The+Firefox+Wiz

toc __**Why We Chose This Subject**__ Shaked: I chose to do my project on Blake Ross: The inventor of the Firefox browser.Apparently the subject is not an issue that I was involved with in our daily life.But this issue is very close to my life because I am involved with the Internet.In my generation the world is developing in technological aspect.According to that my generation is expected to be on a high level of technology computers.That’s the reason why I chose to write about a subject like that.I noticed that Firefox is a better browser than others because it introduces us to web-sitesin an easier way than Internet Explorer. That’s why I decided to study about the person who invented the Firefox.

Orly: I chose to write about Blake Ross. A few months ago I started to use the Mozilla Firefox browser because my Facebook worked better in the Firefox browser. I was surprised that there is another browser that was better than Internet Explorer. I was curious who invented the browser, so when Shaked and I thought about an interesting subject we decided to write about Blake Ross – The Inventor of Firefox. That issue is close to me because I am involved with computers and internet a lot of time, and I really believe that the Firefox browser will make a change in the browsers market.

Full name: Blake Aaron Ross Year of birth: June 12, 1985 Where born: Miami, Florida Subject: The Inventor of Firefox

__Introduction:__
Blake Aaron Ross was born in Miami, Florida, at June 12, 1985. Blake was a very talented young boy. He has a natural talent in computers. When he was 13 he fixed bugs for Netscape. When he was 14 he joined "Netscape" as specialized worker and started developing Firefox. At 19 years old, he was one of the main people who built the first version of Firefox.

__Blake Ross-the inventor of Firefox__
__The Starting of Firefox__ Firefox started to develop 8 years ago, after "Netscape" collapsed and its "code" was released. Blake was very frustrated from the Netscape browser – the browser worked slowly and was uncomfortable. Then Blake Ross and his friend Dave Hawitt decided to create a new browser. They both started the browser without permission and as a minor project. The "basis" of the new browser was the browser Netscape. Blake Ross started to "clean" the browser from commercial elements that made it work slowly and "heavy". The browser was created in the "open code" way: any user of Firefox can receive the code of Firefox and fix bugs and also develop Firefox. __2003-2004 – The First Version Published__ Blake Ross registered to the university "Stanford" at 2003. While he learned there, he worked with Professor Dan Bonen on a protection from "fishing" – online fishing – called Pwdhash. The new protection won the Horizon prize of Computerworld which is presented to a "revolutionary technologist". Although Blake was successful in university – he stopped studying. He was too busy with the developing of Firefox. At first – the browser was called "Phoenix", but Ross had to change it because of problems with copyrights. Then they called the browser "Firebird", but this name was problematic too. Finally, on February 24th – the name "Firefox" was chosen. The first version of Firefox was been published on November 9th 2004. On the first day – 1,000,000 people downloaded the first version of Firefox. After 99 days – there were 25 million downloads.

__2005-2006 – The Second Version and the Success__ Firefox made Blake Ross a famous person. At 2005 he was nominated for the prize "Rave" of the magazine "Wired". He also got onto the "hot list" of the magazine "The Rolling Stone". In the same year he also appeared on the main page of the magazine "Wired". The second version of Firefox was published on October 24th, 2006. According to surveys – in 2005-2006 – the use of Firefox was 10%-15% of using browsers. In April 25, there were already 50 million downloads. In 2006 "Interbrand" ranked Firefox as one of the 10 biggest trademarks in the world, beside "Apple" and "Starbucks".

__2007-2008 – the Third and Latest Version of Firefox__ The latest version was published on June 17th, 2008 in 45 languages including Hebrew. Blake Ross thought about a very strategic idea: to do a Guinness world record as the most downloaded browser to get him in as the most wanted browser. In this way he got 2 goals: he also publicized his browser in a best-seller, and also made people want to download Firefox, and then many people will have the new browser. In Israel, more then 30,000 users downloaded the browser on the first day. In USA, more than 2,500,000 users downloaded the new version. Altogether all over the world – more then 8,000,000 downloaded Firefox 3. This new version has a lot of improvement and updates and also security fixes.

__Shaping the Future__ Mozilla Firefox started as a minor project, which nobody believed it would succeed. Today, Firefox is dominant at 20%-30% of the using of browsers.



Percentages of those using browsers other than Explorer: ██ Firefox ██ Safari ██ Oprah ██ Netscape ██ Mozilla ██ Google ██ Other

As we can see, in the future, the numbers of those using Firefox will continue rising. We think that Blake Ross will make a change in the browsers market. We believe that in the future Firefox will be the most useful browser in the whole world.

