Swiftweasel
Encyclopedia
Swiftweasel is a build of Mozilla Firefox
source code, which uses non-trademark
ed graphics and logos. It is optimized for several architectures, and is available for the Linux
platform only.
Released under the terms of the Mozilla Public License
, Swiftweasel is free and open source software
. It is distinct from Swiftfox
(another optimized version of Firefox) in that Swiftweasel is completely free and open source while Swiftfox
's binaries are proprietary
.
. It is a two step building process. The application is compiled one time and then run to produce a profile. The profile is then used to guide a second compilation of the application.
Some of the older optimizations are still used, but there are now only Intel and AMD versions of each build. It is released compiled in a tar.gz package. There are also separate installers for Ubuntu and Arch linux available through their communities.
Increased Security
Simplify
installed by default.
email client.
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
source code, which uses non-trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
ed graphics and logos. It is optimized for several architectures, and is available for the Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
platform only.
Released under the terms of the Mozilla Public License
Mozilla Public License
The Mozilla Public License is a free and open source software license. Version 1.0 was developed by Mitchell Baker when she worked as a lawyer at Netscape Communications Corporation and version 1.1 at the Mozilla Foundation...
, Swiftweasel is free and open source software
Free and open source software
Free and open-source software or free/libre/open-source software is software that is liberally licensed to grant users the right to use, study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code...
. It is distinct from Swiftfox
Swiftfox
Swiftfox is a web browser based on Mozilla Firefox. It is available for GNU/Linux platforms and distributed by Jason Halme. Swiftfox is a set of builds of Firefox optimized for different Intel and AMD microprocessors. Swiftfox is freely downloadable with open source code and proprietary binaries....
(another optimized version of Firefox) in that Swiftweasel is completely free and open source while Swiftfox
Swiftfox
Swiftfox is a web browser based on Mozilla Firefox. It is available for GNU/Linux platforms and distributed by Jason Halme. Swiftfox is a set of builds of Firefox optimized for different Intel and AMD microprocessors. Swiftfox is freely downloadable with open source code and proprietary binaries....
's binaries are proprietary
Proprietary software
Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary...
.
P.G.O.
As of the 3.0.3 release, Swiftweasel has shifted its primary optimization from processor specific to P.G.O. P.G.O. stands for Profile-guided optimizationProfile-guided optimization
Profile-guided optimization is a compiler optimization technique in computer programming to improve program runtime performance. In contrast to traditional optimization techniques that solely use the source code, PGO uses the results of test runs of the instrumented program to optimize the final...
. It is a two step building process. The application is compiled one time and then run to produce a profile. The profile is then used to guide a second compilation of the application.
Some of the older optimizations are still used, but there are now only Intel and AMD versions of each build. It is released compiled in a tar.gz package. There are also separate installers for Ubuntu and Arch linux available through their communities.
Binary code optimization
- Compiled with options that optimize for speed rather than binary size.
- Swiftweasel is compiled -O3, (the highest level)
- The resulting Swiftweasel binary is larger than Firefox.
- Firefox is compiled -Os(which is for binary size).
- Swiftweasel is compiled -O3, (the highest level)
- BinariesBinary fileA binary file is a computer file which may contain any type of data, encoded in binary form for computer storage and processing purposes; for example, computer document files containing formatted text...
incorporate additional instruction setInstruction setAn instruction set, or instruction set architecture , is the part of the computer architecture related to programming, including the native data types, instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt and exception handling, and external I/O...
s.- Intel and AMD: SSEStreaming SIMD ExtensionsIn computing, Streaming SIMD Extensions is a SIMD instruction set extension to the x86 architecture, designed by Intel and introduced in 1999 in their Pentium III series processors as a reply to AMD's 3DNow! . SSE contains 70 new instructions, most of which work on single precision floating point...
, SSE2SSE2SSE2, Streaming SIMD Extensions 2, is one of the Intel SIMD processor supplementary instruction sets first introduced by Intel with the initial version of the Pentium 4 in 2001. It extends the earlier SSE instruction set, and is intended to fully supplant MMX. Intel extended SSE2 to create SSE3...
, SSE3SSE3SSE3, Streaming SIMD Extensions 3, also known by its Intel code name Prescott New Instructions , is the third iteration of the SSE instruction set for the IA-32 architecture. Intel introduced SSE3 in early 2004 with the Prescott revision of their Pentium 4 CPU...
, and MMX. - AMD only: 3DNow!3DNow!3DNow! is an extension to the x86 instruction set developed by Advanced Micro Devices . It adds single instruction multiple data instructions to the base x86 instruction set, enabling it to perform simple vector processing, which improves the performance of many graphic-intensive applications...
