The link on the release page gives a 404. Has it not reached all the mirrors yet?

http://www.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla1.8b1/changelog.html seems to be broken because of html used in the bug descriptions. Or maybe it isn't, but something isn't right there!

Given your previous post Asa, showing a decline in Firefox growth, do you feel that this could be attributed as much to a lack of development, as much as a marketing slow-down or other factors?

If so, why waste time on the dying MozAppSuite (MAS)? Will there now be less emphasis on MAS and more on Firefox? Is it still the plan to phase out MAS?

Generally speaking I'm worried that a perceived (by me) post-1.0 lull in MoFo activity is being reflected in these latest figures.

Whilst such a lull is completely understandable in terms of human nature and probably necessary (to give you guys a break etc), it seems that it has also hampered the growth of Firefox. Is this lull something that the MoFo has acknowledged? Is there any consideration being given to trying to address the potential for these lulls in the future?

Ok, *starts troll mode*

I for one would like to applaud the developers for continuing to work on the Suite. I continue to use it and love it. I think I have discovered that I love it so much that I get worked up when I see people talk about how it should be dropped.

Although I know that Asa is a avid supporter of Firefox, I would like to thank him for continuing to help with the Suite development process (and keeping quiet about it if he dosen't like it)

I downloaded 1.8B1 tonight, and so far have loved it.

I am also happy that I can drag bookmarks back into folders again.

Thanks

The changelog is fixed now, although still a bit tough to read :)

larfnarf: I think your reasoning is a bit premature: there has been no sign yet that there will be a 1.8 final release. On the contrary, Asa plainly stated that 1.8b1 is just there to test the underlying Gecko engine that will be used in Fx/Tb 1.1. That makes the suite-only fixes (opposed to backend ones) that went into 1.8b1 look a bit useless. Don't get me wrong: I'm glad they are done, but I'm afraid they won't ever get make it to regular users, lacking a regular non-beta suite release...

Jens.b, to put it simply, you are wrong, just plain wrong. Suite is not going to stop being released in "real versions". If you had read the roadmap you would have known this.

Thanks Asa for ALL of your hard work!!!

I am very pleased with the 1.8b1 release. It is very very stable and only has a few minor flaws for my needs at this time.

Now I can get off the trunk for a couple of weeks and not worry about new bugs introduced.

I dropped Netscape to come to Mozilla in 2002 and am Very Glad that I switched and will never go back.

If the Suite is ever dropped I will dropped I will not move to FF/TB unless they are more integrated. I like havin the mail download as I am browsing a webage and not have resources taken up by a 2nd app being open or waiting to open a 2nd program to get mail.

Clicking links and having the mail creation window open is so easy.

I tried FF but was very disappointed at how many genrerations it is behind MozSuite. It also reminds me of Incredimail which I view as a has the look and feel of a toy, not a serious mail client. I believe most IT department heads look at it in the same way.

If the had a SpreadMozilla.com then I believe we woulld have a 10-20% shareby now and most IT's would be ramping up to move everyone's pc's by now. I also believe that may home users would switch as well.

But... Mozilla Suite is the big secret that NOBODY knows about and a small child like FF is supposed to take down M$!!!

How can we change some minds and get Mozilla Suite on every desktop as a serious business tool?

How do we get some huge ads and a dedicaed website to tell the whole world about the only seasoned, stable, secure, and feature rich killer app that could end M$'s domination forever???

But as the we all know, Mozilla Suite is just a liitle project to make FireFox and Thunderbird a cool well dressed 2 year old.

Ok, I'm sorry. I never really read the roadmap. I just scrolled down to the pretty graphics and looked for dates of releases.
I think I was confused because there were 1.8 alpha/beta release and just assumed that 1.8 final just to far off to be in the pretty picture.
I have stated to my friends that I will move to Firefox eventually.... I just don't know when yet.
Thanks for not chewing me out.

lehon: Either you mean that security/stability fixes for the 1.7.x branch count as "real releases", or you have not read the comments at Asa's post lots of releasing going on. Some quotes (slightly abridged to make the whole picture more obvious):

"James, we don't yet have plans for a Seamonkey 1.8 release. Our focus is on delivering our premier applications, Firefox and Thunderbird, while providing security and stability upgrades for Seamonkey 1.7.x.
--Asa"

"(...) it shouldn't come as any big surprise. We've been making this transition for over a year now. Firefox and Thunderbird are the Mozilla premier applicationa Seamonkey is not.
--Asa"

"(...) It has been the plan for some time. You can go read the Mozilla roadmap, which described the plan to shift focus from Seamonkey to the standalone apps almost two years ago.
--Asa"