Browsing Utilitarian Dream
Firefox 1.0 is here and ready for download at mozilla.org and getfirefox.com! I’m in the process of downloading it here at work on my 28k connection and will get it at home as soon as possible.
Usefulness (utility) is a big deal to me (probably an obsession) and Firefox focuses on usability. Ben Goodger, the Lead Engineer of the Firefox development team said today:
Our goal for Firefox has always been to create a stylish, usable browser, making as few compromises has necessary - which was largely possible by being free from commercial constraint. When I design new features, I try to think about what people are trying to accomplish, and design the feature so that it helps them as best possible. This has not always been easy. I’ve been very demanding of myself and on others that I work with, trying to exact every last ounce of usability of a given scenario. Some tasks that we have worked on have taken a considerable amount of time, much of that time spent fussing over the tiniest of details, details that in the past (when working on the Netscape product line, for example), we would never have been allowed to fret so profusely over. The result is software that works for the most part exactly as you expect it. All your settings, favorites, passwords and other data are brought in from IE, downloading files is easy and free of superfluous prompting, your passwords are entered automatically and slickly managed, just to name a few. These things are not easy, but the quality bar has to be set high to be noticed, and in that department I think our focus on detail has paid dividends.
- more -
Blake Ross blogged:
Our original manifesto for Phoenix set out a few key principles: make a product that just browses, and browses well; keep the team small and focused; and keep the focus on the user. I am proud to say that we have delivered on that today. Whatever your language, whatever your platform, download Firefox 1.0 now and let us know what you think. We’re listening.
- more -
Congratulations to the Firefox team!