‘the pr0n-key’) has been taken aboard this trial version, GoogleChrome is a similar function as has the trial version of IE8, so Mozilla had to have one as well.
Tracemonkey
JavaScripts should be run much faster as 3.0 by adding TraceMonkey, but this has not been implemented into this bèta yet. CSS 3.1 and CSS 3.2 have found better support, and version 3.1 also has a new OggVorbis media plug-in.
Existing functions have been re-vamped, tabbed-browser carries a thumbnail picture of the site loaded and the Awesome Bar is tamed down somewhat. And a couple of buxfixes implemented.
For developers among us some DOM 2 range repairs, and defer attrib script element is supported for HTML. This browser is based on Gecko 1.9.1. The 3.1. source code (codename Shiretoko) can be found at Mozilla central.
When 3.1. will be launched is unclear, but it appears before the end of this
year.
I will certainly wait for the regular release as I’m currently experiencing a problem with firefox 3.0.3 and an add-on probably NoScript and a beta version might just cloud the problem (can’t complete purchases on ebay to paypal, works with safe mode version of FF probably the XSS or possibly FireKeeper).
That is why we have the Nightly Tester Tools extension to enforce those that won’t run, my friend.
In most cases there is no hick-up whatsoever doing so, the only thing with add-ons is that there can be incompatibility between add-ons as such (for instance Better Privacy makes that DrWeb;s av link checker won’t work, so it is either Better Privacy against Super Cookies or DrWeb’s av link checker to check links in real time against DrWeb’s server’s scanner).
As a Fx test pilot I work the latest Minefield: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1b2pre) Gecko/20081015 Minefield/3.1b2pre ID:20081015032107 and I can state I have all my critical security extensions up and running. A nice add-on to check on the inner workings of ABP is AdBlockPlus Watcher, like it a lot,
Private browsing has been in other browsers for quite a while, and while its great for public computers (Library, hotel, etc) Ive never seen the use at home.
Improved Javascript performance is welcome though :).
<html>
<head>
<title>Test Page</title>
<script src="test.js"></script>
<script language="javascript">
//This line could be used to set a cookie manually
//Set_Cookie( "key" , "val" , cookie_expire_date , "/stuff" , false );
//This line is used to set a visitor ID, which is easier
setVisitorID();
</script>
</head>
<body>
This is only a test.
</body>
</html>
There was no difference with the release of version 3.0 we had to wait for the add-ons to catch up. This is likely to take longer as it is a beta and most add-on builders may wait for the normal release.
I will wait for the regular release and a short gap whilst I check out the add-ons for updates, when I see that my important add-ons work with the 3.1 version, then and only then will I update.
I’d like to have my Firefox updated, always.
But my beta experience with Mozilla products was very bad… besides the extensions incompatibilities, lose of features, crashes…
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