A summer in the middle of zero years.
My cousin from college came to my house with a pen and phone for the summer vacation. On his computer desktop, I saw a cool icon: a fox hovering over the earth.
My cousin said it was called Firefox, Mozilla Firefox.
That's when I learned, oh, there are other software that can "surf the Internet"?
When I openEd Firefox, the first thing I felt was that the interface was fresh and seemed to be much faster than the browser of my home computer (well, IE).
The most critical thing is that it opens a new web page, which is to create a new tab on the original window.
Instead of opening a new webpage in a new window like IE did, and cramming your taskbar.
After I had my own computer, the first browser I installed was Firefox.
But, young people, are always happy to experience new things.
So the fate with Firefox did not last long, I went to use Sogou, QQ, Ou Peng, 360, and finally stopped at Chrome.
Just two days ago, Shichao saw a post saying that Firefox's market share is only 4% and it is going to disappear.
WTF？
I also remember that people with a little surfing experience at that time used Firefox.
But after the surprise, Shi Chao was more of a feeling.
Because if there is no Chrome, the warrior who slaughtered IE that year may be Firefox.
Today, Shi Chao will talk to everyone about firefox in the past life and this life.
In the early days of the Internet in the last century, the most used browser was called Mosaic because it was easy to install.
Let's call it a generation first.
In 1994, one of the developers of Mosaic, Mark Anderson, developed a browser of his own, called Mosaic Netscape Mosaic Netscape.
Later, after a dispute with his old owner, he removed the browser name from Mosaic and changed it to Netscape Navigator.
Although it claims to be "Netscape Browser" to the outside world, there is another code name when developing internally -
Mozilla, by Mosaic Godzilla Killa Mosaic · Godzilla Killer" abbreviated.
If nothing else, it just wants to kill a generation of Mosaic.
The Netscape mascot, also called Mozilla, resembles Godzilla in appearance
This is also true.
Because Netscape browser is more practical, more stable, and supports free trials, it quickly beat Mosaic and became a second-generation audience.
However, the dragon chair is not hot yet, Microsoft with IE to kill.
Although Netscape has dominated the browser market, IE is not a good stubble.
First of all, its big brother Windows is a monopoly on the entire operating system market, where the brother mixes, the younger brother installs where.
Even for a while, because Microsoft sponsored Apple, even the default browser on MacOS was IE.
In addition, Microsoft will also make some small moves.
For example, let the host manufacturer display the IE icon on the desktop, can not display the Netscape, disobedience will increase the price.
Or buy the web design software and make it web pages that are only suitable for IE.
Of course, while Microsoft paved the way, IE itself did not rest.
First of all, Daddy has money, and IE directly chooses to be permanently free.
Secondly, Dad has money, the function development is very fast, and the experience is also chasing the Internet scene.
Free and enough, so what reason do users have not to use IE?
Mozilla pedals IE
On the other hand, in order to have an advantage in this big war, blindly add new features, but ignore the stability, resulting in worse and worse reputation.
In this way, Netscape's share was swallowed up like crazy, and the company was acquired by American Online in 1998.
Before the acquisition, though, they did one thing — the Mozilla program.
All Netscape network suites (including browsers, email clients, web development software, etc.) were changed to be free and open source.
The Mozilla organization was also formed to develop and maintain it with employees and volunteers.
Probably just don't accept defeat.
The organization did succeed in developing a new Mozilla suite (including browsers, email clients, etc.), but it didn't make much of a splash.
Mozilla Suite Startup Page
In April 2003, the Mozilla organization announced that separate software was more futuristic, that the focus was no longer on the Mozilla suite, and that it was ready to redevelop a new, separate browser.
But a few months later, AOL abruptly laid off most of Netscape's employees, and the building removed Netscape's signboard.
Just when everyone thought netscape was gone, Members and volunteers of the Mozilla organization formed the Mozilla Foundation to maintain the development plan through sponsorship.
Finally, a year later, this brand new, standalone browser was rubbed out.
It's Firefox.
Firefox was originally called "Phoenix", but was later changed due to copyright disputes.
Phoenix is the immortal bird in Western mythology, and it can be resurrected in its own ashes.
Logo of the Phoneix era
Firefox version 0.1 was released in November 2004.
IE has features it has, IE doesn't have features, it also has, such as tab browsing, pop-up blockers, download managers.
In later versions, it quickly updated the Google search bar, sidebar, themes, password manager and other functions.
If you're not satisfied with this, they also have a community where many developers provide plugins and can customize their browsers at will.
Firefox 2.0
However, what scares the opponent the most is actually its security.
Not to mention that as an open source program, there are a large number of developers working together to find and fix vulnerabilities.
It also released an additional Bug Bounty program that rewards $500 to $3,000 whenever you find a bug.
In addition, Firefox uses a sandbox security module that restricts the access of web scripts to user data and prevents malicious attacks.
When transmitting data, SSL/TLS encryption is used to allow users to transmit it secretly.
Later, it also partnered with Google to send alerts as soon as a user visits a phishing site.
Less than a year after its release, Firefox has surpassed 100 million downloads. It received numerous positive reviews, being named the best browser by Fobes in 2004 and the best 100 products of 2005 by the magazine PC World in 2005.
By 2009, Firefox had a 25% share of the global market, and in some countries even reached 86%, almost all Firefox.
Firefox - Green IE - Blue
Microsoft was also panicked at the time, internally listing Firefox as a threatening adversary.
In short, no matter how you look at it, Firefox's road to revenge seems to be on the verge of success.
However, in the scene of the return of the king, it was only halfway through, and it was pressed the pause button.
Firefox momentum was quickly suppressed, and finally after 1 or 2 years, it ushered in a decline.
As for why Firefox went downhill, many people said it didn't do a good job on its own.
Some people say that the features on Firefox are not very liked, and the favorite features firefox does not have.
Others say it's arrogant, and users don't add features it wants.
Others say it's been getting closer to Chrome, and it's better to use Chrome.
In fact, these are really not enough to make Firefox go downhill, and the function is not all turnip cabbage has its own love.
I think it's not that Firefox doesn't work, it's that Chrome is too strong.
An important reason for everyone to use Chrome is the Google Family Bucket.
With a Google Account, you can log in directly to Chrome, synchronize at multiple ends, and this account can also log in to all of its apps, which is not a little more convenient.
In addition, Chrome pages are concise, version iteration is fast, there are many new features, and it has a top-level Chromium kernel, which are its huge advantages.
With these, Chrome came out and was simply unexpected, and no one could stop it.
Although firefox, like many browsers, has been dominated by Chrome, and even looks like it is about to disappear.
But throughout history, I've believed in Mozilla.
Frustrated by IE from the browser war, in order to win back the market, he also opened all products free and open source to establish the Mozilla organization.
The Netscape division was massively laid off, and in order to maintain development, the Mozilla Foundation was urgently established on the same day.
With this spirit of continuous "rebirth" in desperate situations for decades, I think that even if no one really uses Firefox one day, and the ranking is also divided into "others", it will not give up.
Author: Hedgehog
editing:polygons
bibliography
[1] Wikipedia: Firefox, Browser Wars, Mozilla Application Suite, History of Mozilla Application Suite, Chrome, Mozilla, Internet Explorer for Mac
[2]firefox-market-dynamicsStatcounter
[3] How was Mozilla born：The story of the first mascot on the InternetAOL Cuts Remaining Mozilla Hackers