Firefox 19 arrives with built-in PDF viewer
By Stewart Mitchell
Posted on 19 Feb 2013 at 09:54
Firefox 19 is now available for download from Mozilla, featuring a built-in PDF viewer.
The download directory includes downloads for Windows, Linux and Macs, and the company is also expected to make an Android update available on the Google Play app store.
The Next Web first spotted that the files were available from Mozilla's site ahead of schedule, with the main change for users likely to be the built-in PDF viewer within the browser.
The built-in PDF function means browsers have one less plug-in – and associated security concerns – to worry about.
Other improvements on the desktop version include a tool for resetting the "Awesomebar" search provider, in case it's been changed by one of the third-party software providers that like to slip in search option changes along with free software.
The update also includes bug fixes, with more details expected with the official announcement later today.
What are they like?
Well Acrobat may have it's failings, but you'd think that, if someone was offering a drop-in replacement, they'd understand that a viewer needs to meet basic aesthetic requirements.
The new pdfjs looks absolutely terrible. I'm sorry, Mozilla, I know you're trying to make the web a more secure environment, but you are almost inviting people to switch off this piece of junk. I have actually, and gone back to Acrobat, much as it pains my to admit it, because it is an insult to anyone who publishes PDFs for presentational purposes on the web.
By c6ten on 21 Feb 2013 
Version numbering
I find it very annoying that Mozilla have decided to release "point releases" of Firefox as full version number updates.
Very very annoying.
By robgt1927 on 21 Feb 2013
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