== Deploying Firefox ESR ==
[[Enterprise/Firefox/ExtendedSupport:Proposal|Firefox ESR]] is an extended support release; deployment tools should be very similar since there are only minor changes between the normal release version and the ESR.
== The Rational for Deploying Firefox inside Organizations and Institutions ==
* [[http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Enterprise-Applications/10-Reasons-Why-Companies-Should-Consider-Alternatives-to-Internet-Explorer-559225/ This EWeek Article ]] By Don Reisinger, July 20, 2009, does a good job of analyzing the major reason why companies have reason to consider Firefox deployment to their employees.
These are also reasons we have heard in the past from a variety of sources:
*<b>Concerns about security</b> is a strategic reason some organizations move to Firefox exclusively, or set up support support for multiple browsers.
* Many users choose Firefox when it is offered inside their organization, or go around IT policies because it <b>makes these users more efficient and more productive in accessing information on the web.</b> They take advantage of firefox features such as tab browsing, rss feeds, and integrated search to get more done, faster. With the amount of time that "knowledge workers" spend using a browser each day these productivity increases can add up to be significant to the bottom line and the competitiveness of a company.
* Some organization also <b>chose Firefox as a tool to assist in ensuring development of internal applications and documents comply with web standards, and that the organizations do not get locked into proprietary document formats that could become difficult or costly to support.</b> If your applications and content works in Firefox its highly likely they will work in other browsers, and open up possibilities that ensure your internal organizational content is searchable and useful with other applications that support standards.
* International organizations, and organizations that support multiple Operating Systems also like Firefox because its a way to standardize the browser for all their users. If you have an organization where engineering teams might use Linux or Unix Systems, Design and Web Development Teams using Mac, and Business Teams using Windows Firefox is the one browser that can be used across the company, and its available in over 70 languages.
* <b>Firefox can also be customized and extended to meet specific needs of an organization by creating addon extensions or building on the Firefox platform or leverage existing addons that improve productivity. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9175084/10_must_have_Firefox_extensions_for_business has some examples of productivity improvement addons.</b>
* Firefox adoption seems to work best in organizations where there is a strong emphasis on employee productivity and where employees can influence the technology that they use. It tends to be adopted in organizations that consider it a priority to stay on the leading edge of technology adoption and security updates. This article explains the different kinds of organizations in Australia and their adoption patterns. http://delimiter.com.au/2010/09/30/desktop-dictatorship-corporate-australia-still-prefers-ie/
== Extending and Customizing Firefox for Enhanced Productivity ==
