If you use, or are thinking about using Firefox as your web browser of choice, you might be interested to know that the Mozilla Foundation has released a new version of Firefox that fixes three security flaws that have recently been uncovered. The new version, V.1.0.4 is available on the Firefox/Mozilla web site.
As with all the other recent security fixes, the new versions are not patches but complete new versions that must be completely downloaded and installed through normal program installation means. Firefox 1.0.4 for Windows is a 4.7MB download.
Security updates are getting to be a common occurrence with Firefox and Mozilla. This update is the fourth addressing 32 security holes in 2005. But what separates Mozilla from Microsoft is the fact that they fix their problems within days of being uncovered, rather than months.
Recently, an Internet security company released information that there were only 7 days out of 366 in 2004 during which Internet Explorer had no unpatched security holes. This means IE had no official patch available against well-publicized vulnerabilities for 98% of the year. On the other hand, Firefox users went only 26 days in 2004 with a known security hole.
For this and other reasons, IBM is encouraging its employees to use Firefox instead of IE. Firefox is already used by about 10 percent of IBM's staff, or about 30,000 people. Now, IBM workers can download the browser from internal servers and get support from the company's help desk staff.
For IBM, the move is a significant step in lessening dependence on a product from rival Microsoft. By supporting Firefox internally, IBM is also furthering its commitment to open-source products based on industry standards.
Meanwhile, Mozilla is self-promoting Firefox with three new video ads. The short videos show people getting so entranced by Firefox that they do things like scream loud enough to crack office walls and become disoriented enough to take a bite out of a cell phone, as if it were a candy bar.
The videos had registered 300,000 hits by the end of the weekend, and were nearing 500,000 hits by Monday. The videos can be viewed at Funnyfox.org, a site set up by Mozilla Europe. They are cute.
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