The Mozilla foundation last week released the latest version of its open-source Web application suite. Mozilla 1.5 includes a Web browser, e-mail client, Web page design software and a chat client. With the release, Mozilla improved its tabbed browsing so that tabs and bookmarks work better together. Other changes include the addition of a spelling checker in the e-mail client and improved layout tools in the Mozilla Composer Web editor.
Mozilla also announced the latest releases of its stand-alone Firebird browser (Version 0.7) and Thunderbird e-mail application (Version 0.3). Both are technology previews because they remain in pre-Version 1.0 states and have not undergone full testing, said Mitchell Baker, Mozilla Foundation president.
Along with the new releases, Mozilla is adding end-user services in its quest to become more user-focused. It is offering Mozilla 1.5, Firebird and Thunderbird on a CD, in addition to software downloads.
Also in the browser space, Opera Software, less than a month after launching an updated Web browser for Windows, has released another version that runs across operating systems. Opera 7.21 was launched last week and runs on Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris.