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| screenshot = [[File:K-Meleon 74.png|300px|Screenshot of K-Meleon 74 beta 4]]
| screenshot = [[File:K-Meleon 74.png|300px|Screenshot of K-Meleon 74 beta 4]]
| caption = K-Meleon 74 showing Wikimedia meta's Main Page
| caption = K-Meleon 74 showing Wikimedia meta's Main Page
| developer = Christophe Thibault, Dorian, et al.
| developer = Christophe Thibault, Dorian Boissonnade, et al.
| released = {{start date and age|2000|08|21}}
| released = {{start date and age|2000|08|21}}
| frequently_updated = yes<!-- Release version update? Don't edit this page, just click on the version number! -->
| frequently_updated = yes<!-- Release version update? Don't edit this page, just click on the version number! -->
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| website = {{URL|kmeleon.sourceforge.net}}
| website = {{URL|kmeleon.sourceforge.net}}
}}
}}
'''K-Meleon''' is a [[web browser]] for the [[Microsoft Windows]] platform. Based on the same [[Gecko (layout engine)|Gecko]] [[layout engine]] as [[Mozilla Firefox]], K-Meleon uses native Windows [[application programming interface]] (API) to create the [[user interface]], instead of using Mozilla's cross-platform XML User Interface Language ([[XUL]]) layer, and as a result, is tightly integrated into the look and feel of the Windows desktop;<ref>{{cite web|first=Elena |last=Blanco |url=http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/resources/webbrowser.xml#body.1_div.5 |title=Open source and the web browser|publisher=Oss-watch.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> this approach is similar to that of [[Galeon]] and [[Web (web browser)|Epiphany]] (for the [[GNOME]] desktop), and [[Camino]] (for [[Mac OS X]]). This also makes K-Meleon less resource-intensive.
'''K-Meleon''' is an [[Open-source software|open-source]] [[web browser]] for the [[Microsoft Windows]] platform. Based on the same [[Gecko (layout engine)|Gecko]] [[layout engine]] as [[Mozilla Firefox]] and [[SeaMonkey]], K-Meleon's design goal is to provide a fast and reliable web browser while providing a highly customizable interface and using system resources efficiently. It is released under the [[GNU General Public License]].


==Development and specifications==
==Development and specifications==
K-Meleon uses the native Windows [[application programming interface]] (API) to create its [[user interface]] instead of [[Mozilla]]'s cross-platform XML User Interface Language ([[XUL]]) layer, and as a result, is tightly integrated into the look and feel of the Windows desktop.<ref>{{cite web|first=Elena |last=Blanco |url=http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/resources/webbrowser.xml#body.1_div.5 |title=Open source and the web browser|publisher=Oss-watch.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> This approach is similar to that of [[Galeon]] and [[Web (web browser)|Epiphany]] (for the [[GNOME]] desktop), and [[Camino]] (for [[Mac OS X]]). Omitting XUL makes K-Meleon less resource-intensive than other Gecko-based browsers on Windows.
K-Meleon is released under the [[GNU General Public License]] and runs on the [[Win32]] platform. The current stable release version of K-Meleon is 1.5.4, which was released on March 5, 2010. This release is based on the Gecko 1.8.1.24pre rendering engine. While the developmental version is at version 74 RC 2, released September 8, 2014.


K-Meleon's very first version was originally written by Christophe Thibault and released to the public on August 21, 2000.<ref>{{cite web|first=Elena |last=Blanco |url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/soa/K-Meleon-Are-the-browser-wars-back-/0,139023165,120105526,00.htm |title=K-Meleon: Are the browser wars back? |publisher=Zdnet.com.au |date=2000-10-13 |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>
The first version, K-Meleon 0.1, was originally written by Christophe Thibault and released to the public on August 21, 2000.<ref>{{cite web|first=Elena |last=Blanco |url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/soa/K-Meleon-Are-the-browser-wars-back-/0,139023165,120105526,00.htm |title=K-Meleon: Are the browser wars back? |publisher=Zdnet.com.au |date=2000-10-13 |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> Dorian Boissonnade eventually took over as the primary developer of the project, and continues to maintain the project to date. The current stable release version of K-Meleon is 1.5.4, which was released on March 5, 2010. This release is based on the Gecko 1.8.1.24pre rendering engine. The current version under development is K-Meleon 74 RC 2, released on September 8, 2014.


