Samantha Rose Hunt19 May 2009, 11:20 PM
Firefox is poised to get core software features that will allow it to make full use of multicore CPUs for faster performance.
The development team behind Firefox is working to build a new version of the browser that will allow it to run distinct segments of the program on different processors -- or processor cores, to take full advantage of modern multi-core CPUs.
The project is under the supervision of Firefox expert Benjamin Smedberg, who says he aims to build a more efficient and stable load structure, given browsers are now running so many pages, processes and script languages at once. It could also offer heightened security, similar to Google Chrome's sandboxed model, where every tab is handled separately in memory, and if one tab crashes it doesn't bring down the whole browser.
The project is currently in development and is expected to develop in four different phases: the first, which highlights the initial bootstrap concept, will be put together ASAP, and will consist merely of a a single page browser and URL bar. It is expected to be completed by July 15, 2009.
Phase II will be completed by November and will focus on interface and web content interaction.
By the beginning of 2010, Phase III will be under way, and will deliver the first usable release, which will adapt the APIs for performance, extensibility and also accessibility.
Phase four will complete most of the development process and build upon all previous development in an attempt to support multiple content processes simultaneously.