Minimo
Encyclopedia
Minimo was a project to create a version of the Mozilla
web browser
for small devices like PDAs
and mobile phone
s.
The project aimed to make it easier for developers to embed parts of Mozilla into systems with limited system resources (for example, machines with low amounts of RAM). This project is still in use although is being outmoded by Mozilla Fennec
, another mobile device web-browser.
To minimize the use of system resources Minimo initially did not include some of Mozilla's functionality, such as support for SVG
, although continuing experiments sought to include all the features of the Mozilla codebase. In addition, the browser used small screen rendering technology to reformat Web pages for pocket-sized displays and allowed a platform for UI experiments on mobile devices. The user interface
was designed to take up minimal screen space, with a single 8px high toolbar and a hidden-by-default address bar. Other user interface functionality, such as bookmarks, history, and search, was migrated into a special homepage called the Homebase. Because Minimo is based on the Gecko
infrastructure, developers can decide to build specific versions and evaluate other features such as the canvas, SVG support, and more.
Chris Hofmann created the Minimo project shortly after leaving Netscape Communications in 2003, under funding from Nokia's Maemo team. He single-handedly saved the project from being canceled many times. The loyal dog, Sparky
, is the project's Chief Mascot. Currently Chris works for the Mozilla Corporation
. Chris was also responsible for some of the Minimo key features such as the Homebase bar, a format for displaying bookmarks more amenable to mobile devices.
Early Minimo development centered around ARM
devices (such as Hewlett-Packard
's iPAQ
) with around 64MB
of RAM, running Familiar Linux
and the GPE Palmtop Environment
(where it is was the default browser). Minimo 0.1 was released for this platform in 2004.
The lead Minimo developer, Doug Turner (Mozilla)
, headed this and additional Mozilla mobile projects such as the Mozilla labs project named Joey. The Mozilla Foundation
hired Turner in December 2004 to work full time on Mobile projects. Minimo was funded by Nokia
and others. Nokia's involvement became public in mid-2004.
A Windows CE
version of Minimo was created for Pocket PC
2003 software development kit
. The first public build of Minimo for Windows CE was made available in February 2005.
In June 2006, the 0.16 release of minimo included tabs, a "homebase bar" for fast navigation to frequently used web sites, and featured support for many advanced web development capabilities that made the mobile browser easier to use.
On December 17, 2006, Turner, in his blog
, acknowledged the slow pace of development, and revealed that Mozilla developers were exploring alternatives for Gecko-based web browsing on mobile handsets. Turner issued an invitation for others to "step up" as his own development priorities shift.
Version 0.2 came out in March 2007 and represented a product targeted for mobile developers. Minimo 0.2 included and upgraded interface, and support for Windows Mobile 5.
On November 27, 2007, project head Doug Turner announced that the project was no longer supported.
By 2008 Doug Turner had begun on yet another mobile web browser, this time known as Firefox Mobile or Fennec.
version of Minimo performs significantly slower than expected.
The quality of rendered pages is congruent with the well-respected layout engine
it implements (Gecko
), but the program has very high memory and hardware requirements compared to what is typically available on most handheld platforms (e.g. 64 megabyte
s of RAM
, 206–624 MHz ARM-compatible CPU).
Version 0.016 (~8 MB CAB installation; Windows Mobile 4.2 + 5.0) and Version 0.2 (~4 MB CAB installation; Windows Mobile 5.0 only) are not recommendable for end-users not used to running bleeding edge
software. In this version the browser may make the Windows Mobile OS unstable and a soft-reset may be required to make the system work again.
Version 0.2 was recommended for developers targeting mobile devices or interested in AJAX
- and Web Services-driven Web application for the mobile space. Minimo is compatible with many Web 2.0 applications, such as Gmail
.
Mozilla
Mozilla is a term used in a number of ways in relation to the Mozilla.org project and the Mozilla Foundation, their defunct commercial predecessor Netscape Communications Corporation, and their related application software....
web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
for small devices like PDAs
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
and mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s.