After many major release versions from 0.1 to 0.9.x, K-Meleon 1.0 introduced major modifications. The most notable change was the main K-Meleon code being updated to accommodate the Gecko 1.8.0.x rendering engine, as used in the latest releases of [[Mozilla Firefox]] and [[SeaMonkey]]. This update to the layout engine brought significant improvements to security and usability, including support for [[favicon]]s and multi-user environments. Some themes and macros from version 0.9 were still compatible with 1.0, although the [[macro (computer science)|macro]] system was updated.
The change from the K-Meleon 0.9.x series to 1.0.x was a major modification. The most notable change was the main K-Meleon code being updated to accommodate the Gecko 1.8.0.x rendering engine, as used in the latest releases of [[SeaMonkey]] and [[Mozilla Firefox]]. The change of layout not only brought the browser up-to-date on the level of security, but on web page layout as well. Several other major improvements included support for [[favicon]]s and multi-user environments. Some themes and macros from version 0.9 are still compatible with 1.0, although the [[macro (computer science)|macro]] system has been updated. An even more fundamental update of the macro system was made concurrent with the development of K-Meleon 1.1,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?1,68634 |title=Re: Kmeleon 1.1a2 Gecko 1.8.1 |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> which is based on the Gecko 1.8.1 rendering engine that is used in Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and SeaMonkey 1.1. The last release of the earlier K-Meleon 0.9 series (which was based on the earlier Mozilla 1.7.x rendering engine used in the former [[Mozilla Application Suite]]) was K-Meleon 0.9.13 (released April 24, 2006).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=14285&package_id=12235&release_id=412583 |title=Files |publisher=SourceForge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> That release was based on the Mozilla 1.7.13 build (the final Mozilla Suite release). Although K-Meleon 0.9.13 is based on Gecko 1.7.13, which is now obsolete, a simulation of it (called "K-Meleon0.9.13-ud3-1.8.0.7")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?f=1&i=42739&t=42739 |title=new version: K-Meleon0.9.13-ud3-1.8.0.7 |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> has been made that is based on a current "k-meleon.exe" and a recent 1.8.0.x Gecko rendering engine to allow people who prefer the older K-Meleon 0.9 interface to update their browsing to current security standards.


The macro system was updated further in K-Meleon 1.1,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?1,68634 |title=Re: Kmeleon 1.1a2 Gecko 1.8.1 |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> which was based on the Gecko 1.8.1 rendering engine that was used in Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and SeaMonkey 1.1.
K-Meleon saw another big development step with the release of 1.5.x. With this version, the layers plug-in became obsolete and was replaced with built-in tabs. This was the first time real tabs were implemented in an official build. Various other features and improvements were added along the line of the 1.5.x. series.


A true [[Tab (GUI)|tabbed]] interface was introduced in version 1.5. Prior to this update, multiple web pages were only accessible within the same browser window using the included but optional "layers" [[Browser extension|plugin]], which enabled a toolbar containing buttons representing each open page in a way that functionally mimicked tabbed browsing in every way other than appearance. These open pages were called "layers" instead of tabs.
⚫
K-Meleon was one of the twelve browsers offered to [[European Economic Area]] users of [[Microsoft Windows]] in 2010.<ref>BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8537763.stm Microsoft offers browser choices to Europeans], 1 March 2010</ref>


⚫
In 2010, K-Meleon was one of the twelve browsers offered to [[European Economic Area]] users of [[Microsoft Windows]].<ref>BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8537763.stm Microsoft offers browser choices to Europeans], 1 March 2010</ref>
⚫
As of 2012, the project was incorrectly reported as being on indefinite hold, supposedly for the reason that Mozilla was no longer providing an embeddable version of the [[gecko (layout engine)|gecko]] engine. <ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?8,113496,page=2/</ref><ref>[http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Mozilla-kills-embedding-support-for-Gecko-layout-engine-Update-1218990.html "Mozilla kills embedding support for Gecko layout engine"]</ref> This was based on an incorrect understanding of the position, which has since been clarified in various K-Meleon Forums. See here <ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?2,126337 </ref> and here. <ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?1,125632</ref>


⚫
As of 2012, the project was incorrectly reported{{By whom|date=September 2014}} as being on indefinite hold, presumably due to the fact that Mozilla stopped providing an embeddable version of the [[Gecko (layout engine)|Gecko]] engine.<ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?8,113496,page=2/</ref><ref>[http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Mozilla-kills-embedding-support-for-Gecko-layout-engine-Update-1218990.html "Mozilla kills embedding support for Gecko layout engine"]</ref> This has since been clarified, as development continued.<ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?2,126337 </ref><ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?1,125632</ref>
⚫
In late 2013 the K-Meleon group began developing new versions based on Mozilla's XULrunner 25 runtime environment in place of the Gecko Embedded environment. The most recent release is code named "KM74.".


⚫
In late 2013 the K-Meleon group began developing new versions based on Mozilla's XULrunner 25 runtime environment in place of the Gecko Embedded environment. K-Meleon 74 is the first release under development using this environment.
==Customizations==
⚫
K-Meleon has a highly flexible interface design. All the menus and toolbar buttons can be customized using its configuration files. This feature can be very useful in an environment where the general public has access to the browser such as a [[public library]] or [[Internet cafe]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA232354 |title=Does Your Library Need a Different Browser? |first1=Andrew |last1=Mutch |first2=Karen |last2=Ventura |work=netConnect |publisher=Library Journal |date=2002-07-15 |archivedate=2007-10-11 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011081015/http://libraryjournal.com/article/CA232354.html}}</ref> There is no [[graphical user interface]] (GUI) to customize the individual toolbars, so users will need to edit the toolbar configuration file to make any changes in the button layouts, although one can move around the toolbars by simply dragging their handles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=ConfigFiles |title=K-Meleon's official configuration reference page |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>


