Next Mozilla 3.6 with 64-bits

Mozilla 3.6 upcoming

Any Firefox fan will be quick to point out the open-source browser's numerous advantages over Microsoft's Internet Explorer, including 780 trillion add-ons (slightly exaggerated), better Web standards support, and arguably better performance and security. But one thing IE has that Firefox doesn't is a 64-bit browser, at least for the time being.

While no official 64-bit version of Firefox yet exists, one Firefox contributor who goes by the online alias Makoto has already ported both Firefox 3.0 and 3.5 to 64-bit editions, and has announced plans to do the same for versions 3.6 and up. If he holds true to his promise, it could mean official 64-bit builds might become a reality with Mozilla's next release, especially since Mozilla has talked about adding 64-bit support in the near future.

It might seem like a minor update, but a 64-bit build translates into faster speeds when logging onto sites using encryption (think of online banking), better memory management, and an overall snappier feel.