A new version of Mozilla's popular Firefox Web browser is ready for download with improved security and memory use as the tiny company takes a stab at dominant Internet Explorer. The program's creators told Reuters on Thursday that the company's trial version of Firefox 3 browser is ready for the masses to use after months of development.

A fourth beta version of the browser came out earlier this month, and a beta 5 release is expected in a the following weeks. This will involve "tuning the visual look and feel of the program" and further improving its stability,"

Engineers at Mozilla are still putting the finishing touches on the software and hope to release the final version of Firefox 3 by the end of June, Mozilla Vice President of Engineering Mike Schroepfer said.

Additions boost security and allow users to run Web sites when they are not connected to the Internet. Mozilla also says Firefox 3 uses less computer memory than Firefox 2.

Mozilla is in a battle with Microsoft, which unveiled an experimental version of its Internet Explorer 8 in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Until now Mozilla has discouraged the typical computer user from downloading these BETA releases and exploring the new features. But its developers said on Thursday that the situation has changed and that they will be revising their Web site.

A fifth round of changes, due to begin within the next few weeks, Schroepfer said.