==Customization==
⚫
The use of Windows native interface means that K-Meleon does not support Mozilla-based themes. Compatibility with Mozilla extensions is also limited, with only a few extensions that can be integrated. However, K-Meleon has its own plugins<ref>[http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=FAQ#kplugins What do each of the default K-Meleon plugins do?] Official K-Meleon FAQ</ref> (called "kplugins") and browser themes,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=KMeleonThemesWiki |title=K-Meleon Themes Wiki page |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> (the default being ''Phoenity'') which can extend the functionality and customize the appearance of the browser. There is also a macro plugin which allows users to extend the browser functionality without having to know the [[C (programming language)|C programming language]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=MacroLibrary |title=K-Meleon Macros library |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>
⚫
K-Meleon has a highly flexible interface design. All the menus and toolbar buttons can be customized using text-format configuration files. This feature is useful in environments where the browser must be customized for general public use, such as in a [[public library]] or [[Internet cafe]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA232354 |title=Does Your Library Need a Different Browser? |first1=Andrew |last1=Mutch |first2=Karen |last2=Ventura |work=netConnect |publisher=Library Journal |date=2002-07-15 |archivedate=2007-10-11 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011081015/http://libraryjournal.com/article/CA232354.html}}</ref> Although individual toolbars can be repositioned, users must edit toolbar configuration files to make any changes to button layouts as there is no [[graphical user interface]] (GUI) to customize them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=ConfigFiles |title=K-Meleon's official configuration reference page |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>

⚫
The use of the native Windows interface means that K-Meleon does not support Mozilla-formatted browser themes. Compatibility with Mozilla extensions is also limited, with only a few extensions that can be integrated. However, K-Meleon has its own plugins (called "kplugins")<ref>[http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=FAQ#kplugins What do each of the default K-Meleon plugins do?] Official K-Meleon FAQ</ref> and browser themes (using Lim Chee Aun's ''Phoenity'' by default),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=KMeleonThemesWiki |title=K-Meleon Themes Wiki page |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> which can extend the functionality and customize the appearance of the browser. There is also a macro plugin which allows users to extend the browser functionality without having to know the [[C (programming language)|C programming language]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?id=MacroLibrary |title=K-Meleon Macros library |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>


==Release history==
==Release history==
{{Expand list|date=September 2014}}
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
Line 199: Line 202:
|-
|-
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| '''1.5'''
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| '''1.5'''
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:khaki;"| 1.5.0
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"| 1.5.0
| 1.8.1.17pre
| 1.8.1.17pre
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| August 8, 2008
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| August 8, 2008
| True tabs instead of layered windows; improved multilanguage support; native preferences panel replaced by XUL-based former advanced preferences panel; new configuration options; feature improvements; Unicode build for Windows NT, non-Unicode build for Windows 9X.
| True tabs instead of layered windows; improved multilanguage support; native preferences panel replaced by XUL-based former advanced preferences panel; new configuration options; feature improvements; Unicode build for Windows NT, non-Unicode build for Windows 9X.
|-
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:khaki;"| 1.5.1
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"| 1.5.1
| 1.8.1.17
| 1.8.1.17
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| October 16, 2008
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| October 16, 2008
| Gecko update, improvements and bugfixes.
| Gecko update, improvements and bugfixes.
|-
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:khaki;"| 1.5.2
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"| 1.5.2
| 1.8.1.19
| 1.8.1.19
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| December 25, 2008
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| December 25, 2008
| Gecko update, improvements and bugfixes.
| Gecko update, improvements and bugfixes.
|-
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:khaki;"| 1.5.3
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"| 1.5.3
| 1.8.1.21
| 1.8.1.21
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| May 8, 2009
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| May 8, 2009
Line 225: Line 228:
|-
|-
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''1.6'''
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| '''1.6'''
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:#d6b4f1;"| 1.6.0 Alpha 4
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"| 1.6.0 Alpha 4
| 1.9.1
| 1.9.1
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| May 5, 2010
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| May 5, 2010
| Gecko update to the 1.9.1 Trunk.
| Gecko update to the 1.9.1 Trunk.
|-
|-
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:#d6b4f1;"| 1.6.0 Beta 1
| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"| 1.6.0 Beta 1
| 1.9.1.16
| 1.9.1.16
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| November 13, 2010
|style="white-space: nowrap;"| November 13, 2010
Line 252: Line 255:
|}
|}


References: K-Meleon file releases,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/Download |title=K-Meleon Wiki: Download |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=14285 |title=K-Meleon SourceForge project file releases |publisher=Sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> release notes<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/ReleaseNotes |title=K-Meleon Wiki: Release Notes |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> and Wiki documentation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/HistoryOfKMeleon |title=K-Meleon Wiki: History Of K-Meleon |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>
References: K-Meleon file releases,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/Download |title=K-Meleon Wiki: Download |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=14285 |title=K-Meleon SourceForge project file releases |publisher=Sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> release notes,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/ReleaseNotes |title=K-Meleon Wiki: Release Notes |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref> and Wiki documentation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/HistoryOfKMeleon |title=K-Meleon Wiki: History Of K-Meleon |publisher=Kmeleon.sourceforge.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>


==Derivatives==
==Derivatives==
===K-MeleonCCF===
===Portable versions===
Several user-created [[Portable application|portable]] versions have been created since the beginning of the project, focusing on the ability to run K-Meleon from a [[USB flash drive]] or portable [[hard drive]] without saving any data on the host computer. However, with version 1.5, K-Meleon became portable by default.
⚫
K-MeleonCCF was developed by Hao Jiang, adding further features to K-meleon. The biggest change was the use of a true tab structure,<ref>[http://boisso.free.fr/kmeleon/#tabbed Tabbed K-Meleon] by Dorian Boissonnade</ref> as opposed to a layer system used by K-Meleon at the time. Other changes include a [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]]-based macro system to replace the original macros (giving greater responsiveness), and further [[user interface]] (UI) tweaks, such as a mouse-gestures plugin.


