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Boot to Gecko (B2G) is an early-stage, exploratory project with the goal of building a complete, standalone operating system for the open web. It is not a product offering, but if successful, could form the basis for one.
'''- Could you explain what the overall aim is with the project? What problems are you keen to address with it?'''
We believe that the next frontier for Web applications is full device integration, so that Web developers have the same capabilities as those building for OS-specific stacks. Boot To Gecko is intended to identify those missing device capabilities and other application needs, and design standardized solutions for app developers to use.<br>
'''- When can we expect to see something?'''
It's very small right now: just 3 people working part time, but we're looking to ramp up and as an open project we are actively inviting participation of developers, designers, and others from across the Web. We're seeing lots of excitement and offers of help already, and we're also obviously leaning heavily on the existing Gecko and Firefox mobile work.
'''- What does it mean for your relationships with Apple, Google, Microsoft?'''
We’re aiming at mobile/tablet devices rather than a notebook form factor. This is an early-stage project to expose all device capabilities such that infrastructure like phone dialers can be built with Web APIs, and not only “high level” apps like word processors and presentation software. We will of course be happy to work with the Chrome OS team on standards activities, and indeed to share source code where appropriate.
'''- Do you see B2G as co-existing with other mobile OSes, or competing with them?'''
Ideally, the technology pioneered or refined in B2G will make its way into all mobile browsers, so that enhanced open web applications can be great regardless of operating system or device. We look forward to working with other OS and browser developers on standards activities and even implementations.<br>
'''- Are OEMs interested in B2G?'''
We’ll be selecting initial hardware for hackability and general availability, but we haven’t settled on that yet. A Tegra 2 device is likely to be selected, due to its support for VP8 hardware acceleration. Over time we expect that B2G will work on the majority of devices that support modern Android versions.
- '''The web's key strength - when it's working properly, anyway - is that you write code once and it runs anywhere, no matter what browser, OS, computer configuration you have. Isn't B2G just introducing yet another platform for devs to code for?'''
No, B2G is definitely not designed to be another platform. It's a project to extend what developers can do with the web, especially in the context of mobile devices, and to do so in a way that leads to interoperable standards. Just as with HTML5, ES5, CSS3 and other web technology it will reach different browsers and operating systems at different times, but the pace of web platform development gives us confidence that good web technology can reach a lot of people pretty quickly. We don't want B2G to lead to applications that only run atop B2G, or only run in Firefox. That's an important difference between what we're doing and proprietary mobile stacks today: we don't want a competitive advantage for Mozilla, we want a competitive advantage for the webWeb. <br>
- '''It took the might of Google to turn mobile Linux into the all-conquering Android. Can B2G scale without a similarly deep-pocketed partner? How do you think you'll get the mobile manufacturers and carriers on board with this?'''
B2G is designed to build on the success of the web, and given the early stage of the project it could reach users in many forms. We're certainly interested in working with OEMs and others who share our vision of even greater success for web-based applications.<br>
'''One of the aims of B2G is to create web APIs for access to core mobile device features - cameras, USB, etc. Given that on desktops we've been increasingly sandboxing the browser to ensure web apps don't compromise security, couldn't that raise security issues?'''
It absolutely raises security issues, and they're ones that we are taking very seriously. Installing applications on a mobile device right now (or on a desktop operating system for that matter) raises similar security issues, and we're looking at ways to improve on those existing models.<br>
'''What would B2G offer mobile users that HTML5 doesn't?'''
B2G would offer mobile users all the power of HTML5, extended with device capabilities like Bluetooth and SMS, a richer capability model for interaction with the filesystem, and a way to tie these "native HTML5 apps" together. The intent is very much that B2G lead to improved capabilities for the web platform, not that it replace HTML5 or related tech in any way. Many of these new capabilities will also make sense in desktop browsers, and we look forward to seeing them there as well.<br>
'''- Will this mean a Firefox Phone?'''
We don’t have any plans to build or distribute a custom device.<br>
