Firefox Bon Echo - the next step in the Firefox roadmap has been upgraded and released to the general public for BETA testing as Firefox 2.0 BETA 1.

Downloads for Windows, Linux i686, Mac OS X and other builds are also available in multiple languages.

Download Page


NEW FEATURES

* Built in Phishing Protection - also allows users to use a custom block list or one form Google. More details here.
* Search suggestions now appear with search history in the search box for Google, Yahoo! and Answers.com
* Changes to tabbed browsing behavior - A close button on tabs.
* Ability to re-open accidentally closed tabs
* Better support for previewing and subscribing to web feeds
* Inline spell checking in text boxes - no need for addons like ASpell, it's built-in now!
* Search plugin manager for removing and re-ordering search engines - very useful
* New microsummaries feature for bookmarks
* Automatic restoration of your browsing session if there is a crash
* New combined and improved Add-Ons manager for extensions and themes
* New Windows installer based on Nullsoft Scriptable Install System
* Support for JavaScript 1.7
* Support for client-side session and persistent storage
* Extended search plugin format
* Updates to the extension system to provide enhanced security and to allow for easier localization of extensions
* Support for SVG text using svg:textPath


Most features are available to current users of Firefox 1.5 with the aid of extensions like TabMix Plus and Google SafeBrowsing plugin etc. but having these features built right into the core of the browser makes things much easier "out-of-the-box".

This is a BETA version and there are known issues. Please read and understand them thoroughly.

This post has been edited by sparx: Jul 13 2006, 08:54 AM

Well, there aren't any huge changes between this and Bon Echo Alpha 3, so...Of course, I don't think the phishing protection was there before, so that's a nice addition. I do appreciate attempts to protect users from phishing attacks though. It also seems rather similar to the Google Safe Browsing extension for Firefox too...but its a nice thing that it got integrated into Firefox instead of making users install something.

I can't say I really like the combined add-on and theme extension. I don't see how much of a difference that makes, as that might also just confuse users. On the other hand, I do prefer the name "add-ons" to extensions. It just seems to fit better, so it would be easier to understand.

I've also been using TabMixPlus for the close button on tabs and for undoing closed tabs, but once again, integration into the main Firefox is a lot better than making users hunt, download, and install extensions. Search suggestions are interesting indeed. Works like Google Suggestions.

UPDATE: After playing around with the BETA1, I'm saddened to say that Single Window Mode is still not part of the built-in tab features. Also TabMix Plus isn't working as it used to just by changing the maxver param in the JAR file. So a new version is eagerly awaited.

Yeah, it's true that TabMixPlus isn't working. Neither is FasterFox, which kind of annoys me. But on the point of TabMixPlus, most of the features that were originally offered by it are now integrated into Firefox 2.0 Beta 1, so there's no real point in updating it. And for single window mode, couldn't you just edit the settings so that all new window open up in tabs? Unless you're talking about pop ups as well?

EDIT: I've noticed something else quirky. Everytime I load a page, Firefox 2.0 Beta takes up 100% of my CPU. I don't get why. I tried restarting Firefox a couple of times, but I ended up with the same problems. It definitely isn't about the sites I go to, because without the new beta, I had no problems with those sites...yet with it, my computer's dying. ><

This post has been edited by Arbitrary: Jul 16 2006, 01:29 AM

Does this come highly recommended? I'm still using the latest version that is on the main website but Iv'e been hearing about this BETA version of 2.0.

I don't really see anything in that list that really affects me all that much but maybe there is some other small changes not listed?

I'm using Mozilla Firefox 2.0 Beta 1. The engine and everything is faster than version 1.5 without the FasterFox extension. However, none my extensions and skins work. Plus, too bad there's no QT version only GTK2+ for Linux.

xboxrulz

Hmm... I just love the built-in spell checker!! So many features!! It seems pretty cool, except two of my extensions don't work, but that's OK... I'm sure they'll be updated soon. But it looks great!!

[N]F

I completely missed that one, a built in spell checker? Wow isn't that going a little far heh heh. I suppose if having spell checkers in browser software became a standard thing to do it might save forum administrators some bandwidth on having them built into the forums

This post has been edited by Chesso: Jul 16 2006, 11:57 PM

I was using version 1.5.4 of Firefox, and it upgraded a couple of days ago to version 1.5.6. I also have BonEcho installed on the same machine, since it installs into a different folder I don't have problems with the profiles getting mixed up. However, the version of Bon Echo I have (an early beta) doesn't work properly -- bookmarks don't work and it frequently crashed and refused to accept 1.5.x plugins that I found very annoying. There was absolutely nothing in BonEcho that SeaMonley couldn't do, and that is why SeaMonkey is my preferred browser.

This post has been edited by kerouac: Aug 4 2006, 07:55 PM

Well, I am no Anti Firefox, but I don't see anything special yet in the FF2 Beta 1 and that is why I don't see the point to change to Firefox from Opera9 as it has most of those features and is much faster.. But they are doing a great job updating Firefox engine though, I like Firefox just for several reasons: it has a lot of fun/useful/powerful extensions (add-ons) and people browse with firefox - it is much better than using IE

Here is a really good site about browser speeds and conclusions: http://www.howtocreate.co.uk/browserSpeed.html The best one I found on the Net