⚫
There have also been some early attempts at making a version of K-Meleon which can run from read-only media, such as a CD-ROM.<ref>[http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?f=1&i=41512&t=41510#reply_41512 K-Meleon1.0.1-mod-forCD] by Fred, based on Mozilla 1.8.0.6 Gecko, dated 20060730</ref>
Many of the changes implemented were included in later versions of K-Meleon, and with the release of K-Meleon 1.5, this will include "real tab support and much powerful macro plugin". Development of CCF has ceased with users being advised to move to K-Meleon 1.5 upon its release.<ref>{{cite web|author=coolwulf |url=http://kmeleon.blogspot.com/2008/01/goodbye-k-meleonccf.html |title=K-MeleonCCF ME: Goodbye K-MeleonCCF |publisher=Kmeleon.blogspot.com |date=2008-01-25 |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>

⚫
===K-MeleonCCF / K-MeleonCCF ME===
⚫
K-MeleonCCF was developed by Hao Jiang, adding further features to K-Meleon. The biggest change was the use of a true tab structure,<ref>[http://boisso.free.fr/kmeleon/#tabbed Tabbed K-Meleon] by Dorian Boissonnade</ref> as opposed to the "layer" system used by K-Meleon at the time. Other changes included a [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]]-based macro system to replace the original macros (giving greater responsiveness), and further [[user interface]] (UI) tweaks, such as a mouse-gestures plugin. Many of the changes implemented were included in later versions of K-Meleon, and with the release of K-Meleon 1.5, this included its tab support and macro plugin. Development of CCF has ceased with users being advised to move to K-Meleon 1.5 upon its release.<ref>{{cite web|author=coolwulf |url=http://kmeleon.blogspot.com/2008/01/goodbye-k-meleonccf.html |title=K-MeleonCCF ME: Goodbye K-MeleonCCF |publisher=Kmeleon.blogspot.com |date=2008-01-25 |accessdate=2011-11-08}}</ref>


⚫
===K-MeleonCCF ME===
[[Image:K-MeleonCCFME.png|250px|thumb|right|K-Meleon CCFME 0.08]]
[[Image:K-MeleonCCFME.png|250px|thumb|right|K-Meleon CCFME 0.08]]
K-MeleonCCF ME was developed as a more streamlined version of K-MeleonCCF, using less resources and yielding more responsiveness. This is done by omitting Mozilla's XML User Interface Language ([[XUL]]) in menus, and using [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]]-based macros.
K-MeleonCCF ME was developed as a more streamlined version of K-MeleonCCF, using fewer resources and yielding more responsiveness. This was done by omitting Mozilla's XML User Interface Language ([[XUL]]) in menus. At the time, it was the least resource-intensive browser for Windows using an up-to-date rendering engine,{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} making it ideal for older computers or those with low amounts of [[RAM]]. It may have also been the fastest at rendering, loading pages faster than [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Hao Jiang ("coolwulf") |title=Speed Test Revisited with the latest K-MeleonCCF ME |publisher=K-MeleonCCF ME |date=2007-05-16 |url=http://kmeleon.blogspot.com/2007/05/speed-test-revisited-with-latest-k.html |accessdate=2011-05-13}}</ref>


It is the least resource intensive browser for Windows using an up-to-date rendering engine{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} making it ideal for older computers or those with lesser amounts of [[RAM]]. It may also be the fastest at rendering, loading pages faster than [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Hao Jiang ("coolwulf") |title=Speed Test Revisited with the latest K-MeleonCCF ME |publisher=K-MeleonCCF ME |date=2007-05-16 |url=http://kmeleon.blogspot.com/2007/05/speed-test-revisited-with-latest-k.html |accessdate=2011-05-13}}</ref>
On January 25, 2008, the unofficial K-MeleonCCF project was discontinued. However, since then, version 0.08 of CCF ME was released, and development continued on version 0.09 of CCF ME based on the Gecko 1.9 rendering engine. A beta version of 0.09 was tested to be twice as fast as [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]] 9.5 at rendering [[JavaScript]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Hao Jiang |title=K-MeleonCCF ME 0.09 Beta0 - Twice as fast as Opera 9..5 &#91;''sic''&#93; |publisher=K-MeleonCCF ME |date=2008-04-15 |url=http://kmeleon.blogspot.com/2008/04/k-meleonccf-me-009-beta0-twice-as-fast.html |accessdate=2011-05-13}}</ref>


⚫
===K-Ninja / KMLite===
Further, new features and improvements are included in each version.<ref>[http://kmeleon.blogspot.com kmeleon.blogspot.com]</ref>

On January 25, 2008, Hao declared his decision to discontinue the unofficial K-MeleonCCF project, however, since then he (along with increased input from Dorian) has completed version 0.08 of CCF ME, and development continues on version 0.09 of CCF ME, based on the Gecko 1.9 rendering engine. A beta version of 0.09 was tested to be twice as fast as [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]] 9.5 at rendering [[JavaScript]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Hao Jiang |title=K-MeleonCCF ME 0.09 Beta0 - Twice as fast as Opera 9..5 &#91;''sic''&#93; |publisher=K-MeleonCCF ME |date=2008-04-15 |url=http://kmeleon.blogspot.com/2008/04/k-meleonccf-me-009-beta0-twice-as-fast.html |accessdate=2011-05-13}}</ref>