- Intel and AMD: SSE
- Optimization specific to the build microprocessor architecture.
- Intel 32bit: Pentium 4Pentium 4Pentium 4 was a line of single-core desktop and laptop central processing units , introduced by Intel on November 20, 2000 and shipped through August 8, 2008. They had a 7th-generation x86 microarchitecture, called NetBurst, which was the company's first all-new design since the introduction of the...
, Pentium 3Pentium IIIThe Pentium III brand refers to Intel's 32-bit x86 desktop and mobile microprocessors based on the sixth-generation P6 microarchitecture introduced on February 26, 1999. The brand's initial processors were very similar to the earlier Pentium II-branded microprocessors...
, Pentium MPentium MThe Pentium M brand refers to a family of mobile single-core x86 microprocessors introduced in March 2003 , and forming a part of the Intel Carmel notebook platform under the then new Centrino brand...
, Pentium IIIPentium IIIThe Pentium III brand refers to Intel's 32-bit x86 desktop and mobile microprocessors based on the sixth-generation P6 microarchitecture introduced on February 26, 1999. The brand's initial processors were very similar to the earlier Pentium II-branded microprocessors...
, Pentium IIPentium IIThe Pentium II brand refers to Intel's sixth-generation microarchitecture and x86-compatible microprocessors introduced on May 7, 1997. Containing 7.5 million transistors, the Pentium II featured an improved version of the first P6-generation core of the Pentium Pro, which contained 5.5 million...
, Pentium 4 (Prescott). - Intel 64bit: Nocona
- AMD: Athlon XP, AthlonAthlonAthlon is the brand name applied to a series of x86-compatible microprocessors designed and manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices . The original Athlon was the first seventh-generation x86 processor and, in a first, retained the initial performance lead it had over Intel's competing processors...
, K6-2, AthlonAthlonAthlon is the brand name applied to a series of x86-compatible microprocessors designed and manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices . The original Athlon was the first seventh-generation x86 processor and, in a first, retained the initial performance lead it had over Intel's competing processors...
. - AMD64: Athlon64, OpteronOpteronOpteron is AMD's x86 server and workstation processor line, and was the first processor which supported the AMD64 instruction set architecture . It was released on April 22, 2003 with the SledgeHammer core and was intended to compete in the server and workstation markets, particularly in the same...
- Intel 32bit: Pentium 4
- Compiled with newer version of GCCGNU Compiler CollectionThe GNU Compiler Collection is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain...
(Firefox 2.0 uses 3.3.2, Swiftweasel 2.0 uses 4.0.3, and Swiftweasel 3.0.3 uses 4.2.3).
Increased Security
- Better protection from Buffer overflowBuffer overflowIn computer security and programming, a buffer overflow, or buffer overrun, is an anomaly where a program, while writing data to a buffer, overruns the buffer's boundary and overwrites adjacent memory. This is a special case of violation of memory safety....
attacks (Swiftweasel 2.0 uses -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2; Firefox 2.0 uses gcc 3.x, which does not support this).
Simplify
- IPv6IPv6Internet Protocol version 6 is a version of the Internet Protocol . It is designed to succeed the Internet Protocol version 4...
DNSDomain name systemThe Domain Name System is a hierarchical distributed naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities...
lookups are disabled. preventing slowdowns - HTTP pipeliningHTTP pipeliningHTTP pipelining is a technique in which multiple HTTP requests are sent on a single HTTP connection without waiting for the corresponding responses....
is enabled by default. Note that FasterfoxFasterfoxFasterfox is a Mozilla Firefox extension that provides an interface to tweak some performance related settings such as browser network connection, cache, timings, as well as provide an optional controversial feature which forces Link prefetching. These changes can decrease page loading time...
provides a GUIGuiGui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
to adjust these settings. - For full details, users can download source packages with all changes listed.
Installed extensions
Swiftweasel has several extensionsExtension (Mozilla)
]Add-ons are installable enhancements to the Mozilla Foundation's projects, and projects based on them. Add-ons allow the user to add or augment application features, use themes to their liking, and handle new types of content.-Extensions:...
installed by default.
- XFormsXFormsXForms is an XML format for the specification of a data processing model for XML data and user interface for the XML data, such as web forms...
- AdBlock Plus
- User Agent Switcher
- Quick Locale Switcher
Swiftweasel-specific changes
Changes made to Swiftweasel include:- The default icon set has been replaced with the Kempelton icon set.
- Swiftweasel uses its own settings directory. The settings, including bookmarks, history, and extensions are imported from Mozilla FirefoxMozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
the first time Swiftweasel runs. - Plugins stored in /lib/mozilla/plugins and /lib/firefox/plugins are detected and used by Swiftweasel.
