Mozilla shifts focus

The non-profit group that distributes the popular Firefox Web browser is shifting the creation and marketing of its products to a new for-profit corporation, Mercury News reports.

The Mozilla Foundation established two years ago with funding from America Online, created the Mozilla Corporation this week to help focus the group`s work and build more polished products.

Mozilla`s offering, which includes three Web browsers, as well as e-mail and calendar applications, will continue to be under an open source licence. "Its goal is not return on investment," says Mozilla Foundation president Mitchell Baker of the new corporation. "It can generate revenue, but its primary purpose is to promote the Mozilla Project, to continue to ship great, free open source software ... It`s not set up to maximise profit."

Known for the years by the code name "Longhorn", the successor of Microsoft`s Windows XP has been dubbed "Longwait" for its numerous delays. As features have been announced, it`s also been accused of copying of Apple Computer`s Mac OS X, reports AP.

Allegations come before most people had the chance to see - let alone use - what is now been christened Windows Vista.

Microsoft finally released Vista`s first major test version to 500 000 programmers and tech professionals. Beta 1, as it`s known, is far from complete but gives a taste for where the world`s most widely used operating system is headed. Yes, it does have more of a Mac-like look and feel. And, yes, it`s insanely late.

But it also gives users hope that some of Windows` most serious annoyances and dangers might be mitigated just in time for the holidays of 2006, when the final version is expected to be out.