===Portable versions===
Some users have created modifications to enhance the portability of K-Meleon so they can run the browser on other Windows computers without having to install the software. Douglas McFadzean has collected and expanded on those efforts resulting in a group of [http://appstogo.mcfadzean.org.uk portable K-Meleon projects] that are designed to "enhance" the K-Meleon browser's modularity and portability. These projects include Pocket K-Meleon, KMprof, KMV (K-Meleon on the MoVe), KMVX (K-Meleon on the MoVe eXtended, KM@, KM@X, and KMigrate. These projects focus on the ability to run K-Meleon from a [[USB flash drive]] or portable [[hard drive]], leaving no trace of browsing on the host computer.

Douglas's work on portable K-Meleon for Windows has reduced as he has moved to using mainly [[Arch Linux]] and [[MEPIS]] [[Linux]] systems.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} It is a contemporary report written by a witness of that period, why a citation? <ref>http://emereo.net/success/k-meleon-portable-versions/</ref><ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?1,73481,73738#msg-73738</ref>

By version 1.5.0 K-Meleon had become portable by default. The last last efforts concentrated upon how to prevent the creation of an empty folder in %appdata%\K-Meleon. The first solution was hexing xpcom_core.dll, found by desga2. Later guenter posted a Mozilla compiling option with the same result. <ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?2,110586,110586#msg-110586</ref><ref>http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/wiki/KMPortable</ref>

⚫
There have also been some early attempts at making a version of K-Meleon which can run from a read-only device, such as a CD-ROM.<ref>[http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?f=1&i=41512&t=41510#reply_41512 K-Meleon1.0.1-mod-forCD] by Fred, based on Mozilla 1.8.0.6 Gecko, dated 20060730</ref>

⚫
===K-Ninja, KMLite===
K-Ninja, and later KMLite, were minor modifications of K-Meleon. They were designed with less on-screen space for menus and buttons, and more for web pages. An attempt was also made to expand and reorganize the right-click [[context menu]]s to make them faster and easier to use.
K-Ninja, and later KMLite, were minor modifications of K-Meleon. They were designed with less on-screen space for menus and buttons, and more for web pages. An attempt was also made to expand and reorganize the right-click [[context menu]]s to make them faster and easier to use.


K-Ninja was originally developed by Mark Reaves, who maintained the project until November 29, 2005. A developer by the name "Al." eventually came to maintain the project until March 12, 2008, when development ended.<ref>[http://groups.google.com.au/group/k-ninja-archives K-Ninja Archives Google Group], K-Ninja website</ref> The last release was K-Ninja v2.2.1 (codenamed Cydonia and based on Gecko 1.8.1.12). An experimental version using the older Gecko 1.8.0.14pre rendering engine was also developed during this time, named "Orbital."
;Development history:
K-Ninja was originally developed by Mark Reaves at Mot Studios. When Mark left Mot Studios and founded [http://slackware.mirrors.easynews.com/linux/ldios/www.iso.undergroundhangout.com/ldios/ LDIOS] (the Linux Desktop Initiation Operating System), the Official K-Ninja Forum also moved to the LDIOS site, which has not functioned since November 29, 2005. Mark was then no longer available to maintain the project.

On June 29, 2005, "TransitMan" [http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?f=1&i=27783&t=27743#reply_27784 updated the K-Ninja rendering engine] to Gecko 1.7.9 beta, and since March 12, 2006, "Al." updated it further and began to maintain it on a new homepage as K-Ninja Samurai v1.x, with the v1.7.13 Gecko engine.

Al. continued development of K-Ninja and introduced K-Ninja v2.0 which updated the codebase to the same as K-Meleon v1.0, which was based upon Gecko v1.8. K-Ninja v2.0 saw several releases each concentrating on bugfixes and stability, plus security updates to the Gecko rendering engine.

The last couple of K-Ninja releases were done privately as a service to existing K-Ninja users reluctant to switch to another browser. The last release was K-Ninja v2.2.1 (codenamed Cydonia based on Gecko v1.8.1.12). An experimental version using the older Gecko v1.8.0.14pre rendering engine was also developed during this time; it was named "Orbital".

On March 12, 2008, K-Ninja development was wrapped up by Al.<ref>[http://groups.google.com.au/group/k-ninja-archives K-Ninja Archives Google Group], K-Ninja website</ref>

⚫
KMLite was an attempt at rebranding to lessen confusion for those people who didn't realise that K-Ninja was based on K-Meleon. KMLite was an abbreviation on the name K-Meleon Lite. The Lite part of the name obviously referring to the lite interface and features that KMLite shared with K-Ninja. KMLite was based upon the K-Meleon v1.5 codebase, which also featured the Gecko v1.8.x rendering engine. KMLite also shared the plugin macro system and XUL based Preferences Panel that was also part of K-Meleon v1.5.


⚫
KMLite was an attempt at rebranding K-Ninja to emphasize the fact that it was based on K-Meleon. "Lite" referred to the lightweight interface and features that KMLite shared with K-Ninja. It was based upon the K-Meleon 1.5.x codebase, which featured the Gecko 1.8.x rendering engine. KMLite also shared the plugin macro system and XUL based Preferences Panel that was part of K-Meleon 1.5. The last released of KMLite was 1.1.2, which featured Gecko v1.8.1.19. Development on both KMLite ended on April 21, 2009.
The last version of KMLite released was v1.1.2 which featured Gecko v1.8.1.19. Al. announced on 21 April 2009 that he was no longer available to continue further development of K-Ninja or KMLite.