The project aimed to make it easier for developers to embed parts of Mozilla into systems with limited system resources (for example, machines with low amounts of RAM). This project is still in use although is being outmoded by Mozilla Fennec
Fennec (browser)
Firefox for mobile is the name of the build of the Mozilla Firefox web browser for devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants ....
, another mobile device web-browser.
Background
The Minimo Project was created to test the feasibility of porting a full-function desktop browser engine to advanced mobile devices.To minimize the use of system resources Minimo initially did not include some of Mozilla's functionality, such as support for SVG
Scalable Vector Graphics
Scalable Vector Graphics is a family of specifications of an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic . The SVG specification is an open standard that has been under development by the World Wide Web Consortium since 1999.SVG images and their...
, although continuing experiments sought to include all the features of the Mozilla codebase. In addition, the browser used small screen rendering technology to reformat Web pages for pocket-sized displays and allowed a platform for UI experiments on mobile devices. The user interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
was designed to take up minimal screen space, with a single 8px high toolbar and a hidden-by-default address bar. Other user interface functionality, such as bookmarks, history, and search, was migrated into a special homepage called the Homebase. Because Minimo is based on the Gecko
Gecko (layout engine)
Gecko is a free and open source layout engine used in many applications developed by Mozilla Foundation and the Mozilla Corporation , as well as in many other open source software projects....
infrastructure, developers can decide to build specific versions and evaluate other features such as the canvas, SVG support, and more.
Chris Hofmann created the Minimo project shortly after leaving Netscape Communications in 2003, under funding from Nokia's Maemo team. He single-handedly saved the project from being canceled many times. The loyal dog, Sparky
Sparky
Sparky is a common nickname for people and animals.It may also refer to:People nicknamed Sparky:*Sparky Adams , American Major League Baseball player...
, is the project's Chief Mascot. Currently Chris works for the Mozilla Corporation
Mozilla Corporation
The Mozilla Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation that coordinates and integrates the development of Internet-related applications such as the Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey Navigator web browsers and the Mozilla Thunderbird email client by a growing global community of...
. Chris was also responsible for some of the Minimo key features such as the Homebase bar, a format for displaying bookmarks more amenable to mobile devices.
Early Minimo development centered around ARM
ARM architecture
ARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
devices (such as Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
's iPAQ
IPAQ
iPAQ presently refers to a Pocket PC and personal digital assistant first unveiled by Compaq in April 2000; the name was borrowed from Compaq's earlier iPAQ Desktop Personal Computers. Since Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Compaq, the product has been marketed by HP. The devices use a Windows...
) with around 64MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
of RAM, running Familiar Linux
Familiar Linux
Familiar Linux is a Linux distribution for iPAQ machines and other personal digital assistants , intended as a replacement for Windows CE on these machines. It can use OPIE or GPE Palmtop Environment as graphical user interface...
and the GPE Palmtop Environment
GPE Palmtop Environment
GPE is a graphical user interface environment for handheld computers, such as palmtops and personal digital assistants , running the Linux operating system...
(where it is was the default browser). Minimo 0.1 was released for this platform in 2004.
The lead Minimo developer, Doug Turner (Mozilla)
Doug Turner (Mozilla)
Doug Turner is an employee of the Mozilla Corporation and long-time contributor to Mozilla. The Mozilla Foundation hired Turner in December 2004 to work full time on mobile projects such as Minimo and Mozilla Joey. He was the Foundation's 12th hire...
, headed this and additional Mozilla mobile projects such as the Mozilla labs project named Joey. The Mozilla Foundation
Mozilla Foundation
The Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that exists to support and provide leadership for the open source Mozilla project. The organization sets the policies that govern development, operates key infrastructure and controls trademarks and other intellectual property...
hired Turner in December 2004 to work full time on Mobile projects. Minimo was funded by Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
and others. Nokia's involvement became public in mid-2004.
A Windows CE
Windows CE
Microsoft Windows CE is an operating system developed by Microsoft for embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows...
version of Minimo was created for Pocket PC
Pocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
2003 software development kit
Software development kit
A software development kit is typically a set of software development tools that allows for the creation of applications for a certain software package, software framework, hardware platform, computer system, video game console, operating system, or similar platform.It may be something as simple...
