Important security update for Firefox 2

Although Mozilla recently released Firefox 3, there are still a lot of people using Firefox 2. Probably because of failure during the installation of FF3 or simply as a result of unknowledge about the release of Firefox 3. Firefox had no less than 125 million users worldwide by the end of 2007. Today the figure is even higher. Therefore there may be some people still using Firefox 2.

It is very important to have an updated browser if you wish to use the Internet safely and avoid getting infected by malware, etc. It is also to meet this need amoung their users that Mozilla has just brought out a new package of security updates to Firefox 2. The new edition of Firefox 2 is called Firefox 2.0.0.15, and contains, better security in terms of certificates, which reduces the risk of being subjected to phishing. Before the update, one could fool Firefox 2 to accept an unreliable certificate if the name of the certificate recalled a trusted certificate name. A user who were not on guard could thus happen to give the false certificate full rights. Below, you'll find a list of problems that Mozilla has resolved in Firefox 2, version 2.0.0.15. In addition, Mozilla also has improved memory management, which is welcome in the case of Firefox 2. If you are using Firefox 2, click on the alternetive "Help" and select "Search for updates", or install the latest version of Firefox 2 via Mozilla's website, se link below. Or why not switch to Firefox 3? If you want to read more about the new features in Firefox 2.0.0.15, you will find Mozilla's Release Notes on the browser here. For those of you who still insist on using Firefox 2 instead of Firefox 3, there is a direct link to Firefox 2.0.0.x. You can find the latest version of Firefox 2 here.

iTunes and QuickTime update installs Safari for Windows

If you are using either Apple's iTunes or QuickTime then you will risk to auto-download Apple's new web browser Safari 3.1 for Windows. QuickTime and iTunes are using an auto-update tool to automatically download new software updates. This time the update tool will try to install the Safari browser along with the other updates. Users of the two programs therefore risk to install unwanted software at the moment they update iTunes and QuickTime. Mozilla CEO John Lilly complain that Apple's strategy borders on malware distribution habits. He also says that the behavior may effect people in the way that some won't trust auto-updates furthermore. Lilly said something important here, because it's very important to maintain the relationship between software users and the software companies. In any event, users should be aware of pre-checked options before installing new softwares and updates.

What is open source code?

You may have heard of open source, but what does it mean in computer programming? Open source is programming code that is available to everyone. You can read the open source code and also use it in your own applications. There are a couple of conditions needed to be imposed by any program written in open source code. The Open Source Definition states that open source code has to be freely redistributed. One shall also be able to read the real code. Not only the original code has to be free, even derived code shall be redistributed for free. You shall also respect the author of the original code and not exclude his or her name from further distributions. Neither private persons or companies can be stopped from using the code. If a program based on open source code is a part of another program, then the whole program has to be distributed according to open source. The open source license doesn't say that all programs included in an open source distribution has to be free. These conditions are written by Bruce Perens and Eric Raymond. The conditions constitute The Open Source Definition. There are several popular program made of open source code. Mozilla Firefox, Apache, Linux operating system are all made of open source code.