Firefox update kicks graphics speed up a notch

From CNET: Mozilla released on Tuesday a new version of its Firefox Quantum browser, boosting its graphics speed and improving a couple of new technologies designed to make the web more powerful.

The browser, version 58, is the first major update since Mozilla's recovery plan hit full stride in November with the debut of Firefox Quantum. A decade ago, Firefox was running circles around Microsoft's Internet Explorer, but the browser market has become much more competitive now with the arrival of Google's Chrome and mobile phones.

Speed is of the essence in Mozilla's recovery plan, and Firefox 58 does better than its predecessor in some graphics tasks by splitting work better across the multiple processor cores that computer chips have these days. The result should be scrolling that's smooth, uninterrupted by the stuttering that in computing circles goes by the disparaging term "jank."

There's evidence that the Quantum plan has brought new and return users to Firefox. But even if you aren't persuaded, the plan is important for the web. Firefox can push other browsers to get better, keep the web a neutral domain instead of the purview of a tech giant like Microsoft or Google, and advance new standards that make the web more useful.

View: Article @ Source Site