__Bibliography:__
Lev Grossman, Blake Ross, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006, 11.03.09  ,18.03.09, 08.01.07, אהוד קינן, ראיון עם האבא של פיירפוקס 

ויקיפדיה, מוזילה פיירפוקס, 11 במרץ 2009, 18.03.09, 

__Reflection:__
I learn a lot of things working on the project. I learned that even if you think that you don't have any hope you better try because in the end hard work will pay off. I learned that even at a younger age, you can make a change in the world. I learned that Firefox is a brilliant browser and it will make a difference. I learned that it is forbidden to give up because Blake Ross rejected in the beginning by Netscape and in the end hid idea became a great success. I learn that it is important to listen to your heart. I learned a few things working on the project: In the beginning Netscape rejected the idea of Blake Ross, but Blake didn’t give up and he got paid for it! I learn from him to never give up, trust yourself and believe in your ideas. Blake Ross started to develop Firefox when he was very young, and although his young age he successes and made a good browser. So I learn from it that the age doesn’t matter and you can do great things when you are very young. I surfed on the Internet a lot, and this project taught me that surfing in Firefox is faster, easier and more comfortable than other browsers.  We benefited a lot from this project. we learn how to use a wiki, we learn a lot about the browser market, and about Internet. 
 * Shaked ** :
 * Orly ** :

 Answers: 1. Firefox started 8 years ago, after "Netscape" collapsed and its code was released. Then Blake Ross and his friend Dave Hawitt started to "clean" the browser from commercial elements that made it "heavy". That was how Firefox began. 2. Firefox is a browser that was developed by people who surfed on it. Its code is open – so every one can develop it. People can upload anything in order to promote the software and it can also be used for downloading. 3. I was very talented man. When he was 13 he fixed bugs for netscape. When he was 14 he joined "Netscape" as a specialized worker and started developing Firefox. When 19, he was one of the main people who interfaced the first version of Firefox. He just has a natural talent in computers. 4. Firefox developed a worm relationship with "Google": The Start Page of Firefox after the installation is "Google", and the browser has a search box of Google on the top of the page. Google, from its side (probably because of this) contributes to Firefox by adding it in the "Google Pack" and lets the members in "Adsense" to place advertisements in the browser. 5. Blake Ross is not trying to have the most percent in the browsers market. My intention is not to "fight" Explorer. I just wanted to crate a browser that answers the surfer's necessity… 6. "Our customers' satisfaction is our first priority, we believe that an open net is the most important to the users, so we stand strong on our standards in order to make sure that there will be no one company controlling the net." The main goal was to create a better browser that would be accessible to both experienced and inexperienced users alike. We developed this because we had to. We wanted something that we could use ourselves and share with our friends and now that we've made it, we need to spread the word to others, so that they can see how cool it is. 7. But the browser was easy to use, and furthermore, it knew how to expand. The new browser allowed the users not only to fix bugs but also to expand Firefox. 8. In Netscape, they didn't really understand the idea. The browser was weak and only had three options: back, forward and stop. 9. They reached 1 million downloads on the first day, 10 million by the end of the first month, and 25 million by mid-February. 10. "Our goal is not to steal users from IE just to enlarge the number of users", he insisted. "We want people to enjoy the internet, and we'll keep working towards this goal. The high standard that Microsoft made with the new IE is a good thing but not a threat.
 * 1) How and when did Firefox start?
 * 2) Can you define what Firefox is?
 * 3) How do you have such a comprehensive knowledge of computers?
 * 4) Did you have support from some company in distributing the browser?
 * 5) Do you think that Firefox could be the most useful browser?
 * 6) What made you want to create a new browser?
 * 7) How is Firefox different from other browsers?
 * 8) Which difficulties did you have in the process of inventing Firefox?
 * 9) When did you reach 1 million downloads? 10 million? 25 million?
 * 10) Do you mean to compete with "Explorer" in the browsers market?

Speech: Blake Ross talking about everything!
Hello ladies and gentleman! My name is Blake Ross. I am 24 years old. I was born in Miami, Florida.When I was young I liked to involve with computers and I like it very much. I created my first website when I was 10 years old. I began programming when I was in the middle school and I began contributing to Netscape very soon after it was open-sourced. Then i worked as an intern at Netscape Communications Corporation when i was 15 years old. When i worked on Netscape, I saw that their browser becoming heavy and slow. I knew that one day people will want a better browser. Indeed, Internet Explorer creates a browser that caused to Netscape browser go bankrupt. When that happened Netscape released it's "code". I was exited because I wanted to repair the Netscape browser. I knew that I was talent enough to do it! So I began to work on it. But the browser was so laden in commercials and bugs that it was impossible to do him better! In result of this I started to work with my friend Dave Hewitt on a new project called "Mozilla". We developed a new browser. He had just 3 orders: forward, backwards, and stop. But the new browser was easy, and fast. I was so exited! Dave and I showed to Netscape the new browser - but they didn't get the point. They thought that the browser was to thin... So they told us to release the browser as a minor project. I had a few problems with the name of the browser and his logo - but in the end we called him "Firefox". The first version of my browser has been released on November 9th 2004. In the first day 1,000,000 people downloaded the browser. The second version of my browser has been released on October 24th 2006. The third version of my browser has been released on June 17th, 2008. My browser started as a minor project. Today, my browser is dominant 20%-30% of the using of browsers in the world. Believe me - I'm the most proud man in the world... 

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