Mozilla To Update Firefox Feb. 1 With Vista Patches

Mozilla developers plan to update Firefox on Feb. 1 with bug fixes to make the browser work better under Microsoft's new Windows Vista operating system, which will have been rolled out to consumers two days earlier.

According to notes from the weekly status meeting held Monday, the first of next month is the tentative release date for Firefox 2.0.0.2 and 1.5.0.10, the next security updates to the two versions that Mozilla is supporting. About 100 bugs have already been spotted and quashed, but about 60 remain unpatched, the notes said. Special attention will be paid to bugs involving Windows Vista in the hope that most or all can be fixed before Vista releases to retail.

"Need to check bug lists to make sure we are in good shape with the Vista bugs we hope to fix in this release," the notes said.

In other news, Mozilla will also offer Firefox 1.5.x users an update to the newer 2.0.x version of the open-source browser sometime this month. Currently, Firefox 1.5.x users who want to upgrade must manually download and install 2.0.x. The clock on Firefox 1.5.x is ticking, as Mozilla has already announced it will end security updates for that browser on April 24.