Swiftdove
The Swiftweasel project also builds optimized 32 and 64bit builds of the ThunderbirdMozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Thunderbird is a free, open source, cross-platform e-mail and news client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. The project strategy is modeled after Mozilla Firefox, a project aimed at creating a web browser...
email client.
Optimizations
As of the current version 2.0.0.21 Swiftdove is also PGO optimized.Plugins
The 2.0.0.21 builds of Swiftdove include the 0.9 Lightning calendar plugin installed by default.See also
- Mozilla Corporation software rebranded by the Debian project
- Mozilla FirefoxMozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
- SwiftfoxSwiftfoxSwiftfox is a web browser based on Mozilla Firefox. It is available for GNU/Linux platforms and distributed by Jason Halme. Swiftfox is a set of builds of Firefox optimized for different Intel and AMD microprocessors. Swiftfox is freely downloadable with open source code and proprietary binaries....
- Swiftfox is a freely downloadable, but proprietary optimized version of Firefox.
External links
- Swiftweasel site
- Software Headlines
- Softpedia review of Swiftweasel 3.0.1
- Web Developers Notes lists Swiftweasel
- Browser Wars
| Firefox Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers... (category) |
|---|
| Mozilla 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.... |
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... • 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... |
| Community / Customization |
Firefox 3 Mozilla Firefox 3 Mozilla Firefox 3.0 is a version of the Firefox web browser released on June 17, 2008 by the Mozilla Corporation.Firefox 3.0 uses version 1.9 of the Gecko layout engine for displaying web pages. This version fixes many bugs, improves standard compliance, and implements many new web APIs compared to... • Features Features of Mozilla Firefox These are some of the features of Mozilla Firefox that distinguish it from other web browsers such as Internet Explorer. In an effort to combat interface bloat and to allow the browser to be shipped as a small, pared-down core easily customizable to meet individual users' needs, Firefox relies on... • Extensions (category) • Spread Firefox • Adoption |
| Forks and Related Projects |
Flock Flock (web browser) Flock was a web browser that specialized in providing social networking and Web 2.0 facilities built into its user interface.Earlier versions of Flock used the Gecko HTML rendering engine by Mozilla.... • Gnuzilla Gnuzilla Gnuzilla, or GNUzilla, is a derivative of the Mozilla Application Suite created by the GNU Project as an attempt to be entirely free software. The reasons being that while the Mozilla project produces free and open software, the binaries released included additional non-free software in the form of... • GNU IceCat GNU IceCat GNU IceCat, formerly known as GNU IceWeasel, is a free software rebranding of the Mozilla Firefox web browser distributed by the GNU Project. It is compatible with both the GNU/Linux and Mac OS X operating systems.... • Iceweasel • Netscape 9 Netscape Navigator 9 Netscape Navigator 9 is a web browser produced by the Netscape Communications division of parent AOL, first announced on January 23, 2007. After AOL outsourced the development of Netscape Browser 8 to Mercurial Communications in 2004, Netscape Navigator 9 marked the first Netscape browser to be... • Portable Edition • Swiftfox Swiftfox Swiftfox is a web browser based on Mozilla Firefox. It is available for GNU/Linux platforms and distributed by Jason Halme. Swiftfox is a set of builds of Firefox optimized for different Intel and AMD microprocessors. Swiftfox is freely downloadable with open source code and proprietary binaries.... • Swiftweasel • Miro • Songbird Songbird (software) Songbird is a free and open source software audio player and web browser, with a stated mission "to incubate Songbird, the first Web player, to catalyze and champion a diverse, open Media Web."... • XeroBank |
| Origins and Lineage History of Mozilla Firefox The Mozilla Firefox project was created by Dave Hyatt and Blake Ross as an experimental branch of the Mozilla project. Firefox 1.0 was released on November 9, 2004. Firefox 1.5 was released on November 29, 2005. Version 2.0 was released on October 24, 2006... |
Mozilla Suite Mozilla Application Suite The Mozilla Application Suite is a cross-platform integrated Internet suite. Its development was initiated by Netscape Communications Corporation, before their acquisition by AOL. It is based on the source code of Netscape Communicator... • Netscape Navigator Netscape Navigator Netscape Navigator was a proprietary web browser that was popular in the 1990s. It was the flagship product of the Netscape Communications Corporation and the dominant web browser in terms of usage share, although by 2002 its usage had almost disappeared... • Netscape Communicator Netscape Communicator Netscape Communicator was an Internet suite produced by Netscape Communications Corporation. Initially released in June 1997, Netscape Communicator 4.0 was the successor to Netscape Navigator 3.x and included more groupware features intended to appeal to enterprises.- Editions :Netscape... • Netscape Communications Corp. |