Firefox3.1 adding new features substantial increase in application rate of implementation

August 26 news, Mozilla recently said that, Firefox 3.1 TraceMonkey to join the new features, such as Gmail will significantly speed up the preparation, such as JavaScript with the speed of the implementation of network applications.

In recent years, JavaScript is widely used in many functions of a desktop software applications on the network.

However, JavaScript has been under implementation in a speed, network application software reaction speed, that is not directly installed in the PC software itself. Therefore, the production designer network application software programs, often to switch to other options, such as Adobe Systems's Flash and Flex.

Mozilla now hope to reverse the situation not conducive to JavaScript. Mozilla's Acting Deputy Chief Mike Shaver project said: TraceMonkey JavaScript is a given procedure code speed of the original plan. He pointed out that under SunSpider the test results, JavaScript Firefox 3.1 in the implementation of faster than twice as fast in Firefox 3.0.

Shaver said. Last Thursday (on the 21st), Mozilla programmers will TraceMonkey joined as a developer version of Firefox, this feature will be included in determining the next test version, Firefox 3.1 is the first beta.Firefox was originally scheduled for completion at the end of this year, but It is necessary, Mozilla is willing to make some delay.

JavaScript can speed the implementation of a web browser faster and more smoothly, gradually increase the browser wars, natural critical impact. Shaver said: We, like any alert and that this competition into the market again.

According to JavaScript Pioneer said Brendan Eich, SunSpider JavaScript tests showed that the increase rate of 83%, but this speed test is artificial benchmarks, not really reflect the JavaScript applications, such as Yahoo e-mail software Zimbra status of implementation. Another section TraceMonkey speed of the demonstration video, edit photos show the contrast and brightness adjustment, just 100 milliseconds (ms past 700 above).

TraceMonkey the name, Mozilla is now using the combination of JavaScript code translation engine SpiderMonkey, and the University of California at Irvine development of the track (trace) technology. Increase the project leader is Andreas Gal.TraceMonkey is the so-called time compiler, this technology can be prepared by the human process, into the computer to understand the instructions.

Most people in the computer software have first been translated into the so-called binary file formats, but JavaScript is usually in the implementation of the time before his trip to translation, naturally slower pace. Shaver said: We are close to the limit of capacity for translation. Timely compiler code is in the receiving operations (for example, a person entering a new page, the browser encountered JavaScript), on the production of binary file formats.

But TraceMonkey only specialized translation software in high-priority area. JavaScript used to track and record the implementation process, TraceMonkey programs often found a lot of time-consuming activities in the implementation of the repeated cycle of these real acts of the software cycle, and then be translated into the computer can understand the original directive.

On the contrary, some of the compiler will translate the whole procedure, the time-consuming for the computer to draw all the possible path, and then identify the most important. A program based on the actual status of implementation of the tracking technology, the actual translation needs only to concentrate on the implementation of some of the computer.

Shaver said: It allows the best of our energy on the process the most important part. This also represents TraceMonkey do not need a lot of memory space, or slowly installed plug-in procedures. Mozilla browser development on the other main goal - mobile devices, is also good.

However, network application there is still great room for improvement, Mozilla the next priority is to improve the DOM-painted and is responsible for the manipulation of the entire page document object model. Although TraceMonkey is now built into the new Firefox 3.1 Developer Edition, its default state are closed. Shaver said: because we want to be more widely views.

Firefox 3.1 will also include other important changes. One of these is the thread support JavaScript procedures. Now the multi-core processors can handle more than one thread at the same time. Shaver said that the software support on behalf of JavaScript programs in multi-core environment in the implementation of certain jobs, there will be a better performance.

Another built-in functions, Ogg Vorbis format is playing music, video and Ogg Theora format. Shaver said that although the two formats as MP3 universal, but no proprietary software restrictions, such as patents, can join such as Firefox open source project. He said: We are very pleased to be able to bring Internet access, and truly open-source audio and video. This support also applies all Firefox support the operating system.

Mozilla will begin to more actively encouraged for Firefox users with the latest version. Shaver said that the next two weeks, Firefox 2 users will begin to upgrade the third edition of the information received.

Currently, Firefox 2 if the check for updates into the Mozilla server, the server will not be the third edition of the proposed upgrade, so users must manually update. Shaver said: We expect the next two weeks to change practices. Most users still using Firefox 2.