Mozilla FAQ - General

  1. What is Mozilla?
  2. For whom is Mozilla 1.x intended?
  3. Is Mozilla free?
  4. What features does Mozilla have?
  5. I cannot find the latest version for Mac OS 9
  6. Where can I download language packs or Mozilla in my language?
  7. What are the differences between Mozilla and Netscape 7?
  8. Will Firefox and Thunderbird replace the Mozilla Application Suite?
  9. What are the differences between the Mozilla Suite and Mozilla Firefox?
  10. How do I upgrade my version of Mozilla?
  11. Does Mozilla include crash recovery?
  12. Can I use AOL Instant Messenger directly in Mozilla, like in Netscape?
  13. Will uninstalling Netscape 4.x affect Mozilla?
  14. Printing does not work, why? (Linux)
  15. Text displays ugly (fonts not anti-aliased) (Linux)
What is Mozilla?

The Mozilla Organization (mozilla.org) is an open-source organization. It is composed of hundreds of volunteers as well as employees of its many supporters. It was created in 1998 when Netscape Communication released its Netscape Communicator source code to the public. The organization continued to operate under Netscape until the task was handed over to the Mozilla Foundation, an independent non-profit organization, on July 2003.

The Mozilla Suite is a standard-compliant Internet application suite composed of a browser, a mail client, a web page editor, etc. Version 1.7 is the last feature release of the suite (i.e. no new feature will be added to it), though Mozilla is continually maintained for security and stability.

The core of Mozilla continues to live as a platform on which its successors Firefox and Thunderbird are built.

For whom is Mozilla intended?

Mozilla is for everyone. And we mean everyone. Mozilla is open source, which means it is made possible by a large community of developers, supporters, and users like you. While you enjoy our software, please consider joining and contributing to the Mozilla community.

We also welcome anybody to freely alter and redistribute Mozilla under the terms of the Mozilla Public Licence.

Is Mozilla free?

Yes. Mozilla is free (as in freedom) software, and it can be downloaded and redistributed free of charge.

Unlike many other so-called free programs, Mozilla has no expiration date, no buy-me nag dialog, and no advertisement, and it does not come with any spyware (trackware).

What features does Mozilla have?

Mozilla is a feature-complete suite including a browser, a mail and newsgroup client, a web page editor, and an IRC client. It has all the essential tools, including password and form manager, cookie manager, pop-up window blocker, junk mail control, multiple mail account support, spell check, and more.

I cannot find the latest version for Mac OS 9

Due to lack of interest among the developer community to maintain a version of Mozilla for Mac OS 8 and Mac OS 9, mozilla.org has stopped releasing new version for these systems.

For best security and stability, you should use Mozilla 1.0.2. If you would like to get the latest features available for your Mac, try Harunaga Hirotoshi's unofficial 1.3.1 version, which is close to the official Mozilla 1.3.1 release. You may also try WaMCom, which is compiled from selected code in Mozilla 1.3.1 and some custom code.

Where can I download language packs or Mozilla in my language?

You can get language packs and localized builds at the localization status page.

What are the differences between Netscape 7 and Mozilla?

Netscape 7 is based on Mozilla 1.4. Both applications share almost the identical features, such as tabbed browsing, custom keywords, and Sidebar. Exceptions are additions of proprietary features such as the support for Netscape WebMail and AOL mail. In general, Netscape 7 and Mozilla will display Web pages and read mail the same.

Note the development of Netscape 7 browser suite has been stopped. Users are encouraged to move to Mozilla. Read Migrating from Netscape 6 or 7 in the Getting Started Guide.

Will Firefox and Thunderbird replace the Mozilla Application Suite?

Firefox and Thunderbird are mozilla.org's the next generation Internet applications; there will be no further development on the Mozilla Suite.

What are the differences between the Mozilla Suite and Mozilla Firefox?

Whereas the Mozilla Suite contains a mail client and other programs, Firefox is a standalone browser.

In general, the Mozilla Suite is for people who prefer to have all their Internet needs met in one package. Firefox, in contrast, is very configurable; it is for people who like to begin small and add features (via extensions) later to suit their needs.

How do I upgrade my version of Mozilla?

First, uninstall Mozilla, as detailed for your operating system in the Release Notes:

Then install the new version. You should never install a new version of Mozilla over a previous one.

If your plug-ins folder is inside the Mozilla application folder, you may wish to save it elsewhere beforehand so as to restore it after reinstalling. You can also keep your plug-ins folder in your profile. Go to Help | About Plug-ins to see the locations of the plug-ins Mozilla is currently using.

Uninstalling Mozilla this way will leave your profile and your user preferences intact. You may lose access to some extensions and have to reinstall them.

If you have problems with a new installation of Mozilla, see the Troubleshooting Guide and the Getting Started Guide.

Does Mozilla include crash recovery?

A crash recovery project is in development at recall.mozdev.org/.

Can I use AOL Instant Messenger directly in Mozilla, like in Netscape?

AIM is a proprietary AOL product and is integrated only with Netscape. You can still use the standalone version of AIM, or the Java version (if you have the Java plug-in installed).

Will uninstalling Netscape 4.x affect Mozilla?

Mozilla uses plug-ins from the Netscape 4 plug-in folder if it is present (except on Mac OS X); uninstalling Netscape 4 may remove these plug-ins. You may need to copy your Netscape 4 plug-ins to the Mozilla plug-in folder before uninstalling Netscape 4. Open the Help menu and select About Plug-ins to see where plug-ins are stored.

Printing does not work, why? (Linux)

You need to install the Xprint extension.

Text displays ugly (fonts not anti-aliased) (Linux)

You need to use the GTK2+XFT version of Mozilla to enable font smoothing. Note that the GTK2+XFT version may not be as stable as the default GTK1 version.