===NX Variations===
===NX editions===
Developed and maintained by Fred, NX editions are unofficial versions that are optimised for [[Linux]] distros through the [[Wine (software)|Wine emulator]]. Those versions can also run on MS Windows for those who prefer extreme light versions. Recent editions use K-Meleon's 1.5.x binaries and are based on the latest Gecko trunks-mainly 1.9.x. builds. Fred's NX editions provide a "sneak preview" for the upcoming K-Meleon 1.6 with 1.9.x Gecko and are therefore excellent testbeds for the official K-Meleon trunk migration. The NX editions are characterised by their special bookmarks for various news and [[online radio]] station websites.
Developed and maintained by Fred, NX editions are unofficial versions that are optimized for use on [[Linux]] through the the use of [[Wine (software)|Wine]]. These versions are designed to be extremely lightweight, and can also be run on Windows. Later editions used K-Meleon's 1.5.x binaries and are based on the latest Gecko trunks, mainly 1.9.x. builds. Fred's NX editions provided a "sneak preview" for the then-upcoming K-Meleon 1.6 with 1.9.x Gecko and were therefore suitable testbeds for the official K-Meleon trunk migration.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 10:22, 8 September 2014

K-Meleon
Developer(s)Christophe Thibault, Dorian Boissonnade, et al.
Initial releaseAugust 21, 2000; 23 years ago (2000-08-21)
Repository
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
TypeWeb browser
Feed reader
LicenseGPL
Websitekmeleon.sourceforge.net

K-Meleon is an open-source web browser for the Microsoft Windows platform. Based on the same Gecko layout engine as Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey, K-Meleon's design goal is to provide a fast and reliable web browser while providing a highly customizable interface and using system resources efficiently. It is released under the GNU General Public License.

Development and specifications

K-Meleon uses the native Windows application programming interface (API) to create its user interface instead of Mozilla's cross-platform XML User Interface Language (XUL) layer, and as a result, is tightly integrated into the look and feel of the Windows desktop.[1] This approach is similar to that of Galeon and Epiphany (for the GNOME desktop), and Camino (for Mac OS X). Omitting XUL makes K-Meleon less resource-intensive than other Gecko-based browsers on Windows.

The first version, K-Meleon 0.1, was originally written by Christophe Thibault and released to the public on August 21, 2000.[2] Dorian Boissonnade eventually took over as the primary developer of the project, and continues to maintain the project to date. The current stable release version of K-Meleon is 1.5.4, which was released on March 5, 2010. This release is based on the Gecko 1.8.1.24pre rendering engine. The current version under development is K-Meleon 74 RC 2, released on September 8, 2014.

After many major release versions from 0.1 to 0.9.x, K-Meleon 1.0 introduced major modifications. The most notable change was the main K-Meleon code being updated to accommodate the Gecko 1.8.0.x rendering engine, as used in the latest releases of Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey. This update to the layout engine brought significant improvements to security and usability, including support for favicons and multi-user environments. Some themes and macros from version 0.9 were still compatible with 1.0, although the macro system was updated.

The macro system was updated further in K-Meleon 1.1,[3] which was based on the Gecko 1.8.1 rendering engine that was used in Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and SeaMonkey 1.1.

A true tabbed interface was introduced in version 1.5. Prior to this update, multiple web pages were only accessible within the same browser window using the included but optional "layers" plugin, which enabled a toolbar containing buttons representing each open page in a way that functionally mimicked tabbed browsing in every way other than appearance. These open pages were called "layers" instead of tabs.

In 2010, K-Meleon was one of the twelve browsers offered to European Economic Area users of Microsoft Windows.[4]

As of 2012, the project was incorrectly reported[by whom?] as being on indefinite hold, presumably due to the fact that Mozilla stopped providing an embeddable version of the Gecko engine.[5][6] This has since been clarified, as development continued.[7][8]

In late 2013 the K-Meleon group began developing new versions based on Mozilla's XULrunner 25 runtime environment in place of the Gecko Embedded environment. K-Meleon 74 is the first release under development using this environment.

Customization

K-Meleon has a highly flexible interface design. All the menus and toolbar buttons can be customized using text-format configuration files. This feature is useful in environments where the browser must be customized for general public use, such as in a public library or Internet cafe.[9] Although individual toolbars can be repositioned, users must edit toolbar configuration files to make any changes to button layouts as there is no graphical user interface (GUI) to customize them.[10]

The use of the native Windows interface means that K-Meleon does not support Mozilla-formatted browser themes. Compatibility with Mozilla extensions is also limited, with only a few extensions that can be integrated. However, K-Meleon has its own plugins (called "kplugins")[11] and browser themes (using Lim Chee Aun's Phoenity by default),[12] which can extend the functionality and customize the appearance of the browser. There is also a macro plugin which allows users to extend the browser functionality without having to know the C programming language.[13]

