14 DAY TRIAL // Google is not the sole browser builder that is developing multiple browser iterations concomitantly, and jumping from version to version at a fast pace. Just one week after it offered testers the first Alpha Build of the next iteration of Firefox, Mozilla has produced a fresh release of yet another version of the open-source browser. Users who want to get a taste of the successor of Firefox 3.6 can do so by downloading a preview version straight from Mozilla’s FTP servers. But you shouldn’t expect too much from Firefox 3.7 Alpha 1, at least not at this stage in evolution.
First off, Mozilla is using the generic Minefiled codename for Firefox 3.7 Alpha 1, to indicate that this is indeed a very early development build, and by all means not even a fully fledged Alpha release. In the second half of July 2009, Mozilla presented a few concepts of a graphical user interface redesign for Firefox 3.7, in order to tailor the browser to Windows 7 and Windows Vista. No GUI overhauling has been implemented at this point in time.
Firefox 3.7 Alpha 1 looks just as its precursors, and feels much in the same way as well. But, as I have already said, this is nothing more than an early Alpha release, and as such expectations should be moderate at best. Fact is that users are better off directing their attention to Firefox 3.6 Alpha 1 for the time being.
The first Alpha of the successor of Firefox 3.5 is designed as nothing more than a minor update for the open-source browser. The development process for Codename Namoroka is planned to be very short, with the final version of Firefox 3.6 available on the heels of Windows 7’s General Availability (October 22nd, 2009). This especially because Firefox 3.6 will feature a deeper level of integration with Windows 7 compared to the existing Firefox 3.5 release.
Download Firefox 3.6 Alpha 1 for Windows
Download Firefox 3.6 Alpha 1 for Mac OS X
