Install and Use Ubuntu

The release of Firefox 3.0 has been a resounding success, but for some the upgrade path has been less than painless. The latest version of the open source browser differed enough from previous versions that many add-ons had to be substantially rewritten before they would work with the new release. And just when the dust appeared to be clearing, Firefox 3.1 is on the horizon.

Don’t worry. If you weathered the transition to Firefox 3.0 (possibly with the help of some clever hacks along the way), you needn’t expect a repeat performance when Firefox 3.1 arrives in late 2008 or early 2009. “In fact,” says Mozilla developer Mark Finkle, “I’d go out on a limb and say updating to Firefox 3.1 will be easy.”

Anti-malware software is a given for any Windows PC today. Studies have shown that even Windows Vista, with its new security measures, remains vulnerable to many networked attacks. But while security software may be ubiquitous, it’s hardly universally loved. Slow scanning, intrusive alerts, and endless database updates can sometimes make antivirus apps seem like just as much of a burden as the malware they aim to thwart.

Fortunately, Symantec seems to have taken such user complaints to heart. The security vendor reports that new versions of Norton Internet Security and Norton Anti-Virus are in the works, and this time, a faster, more streamlined user experience is top priority.

Blogging is increasingly popular, both for individuals and businesses alike. That’s because blogging software is one of the easiest ways to publicize information about your company. The best packages offer near-infinite customizability while still making it easy for new users to get up and running with a bare minimum of installation and configuration.

My own favorite among the long list of available packages is WordPress. To me, it offers just the right balance of configurability and ease of use. What’s more, it seems to consistently be on the cusp of the latest Web technologies. Case in point: WordPress 2.6 arrived today, and it brings a host of new options that make posting and editing your blogs easier than ever — even when you’re offline.

For most of us, the Web is primarily a visual medium. The downside is that accessing the benefits of the Internet can be a challenge for the visually-impaired. Fortunately, electronic documents are much more versatile than printed ones. Screen-reading software has come a long way, and today it can make online information accessible even to the completely blind.

But even modern screen readers aren’t perfect. Particularly, they are of no help when there’s nothing to read. Too often, graphically rich Web sites are designed without sufficient text cues that would allow visually impaired users to navigate them. Now help is on the way, thanks to a new project from IBM’s AlphaWorks that aims to improve Web accessibility through collaborative techniques borrowed from the world of open source software.

After an extensive beta program and two release candidates (or three, if you use a Mac), the final version of Firefox 3 is now officially set for release. The Firefox developers insisted they would only release it “when it’s ready,” and now the word is that it will be ready at last on Tuesday, June 17.

Expect this release to go off with a bang. Firefox developers and fans are eagerly anticipating the new browser, and they’ve already cooked up a number of ways to celebrate.