Mozilla Firefox 3.0.3 Review

Overall Rating

Fast, stable and plenty of Add-On features
Customizable Toolbar
Ability to load web pages using IE engine
Ability to save and sync Bookmarks online

Time spent looking, experimenting and implementing Add-On features
Some Add-Ons not comparable with latest version

Mozilla released their latest major version of Firefox (version 3.0) in June 2008. Firefox has many and vast improvements with its new release.

First let me say that I was not a big fan of Firefox in the past. Sure it had nice features but the browser just looked out dated and unattractive (even with many choices of themes). Firefox is an open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite. Open source for the non techies mean free redistribution of software to include source code as well as compiled form.

Firefox 3.0 (FF3) standard features include tabbed browsing, spell checker, download manager, and an integrated search system that may be configured by user. Many more features called Add-Ons may be added to the browser. Add-Ons are created by third-party developers and the library of Add-Ons consist of over 15 different categories.

A FF3 install with no Add-Ons is only marginally better than an IE7 install. Yes FF3 is faster and more secure but out the box it does not offer many features. Many users would just be happy with the increased speed and security alone, but FF3 offers much more than that.

Where Add-Ons are a great addition to creating an outstanding browser, it creates a two-fold problem. First is the amount of time spent looking, experimenting and adding an Add-On feature. Mozilla offers recommendations but what is good for one individual may not be for another. The second problem is that many users don't know what they are missing and/or what to look for. If you've been an IE user for many years how are you to know what Tab Mix Plus or No Script is and how it will benefit your browser experience. At the time of this writing Mozilla claims a 19.46% usage share of web browsers (second most used browser behind IE). I'm willing to bet that only a small percentage of users take advantage of the Add-Ons.

FF3 configured with the right Add-Ons gives you a browser complemented with features already included in other topnotch browsers. However, limiting or not using Add-Ons will ensure you have a lite and fast browser. Either way users with this browser are sure to benefit from its use.