Waterfox

Last updated
Waterfox
Original author(s) Alexandros Kontos
Developer(s) BrowserWorks Limited
Initial release27 March 2011;13 years ago (2011-03-27)
Stable release
G6.0.13 [1] / 24 April 2024;3 days ago (24 April 2024)
Preview release
G6.0 Beta 5 / September 14, 2023;7 months ago (2023-09-14)
Repository
Written in C, C++, CSS, JavaScript, XUL
Engine Gecko, SpiderMonkey
Operating system Windows 7 or later, Mac, Android, Linux
Platform x64, ARM64, PPC64LE
Type Web browser, mobile web browser, feed reader
License MPL-2.0
Website www.waterfox.net   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Waterfox is a free and open-source web browser and fork of Firefox. It claims to be ethical and user-centric, emphasizing performance and privacy. [2] There are official Waterfox releases for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. [3] [4] It was initially created to provide official 64-bit support, back when Firefox was only available for 32-bit systems. [5]

Contents

Divisions

Waterfox

Waterfox shares core features and technologies like the Gecko browser engine [6] and support for Firefox Add-ons [7] with Firefox. It is also compatible with Google Chrome and Opera extensions. [2] It disables telemetry and Pocket by default, which are present in Firefox builds. However, it collects technical information about the user's device to update properly. [5]

Waterfox Classic

Waterfox Classic is a version of the browser based on an older version of the Gecko engine that supports legacy XUL and XPCOM add-on capabilities that Firefox removed in version 57. [8] [9] It is still partially maintained with fixes and patches from Waterfox and Firefox ESR releases. However, its development has been separated due to several changes from Waterfox that are otherwise unapplicable. [10]

Vulnerability

Waterfox Classic has multiple unpatched security advisories. The developer states that "changes between versions so numerous between ESRs making merging difficult if not impossible". [11] [10]

History

Waterfox was first released by Alex Kontos [12] [5] on March 27, 2011 for 64-bit Windows. The Mac build was introduced on May 14, 2015 with the release of version 38.0, [13] the Linux build was introduced on December 20, 2016 with the release of version 50.0, [14] and an Android build was first introduced on October 10, 2017 in version 55.2.2. [15]

From July 22, 2015 to November 12, 2015, Waterfox had its own search-engine called "Storm" that would raise funds for charity and Waterfox. Storm was developed with over £2 million of investor funding and powered by Yahoo! Search. [16] [17] [18]

In December 2019, System1, an advertising company which portrays itself as privacy-focused, [19] acquired Waterfox. [20] [21] In July 2023, Alex Kontos announced that Waterfox had been turned into an independent project again. [22]

An Android release of the browser was made available via the Google Play Store in November 2023. [23]

Logos

See also

Related Research Articles

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System1 is an American Internet advertising company. Formerly known as OpenMail, it was founded in 2013.It describes itself as operating a "Responsive Acquisition Marketing Platform", and cites privacy as one of its principal foci, although it has been criticized for its influence on privacy-focussed properties, including search engine Startpage.com.It is headquartered in Marina del Rey, California.

References

  1. ↑ "Release G6.0.13".
  2. 1 2 "What Is Waterfox and Is It Safe?". MUO. 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  3. ↑ "Waterfox, Free Web Browser". www.waterfox.net. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  4. ↑ "Waterfox: Privacy Web Browser - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  5. 1 2 3 Proven, Liam. "Waterfox: A Firefox fork that could teach Mozilla a lesson". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  6. ↑ "FAQ". www.waterfox.net. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  7. ↑ "Find and install add-ons to add features to Waterfox". www.waterfox.net. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  8. ↑ Kev Needham (2015-08-21). "The Future of Developing Firefox Add-ons". blog.mozilla.org. Retrieved 2015-09-07.
  9. ↑ Villalobos, Jorge (2017-02-16). "The Road to Firefox 57 – Compatibility Milestones". blog.mozilla.org. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  10. 1 2 "Waterfox Classic development will continue, but as a separate project from G4". ghacks.net. November 4, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Unpatched Security Advisories · BrowserWorks/Waterfox-Classic Wiki". GitHub.
  12. ↑ "About Waterfox". www.waterfox.net. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  13. ↑ Kontos, Alex. "Waterfox 38.0 Release". www.waterfoxproject.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-15. Retrieved 2017-12-15.
  14. ↑ Kontos, Alex. "Waterfox 50.1.0 Release (Windows, Mac & Linux)". www.waterfoxproject.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
  15. ↑ Kontos, Alex. "Waterfox 55 Release (Windows, Mac, Linux and Android)". www.waterfoxproject.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2017-12-15.
  16. ↑ Kontos, Alex (12 May 2015). "4 Year Anniversary: Waterfox Charity and Storm Search". www.waterfoxproject.org. Retrieved 2017-12-15.
  17. ↑ "New search engine from Waterfox founder aims to take a punch at Google". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  18. ↑ Lake, Howard (2015-08-07). "'Ethical search engine' Storm to generate funds for charities". UK Fundraising. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  19. ↑ Brinkmann, Martin (14 February 2020). "Waterfox web browser sold to System1". ghacks.net. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Waterfox has joined System1". www.waterfox.net. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  21. ↑ "Welcome Waterfox!". www.system1.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  22. ↑ Kontos, Alex (2023-07-03). "A New Chapter for Waterfox". www.waterfox.net. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  23. ↑ Eswarlu, Venkat (November 30, 2023). "Firefox fork Waterfox is now available for Android with strict privacy defaults". MSPowerUser.
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