The Mozilla project is marking the 20th anniversary of the initial release of its Firefox browser, a significant innovation at the time. Within five months of its launch, Firefox captured 6% of the browser market share, reducing the dominance of Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) to 89.04%.
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Firefox distinguished itself with several innovative features, including the introduction of tabbed browsing for displaying websites and the use of the XUL (XML User Interface Language) for interface design and add-on development. Before the release of Firefox, tabbed interfaces were primarily offered by proprietary browsers such as Opera and the now-defunct Galeon project.
The history of the browser name
The concept of developing a browser with an XUL-based interface was invented in 2002. It was included in the release of the first stable version two years later. Initially named Phoenix, the project was subsequently renamed Firebird due to trademark conflicts. However, this name change caused perturbation among developers of a free database management system with the same name, leading to a final renaming as Firefox.
Popularity
At its peak in 2010, Firefox boasted a 32% share of the global web browser market. Microsoft Internet Explorer had 47%, Chrome - 15% (5.45), Opera - 2%. As of the latest data from Cloudflare Radar, Firefox now holds a 3.8% market share.
The future
Laura Chambers, Mozilla Corporation's new CEO, outlined the organization's strategy to revitalize Firefox and restore its former popularity in an interview with TechCrunch. She emphasized that many companies lose focus on their core business by getting sidetracked by peripheral projects.
Mozilla intends to prioritize Firefox development and reduce involvement in unrelated ventures. The browser is receiving increased funding and is poised to incorporate substantial enhancements, including a built-in AI assistant, vertical tabs, tab grouping, and enhanced privacy modes.
Unlike its competitors, who are heavily involved in the manufacturing of devices,mobile and other platforms, Mozilla focuses exclusively on delivering a high-quality product that meets the needs of its users. In its efforts to attract new users, Mozilla highlights the robust privacy features of Firefox as a key differentiator.
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I’ve been using Firefox for just as long.
Happy 20th Anniversary Firefox!