It’s interesting to see how technology companies are optimizing their products to meet growing user expectations. It is in this spirit that Mozilla today reveals a significant change in the distribution of Firefox for systems Linux. This new approach promises downloads lightened and extraction times accelerated. Let’s dive into the details of this update which will appeal to Linux users.
What’s changing for Firefox on Linux?
A new compression method
Mozilla made the strategic choice to use the format tar.xz to distribute its browser on Linux, thus replacing the previous format
tar.bz2
. This transition represents a major advance thanks to the compression algorithm LZMA, offering:
- Downloads reduced by 25%
- Doubled decompression times
- Less storage and bandwidth costs for Mozilla
By adopting this innovation, users of Firefox on Linux will benefit from faster installation and trouble-free use.
Impact on Linux distributions
This change might require some adjustments for distro maintainers, but these are minor. Most current users of Firefox will not feel any change in their current experience. The new wrapping method does not change the internal workings of the browser.
Why is Mozilla opting for this change?
Substantial savings
The move to a more optimized file format is not without reasons. By reducing the packet size, Mozilla addresses significant costs and resources required for frequent updates. This also helps streamline the development process while improving the user experience.
Improved compression performance
After numerous evaluations, the algorithm Xz has proven to be faster and more memory efficient compared to the old compression system. Beyond the financial savings, these improvements considerably streamline the deployment process, making update management even simpler.
Summary table of changes
| 🗂️ Key elements | 🔍 Details |
|---|---|
| Download size | 25% lighter |
| Decompression time | 2 times faster |
| Format used | tar.xz |
This new version shows the desire to Mozilla to remain competitive and meet the needs of users of Linux. By simplifying interactions using more efficient compression tools, the work on format change demonstrates a thoughtful strategy for the future.
Don’t hesitate to share your opinions or ask your questions in the comments!