CeBIT Open Source Project Lounge -- Mozilla

The famous Firefox goes round the globe.

In a nutshell: Describe the project in two sentences.

The Mozilla Foundation was founded with the mission to promote choice and innovation on the Internet. Mozilla sees the Web as an integral part of modern life, and is devoted to maintaining it as a global public resource that must remain open and accessible.

When did the project begin?

The Mozilla Project traces its roots to Netscape, where the open source project was formed in February 1998. The source code was released on March 31, 1998 and the Mozilla Foundation was founded as a nonprofit organization in July 2003. On November 9, 2004, Mozilla Firefox 1.0 was released. Firefox downloads surpassed 50 million in April 2005, and recently surpassed 800 million in January 2009. The Mozilla Foundation created Mozilla Corporation in August 2005 to develop, market and distribute Mozilla products including Firefox.

How many active members does the project have?

Mozilla is best known for developing the Firefox Web browser. Hundreds of employees and thousands of volunteers worldwide collaborate to make Firefox the most innovative and secure way to experience the Internet.

How did the project come into being?

In 2001, Internet Explorer held 99 percent of the browser market share. Firefox pioneered tabbed browsing, pop-up blocking, anti- phishing, malware protection. With Firefox 3, we continued to lead the way in areas of user experience, security, performance and customization, and in doing so have brought the browser market back from the brink of monopoly.

Who do you make your software for?

The Firefox Web browser was created for all, making the Internet better for everyone.

Why should a CeBIT visitor come to your booth?

Come and find out about what's new at Mozilla, including the upcoming new version of Firefox 3.6 and the latest version for handheld devices. Learn how Mozilla is making the Web better, and why the open Web is important. Discover the people behind the project and how you can get involved!

Internet address: mozilla-europe.org or www.mozilla.org