Firefox turned 10 years old yesterday, and Mozilla has released a celebration edition of sorts. The latest version of Firefox comes equipped with some new privacy options and a developer edition for those who are working ahead of the current stable release. Mainly, it brings the “Forget” feature to a more prominent place on the front panel.
Officially known as Firefox 33.1, the browser now puts the “Forget” button on the toolbar. This makes it easier for users to use it to completely erase the most recent browsing history. Users can select to erase five minutes, two hours, or one day of internet use. It’s best for those who are borrowing a friend’s computer for a moment. The option isn’t technically new, but the latest stable releases makes it easier to find for those who were previously unaware of its presence.
The browser also adds DuckDuckGo as a default browser option as part of the effort to enhance privacy. DuckDuckGo is a search engine that does not track users, records no search history, and essentially allows users to do anonymous web searches. It isn’t as comprehensive as Google, but it does provide some peace of mind for those who would prefer not to be watched by an anonymous mega-corporation.
Mozilla has also launched the Polaris Initiative, which attempts to further enhance browser privacy. It is doing this by cooperating with the Tor project, who are the ones behind the anonymous internet. Tor will begin incorporating Firefox in its Tor Browser Bundle, while the project developers will be providing Mozilla with recommendations on how to make Firefox work better with Tor.
Finally, the new Developer Edition of Firefox is being released to replace the Aurora channel. This is the browser that runs two versions ahead of the current stable release. It is mainly intended for developers to keep tabs on the direction that the browser is going, although it does feature more debugging functions through iOS and Android.
[Source: Ars Technica]
