14 DAY TRIAL // Mozilla delivers more Windows Vista love with a fresh update to Firefox 2.0. As of May 30, 2007 Mozilla has made available two new updates for both 1.5 and 2.0 version of its open source browser. Firefox 1.5.0.12 and Firefox 2.0.0.4 deliver security and stability enhancements, and also mark the end of support for Firefox 1.5. Mozilla has postponed killing version 1.5 since the end of April 2007 because of the large user base, mostly corporate users, that have been slow at making the swap with the latest version released in October 2006.
"We anticipate this to be the last release in the Firefox 1.5.0.x series. Mozilla typically maintains support for previous releases for six months after a major release. Mozilla has previously extended the planned end of life for the 1.5.0.x series in order to accommodate some recent changes in update functionality. If you already have Firefox 1.5.0.x or Firefox 2.0.0.x, you will receive an automated update notification within 24 to 48 hours. This update can also be applied manually by selecting "Check for Updates?" from the Help menu starting later today," Mozilla informed.
While Firefox 1.5 is still available for download from the foundation, users are strongly advised to move to Firefox 2.0. An alternative is also Gran Paradiso Alpha 4 and soon Alpha 5, but these releases are meant for testing purposes only. Mozilla has revealed that it will force upgrade all 1.5.0.12 users to the latest version of the open source browser. "Over the coming weeks, Mozilla will be presenting 1.5.0.12 users with a notification message that will offer users a "major update" to Firefox 2. Upon confirmation, a user's browser will be upgraded from 1.5.0.12 to 2.0.0.4," the foundation explained.
Firefox 2.0.0.4 delivers security patches for one Critical vulnerability involving crashes with evidence of memory corruption and another flaw rated as High severity and associated with XSS using addEventListener. Additionally, Mozilla has furthered support for Windows Vista with this latest update. According to the release notes, the update will introduce enhancements and fixes for Firefox 2.0 running in Windows Vista.