14 DAY TRIAL // While Microsoft has completely gagged every last detail related to the building of Internet Explorer 8, Mozilla - due to the open source development model - is pumping a new build of Firefox 3.0 on a weekly basis. Firefox 3.0 currently codenamed Gran Paradiso has finally moved out of Alpha stage. For the past couple of weeks, Mozilla has made available preview versions of the first fully-fledged beta of the open source browser. And now, after a total of three Beta Release Candidates, Firefox 3.0 Beta 1 is available for download.
"Please note: We do not recommend that anyone other than developers and testers download the Firefox 3 Beta 1 milestone release. It is intended for testing purposes only. Firefox 3 Beta 1 is now available for download. This is the ninth developer milestone focused on testing the core functionality provided by many new features and changes to the platform scheduled for Firefox 3," reads a fragment of an announcement posted on the Mozilla Developer Center.
The Firefox 3.0 Beta 1 is available for download in no less than 20 different languages, and the builds are of course compatible with the Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems. The Grand Paradiso Beta 1 version compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista can be downloaded via the link at the bottom of this article. According to Mozilla, the evolution from Beta preview to Beta 1 comes accompanied with a range of enhancements to the open source browser.
Mozilla revealed that users will be able to enjoy improved security as well as additional features, boosted performance, enhanced personalization options, all reflecting in the overall user experience that has been kicked up a notch. In terms of user experience, Mozilla highlighted the fact that Firefox 3.0 Beta 1 has been tailored for Windows Vista and Mac OS X.
Firefox 3.0 Beta 1 is available for download right here on Softpedia.