Release history

Color Meaning
Red Old release; not supported
Yellow Old release; still supported
Green Current stable release
Purple Current test release
Blue Future release
Major version Release version Gecko version Release date Significant changes
0.1 0.1 M17 August 21, 2000 First release; mainly a rebranded WinEmbed, using the BCG Library; customizable menu and toolbar, IE Favorites support.[14]
0.2 0.2 M18 November 26, 2000 Project hosted at SourceForge; right-click context menus; improvements and bugfixes.
0.2.1 M18 November 27, 2000 Bugfixes.
0.3 0.3 0.8 February 13, 2001 Major rewrite using MfcEmbed instead of WinEmbed and the BCG Library; plugin support for menus and toolbars; preferences dialog; customizable menus and accelerator keys; basic authentication; page source view; option to save files to disk.
0.4 0.4 0.9 May 11, 2001 KPlugin interface, support for Netscape bookmarks and fullscreen display, macro extension and history plugin; (bitmapped) menus, accelerator keys and toolbars customizable through configuration files; cache support; support for external source code viewer; configurable cookie and image settings; possibility to disable Style Sheets, Java and JavaScript; web search.
0.5 0.5 0.9.4 September 27, 2001 Support for SSL, Wallet and external protocol handlers; customizable UserAgent string; improved Java support and profile handling; pop-up blocker; symbiotic loader; various improvements and bugfixes.
0.6 0.6 0.9.5 October 30, 2001 Toolbar plugin; improved proxy support; file upload; numerous improvements and bugfixes.
0.7 0.7 1.2b October 31, 2002 New plugins: Layered windows ("tabbed browsing"), support for Opera bookmarks (hotlist), external program control; automatic detection of popular third party plugins; text zoom, print preview, page setup and type ahead find; skin support; various improvements and bugfixes.
0.7.1 (0.7 SP1) February 12, 2003 Numerous plugin improvements.
0.8 0.8 1.5 November 10, 2003 Various usability improvements.
0.8.1 December 13, 2003 Mouse Gestures plugin; improvements and bugfixes.
0.8.2 December 23, 2003 Improvements and bugfixes.
0.9 0.9 1.7.5 January 18, 2005 Privacy plugin, Flashblock extension and Aggreg8 RSS feed reader; new default skin (Phoenity); numerous usability improvements.
0.9.12 1.7.12 January 10, 2006 Community-driven Gecko update; various new features (partly unique to this version).
0.9.13 1.7.13 April 25, 2006 Community-driven Gecko update; various new features (partly unique to this version).
1.0 1.0 1.8.0.5 July 15, 2006 Full localization support, first official localization (German); find bar and improved URL bar; configurable download options, XUL-based advanced preferences panel; overall improvements for macros and menus; new default RSS/Atom feed reader (NewsFox).
1.0.1 (1.01) 1.8.0.6 August 14, 2006 Gecko update.
1.0.2 (1.02) 1.8.0.7 September 22, 2006 Gecko update, some improvements and bugfixes.
1.1 1.1 1.8.1.4 May 22, 2007 Multilanguage support, several official localizations; modular macros; session saver plugin; improved cookie permissions and password support; easier customization of search engines and mouse gestures; upgradable configuration of accelerator keys, menus and macros.
1.1.1 (1.11) 1.8.1.5 July 22, 2007 Gecko update and bugfixes.
1.1.2 1.8.1.6 August 8, 2007 Gecko update and bugfixes.
1.1.3 1.8.1.10 November 26, 2007 Gecko update; update checker plugin.
1.1.4 1.8.1.12 February 11, 2008 Gecko update and bugfixes.
1.1.5 1.8.1.14 April 8, 2008 Gecko update and bugfix.
1.1.6 1.8.1.17pre July 18, 2008 Gecko update.
1.5 1.5.0 1.8.1.17pre August 8, 2008 True tabs instead of layered windows; improved multilanguage support; native preferences panel replaced by XUL-based former advanced preferences panel; new configuration options; feature improvements; Unicode build for Windows NT, non-Unicode build for Windows 9X.
1.5.1 1.8.1.17 October 16, 2008 Gecko update, improvements and bugfixes.
1.5.2 1.8.1.19 December 25, 2008 Gecko update, improvements and bugfixes.
1.5.3 1.8.1.21 May 8, 2009 Gecko update and bugfixes.
1.5.4 1.8.1.24pre March 5, 2010 Gecko update and bugfixes.
1.6 1.6.0 Alpha 4 1.9.1 May 5, 2010 Gecko update to the 1.9.1 Trunk.
1.6.0 Beta 1 1.9.1.16 November 13, 2010 Gecko update to the 1.9.1.16 Trunk.
1.6.0 Beta 2 1.9.1.17 December 12, 2010 Gecko update to the 1.9.1.17 Trunk.
1.6.0 Beta 3 1.9.1.20pre December 12, 2011 Gecko update to the 1.9.1.20pre Trunk.
1.7 1.7.0 Alpha 2 1.9.2.14pre December 26, 2010 Gecko update to the 1.9.2.14pre Trunk.

References: K-Meleon file releases,[15][16] release notes,[17] and Wiki documentation.[18]

Derivatives

Portable versions

Several user-created portable versions have been created since the beginning of the project, focusing on the ability to run K-Meleon from a USB flash drive or portable hard drive without saving any data on the host computer. However, with version 1.5, K-Meleon became portable by default.

