Download Firefox 5.0.1

Here’s something that users won’t see every day, a minor update to a post-Firefox 4.0 release.

When it accelerated the development process and release cycle of its open source browser, Mozilla also overhauled the way in which Firefox was supported.

In this regard, while there was a Firefox 4.0.1, there should have never been a Firefox 5.0.1. And yet…

Firefox 5.0.1 is now available for download along with Firefox 6 Beta and Firefox 7 Aurora. Only that, unlike Firefox 6 Beta and Firefox 7 Aurora, Firefox 5.0.1 can be run by end users into production.

The Firefox 5.0.1 update did not exactly come out of the blue. Mozilla revealed plans for this refresh last week.

“We’re looking at a potential update to Firefox 5 because of a new and serious crasher that our Firefox 5 users would hit when they update to Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion). Lion’s expected to ship before Firefox 6 (which contains a complete fix for this problem) so we’re probably going to have to do something sooner. A fix would be a very minor change and limited to just Mac users. We’ll have more news as that plan comes together,” the company said at the time.

What does this mean to Windows users? Well, nothing. Firefox 5.0.1 is essentially identical to Firefox 5 for them. They can update if they so desire, or stick with the version they’re already running, it really makes no difference.

Firefox 5.0.1 updates “are not offered as updates to Firefox 5 users except on Mac though,” Mozilla Asa Dotzler said. “New users coming to the site to download Firefox for the first time will get 5.0.1 which is identical to 5.0 on Windows and Linux in all but version number.”

Firefox 6 Beta, Firefox 7 Aurora and Firefox 5.0.1 for Windows are available for download here.

Firefox 6 Beta, Firefox 7 Aurora and Firefox 5.0.1 for Linux are available for download here.

Firefox 6 Beta, Firefox 7 Aurora and Firefox 5.0.1 for Mac are available for download here.