. The first public build of Minimo for Windows CE was made available in February 2005.
In June 2006, the 0.16 release of minimo included tabs, a "homebase bar" for fast navigation to frequently used web sites, and featured support for many advanced web development capabilities that made the mobile browser easier to use.
On December 17, 2006, Turner, in his blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, acknowledged the slow pace of development, and revealed that Mozilla developers were exploring alternatives for Gecko-based web browsing on mobile handsets. Turner issued an invitation for others to "step up" as his own development priorities shift.
Version 0.2 came out in March 2007 and represented a product targeted for mobile developers. Minimo 0.2 included and upgraded interface, and support for Windows Mobile 5.
On November 27, 2007, project head Doug Turner announced that the project was no longer supported.
By 2008 Doug Turner had begun on yet another mobile web browser, this time known as Firefox Mobile or Fennec.
Criticism
Probably because it was in the early stages of development, the Windows MobileWindows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
version of Minimo performs significantly slower than expected.
The quality of rendered pages is congruent with the well-respected layout engine
Layout engine
A web browser engine, , is a software component that takes marked up content and formatting information and displays the formatted content on the screen. It "paints" on the content area of a window, which is displayed on a monitor or a printer...
it implements (Gecko
Gecko (layout engine)
Gecko is a free and open source layout engine used in many applications developed by Mozilla Foundation and the Mozilla Corporation , as well as in many other open source software projects....
), but the program has very high memory and hardware requirements compared to what is typically available on most handheld platforms (e.g. 64 megabyte
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
s of RAM
Ram
-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
, 206–624 MHz ARM-compatible CPU).
Version 0.016 (~8 MB CAB installation; Windows Mobile 4.2 + 5.0) and Version 0.2 (~4 MB CAB installation; Windows Mobile 5.0 only) are not recommendable for end-users not used to running bleeding edge
Bleeding edge
Bleeding edge technology is technology that is so new that it could have a high risk of being unreliable and may incur greater expense in order to use it...
software. In this version the browser may make the Windows Mobile OS unstable and a soft-reset may be required to make the system work again.
Version 0.2 was recommended for developers targeting mobile devices or interested in AJAX
Ajax
- Mythology :* Ajax , son of Telamon, ruler of Salamis and a hero in the Trojan War, also known as "Ajax the Great"* Ajax the Lesser, son of Oileus, ruler of Locris and the leader of the Locrian contingent during the Trojan War.- People :...
- and Web Services-driven Web application for the mobile space. Minimo is compatible with many Web 2.0 applications, such as Gmail
Gmail
Gmail is a free, advertising-supported email service provided by Google. Users may access Gmail as secure webmail, as well via POP3 or IMAP protocols. Gmail was launched as an invitation-only beta release on April 1, 2004 and it became available to the general public on February 7, 2007, though...
.
See also
- Fennec Browser
- Opera MobileOpera MobileOpera Mobile is a web browser for smartphones and PDA's developed by the Opera Software company. The first version was released in 2000 for the Psion Series 7 and netBook. Today, it is available for a variety of devices that run on Android, S60, Windows Mobile, Maemo , and MeeGo...
- MicrobrowserMicrobrowserA mobile browser, also called a microbrowser, minibrowser, or wireless internet browser , is a web browser designed for use on a mobile device such as a mobile phone or PDA. Mobile browsers are optimized so as to display Web content most effectively for small screens on portable devices...
- List of web browsers
- Comparison of web browsersComparison of web browsersThe following tables compare general and technical information for a number of web browsers. Please see the individual products' articles for further information.-Historical web browsers:...
External links
- Minimo Project homepage
- An overview of the Minimo (Mini Mozilla) project (written by the Minimo developers)
- Interview with Doug Turner and Chris Hofmann of the Minimo Project
- CNET News.com article about Nokia funding
- Photos of Minimo running on Windows Mobile devices
- Screenshots of Minimo running on the i-mate JAM (a Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Second Edition, Phone Edition device)
- AJAX Mobile Apps