There have also been some early attempts at making a version of K-Meleon which can run from read-only media, such as a CD-ROM.[19]

K-MeleonCCF / K-MeleonCCF ME

K-MeleonCCF was developed by Hao Jiang, adding further features to K-Meleon. The biggest change was the use of a true tab structure,[20] as opposed to the "layer" system used by K-Meleon at the time. Other changes included a Lua-based macro system to replace the original macros (giving greater responsiveness), and further user interface (UI) tweaks, such as a mouse-gestures plugin. Many of the changes implemented were included in later versions of K-Meleon, and with the release of K-Meleon 1.5, this included its tab support and macro plugin. Development of CCF has ceased with users being advised to move to K-Meleon 1.5 upon its release.[21]

K-Meleon CCFME 0.08

K-MeleonCCF ME was developed as a more streamlined version of K-MeleonCCF, using fewer resources and yielding more responsiveness. This was done by omitting Mozilla's XML User Interface Language (XUL) in menus. At the time, it was the least resource-intensive browser for Windows using an up-to-date rendering engine,[citation needed] making it ideal for older computers or those with low amounts of RAM. It may have also been the fastest at rendering, loading pages faster than Opera.[22]

On January 25, 2008, the unofficial K-MeleonCCF project was discontinued. However, since then, version 0.08 of CCF ME was released, and development continued on version 0.09 of CCF ME based on the Gecko 1.9 rendering engine. A beta version of 0.09 was tested to be twice as fast as Opera 9.5 at rendering JavaScript.[23]

K-Ninja / KMLite

K-Ninja, and later KMLite, were minor modifications of K-Meleon. They were designed with less on-screen space for menus and buttons, and more for web pages. An attempt was also made to expand and reorganize the right-click context menus to make them faster and easier to use.

K-Ninja was originally developed by Mark Reaves, who maintained the project until November 29, 2005. A developer by the name "Al." eventually came to maintain the project until March 12, 2008, when development ended.[24] The last release was K-Ninja v2.2.1 (codenamed Cydonia and based on Gecko 1.8.1.12). An experimental version using the older Gecko 1.8.0.14pre rendering engine was also developed during this time, named "Orbital."

KMLite was an attempt at rebranding K-Ninja to emphasize the fact that it was based on K-Meleon. "Lite" referred to the lightweight interface and features that KMLite shared with K-Ninja. It was based upon the K-Meleon 1.5.x codebase, which featured the Gecko 1.8.x rendering engine. KMLite also shared the plugin macro system and XUL based Preferences Panel that was part of K-Meleon 1.5. The last released of KMLite was 1.1.2, which featured Gecko v1.8.1.19. Development on both KMLite ended on April 21, 2009.

NX editions

Developed and maintained by Fred, NX editions are unofficial versions that are optimized for use on Linux through the the use of Wine. These versions are designed to be extremely lightweight, and can also be run on Windows. Later editions used K-Meleon's 1.5.x binaries and are based on the latest Gecko trunks, mainly 1.9.x. builds. Fred's NX editions provided a "sneak preview" for the then-upcoming K-Meleon 1.6 with 1.9.x Gecko and were therefore suitable testbeds for the official K-Meleon trunk migration.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ Blanco, Elena. "Open source and the web browser". Oss-watch.ac.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  2. ^ Blanco, Elena (2000-10-13). "K-Meleon: Are the browser wars back?". Zdnet.com.au. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  3. ^ "Re: Kmeleon 1.1a2 Gecko 1.8.1". Kmeleon.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  4. ^ BBC, Microsoft offers browser choices to Europeans, 1 March 2010
  5. ^ http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?8,113496,page=2/
  6. ^ "Mozilla kills embedding support for Gecko layout engine"
  7. ^ http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?2,126337
  8. ^ http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?1,125632
  9. ^ Mutch, Andrew; Ventura, Karen (2002-07-15). "Does Your Library Need a Different Browser?". netConnect. Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11.
  10. ^ "K-Meleon's official configuration reference page". Kmeleon.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  11. ^ What do each of the default K-Meleon plugins do? Official K-Meleon FAQ
  12. ^ "K-Meleon Themes Wiki page". Kmeleon.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  13. ^ "K-Meleon Macros library". Kmeleon.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  14. ^ "K-Meleon Browser Showcases Gecko". BetaNews. 2000-08-22. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  15. ^ "K-Meleon Wiki: Download". Kmeleon.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  16. ^ "K-Meleon SourceForge project file releases". Sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  17. ^ "K-Meleon Wiki: Release Notes". Kmeleon.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  18. ^ "K-Meleon Wiki: History Of K-Meleon". Kmeleon.sourceforge.net. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  19. ^ K-Meleon1.0.1-mod-forCD by Fred, based on Mozilla 1.8.0.6 Gecko, dated 20060730
  20. ^ Tabbed K-Meleon by Dorian Boissonnade
  21. ^ coolwulf (2008-01-25). "K-MeleonCCF ME: Goodbye K-MeleonCCF". Kmeleon.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  22. ^ Hao Jiang ("coolwulf") (2007-05-16). "Speed Test Revisited with the latest K-MeleonCCF ME". K-MeleonCCF ME. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  23. ^ Hao Jiang (2008-04-15). "K-MeleonCCF ME 0.09 Beta0 - Twice as fast as Opera 9..5 [sic]". K-MeleonCCF ME. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  24. ^ K-Ninja Archives Google Group, K-Ninja website

External links

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