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Topic: Browser

Mozilla posts Firefox redesign mockups

Summary: Mozilla's user interface changes between Firefox 3 and 4 caused quite a controversy, with a significant percentage of the userbase choosing to stick with Firefox 3.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

It seems that Mozilla might be getting ready to give Firefox another facelift, as new mockups of potential design changes are posted on the Mozilla Wiki.

At the core of this possible redesign is removing the Firefox button that currently resides at the top-left of the browser and replaces it with a new menu panel. This panel is used to display commonly used features such as opening a new windows, printing, private browsing as well as offering access to the Options menu.

If you're a Google Chrome user then this might seem familiar to you, but there's a twist. Rather than the static menu panel of Chrome, Mozilla plans to give users the ability to customize the menu panel by rearranging the icons, and adding and removing new ones.

Users will also have the ability to add and remove items to and from the toolbar too.

Also, you may notice how themes are displayed in the customizations tab, allowing them to be applied directly to the browser.

Changes to the layout of a browser's user interface have the potential to upset a lot of people, as it can significantly impact workflow. Mozilla's user interface changes between Firefox 3 and 4 caused quite a controversy, with a significant percentage of the user base choosing to stick with Firefox 3. It remains to be seen what users will think of yet another user interface change being thrust upon them.

Image credits: Mozilla.

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Topic: Browser

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19 comments
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  • Mozilla posts Firefox redesign mockups

    Looks like a nice refreshing interface, I'd like to see them go with this one. It reminds me of the Microsoft Office ribbon.
    Loverock Davidson-
    Reply Vote

  • That mockup is decidedly Chromish.

    Though I'm okay with that. I've always liked the Chrome interface. It's the innards I have a problem with.
    Aerowind
    Reply Vote

    • Agree, looks very Chrome-ish

      It took me a while to get into Chrome. I was a Firefox die-hard, but I got used to Chrome and in some respects, it's better (as a developer). The one thing that's absolutely annoying of Chrome is its management of cookies when you don't accept all by default. FF will prompt you before the page loads, whereas Chrome requires that you click the cookie button, allow one or more cookies, and then reload. By that time, you may have been redirected to a "no cookies" page and your POST is messed up.
      davidr69
      Reply Vote

  • button

    aw :( I'm gonna miss the firefox button
    aardmaat
    Reply Vote

  • Please not the Chrome tabs

    Please don't use rounded shape on the tabs... makes them look too much like Chrome which I hate the look. Keep the current square tabs.
    lepoete73
    Reply Vote

    • No Chrome-Looking Tabs

      I use Comodo Dragon Internet Browser (Chromium) and it has the squared-off tabs, instead of the angled ones. I still use Firefox at times. Firefox has to make sure that if a theme, extension or anything else is added to the browser, you do not have to reload Firefox; make it just happen without closing and reopening the browser.
      Xyberion1K3
      Reply Vote

  • Good riddance to the firefox button

    I really hate the Firefox button, it's ugly, garish and is also completely non-standard and doesn't fit in with the design of Windows. The only other application that has a button like it is Opera (which Firefox shamelessly copied).
    Moving to a button on the menu bar will bring it inline with not just the other browsers but a huge swathe of applications written to fit the Windows design guidelines.
    mog0
    Reply Vote

    • Firefox doesn't only do Windows

      Unlike IE, Firefox supports multiple operating systems, so why does it need to look more Windows-ish? Should the UI be different for their Linux and Windows releases?
      davidr69
      Reply Vote

      • Mistaken

        Internet Explorer supports as well multiple OS. IE isn't just for NT operating system but it is available for CE as well and it was for older OS from Apple before Apple toke XNU operating system in use for OS X.

        The graphical user interface has nothing to do with the operating system. The application should follow the graphica user interface what is used, what demands application needs to use toolkit and framework what is used for the user.

        Firefox is targeted primarily for Windows users as Internet Explorer is only for Microsoft systems and so on they are the competitors. Same time other system users suffers from bad quality.
        Fri13
        Reply Vote

    • That Was An Ugly Button

      Good riddance, indeed! That orange button (orange in most cases) was an ugly site.
      Xyberion1K3
      Reply Vote

    • Opera copied Firefox

      Mozilla was first with mockups with such a menu, Opera just implemented it first.
      Natanael_L
      Reply Vote

  • Use the top title bar row

    Why doesn't anyone use the top title bar row above the tabs? The top row isn't being used for anything, not even the title anymore! FF 10 comes close with the button in the upper left corner. Stay away from the tabs row!!
    CaptainK
    Reply Vote

    • Using a Laptop Here Firefox

      When using a laptop, you need all of the viewing area possible. Firefox, put the tabs at the very top and shrink them down in height. Sometimes, tabs look too large in height. Give us viewing area on our laptops.
      Xyberion1K3
      Reply Vote

  • GUI change

    If I wanted Chrome, I'd use Chrome instead of Firefox.
    rpolunsky@...
    Reply Vote

  • good lord

    good lord more crappola in firefox . . . good thing I saved a copy of v9 as ver 10 and up sucked bigtime . . . slow and clunky and this is WITHOUT any plugins!
    photomstr@...
    Reply Vote

  • Mmmm. That's pretty.

    Yes please.
    sammysamcore
    Reply Vote

  • at a glance

    Upon immediate first impressions I'd like to be able to tell the difference between Firefox and Chrome, this isn't getting that done. I say stick with the Firefox button. I like the background tabs design, I like the new "menu" design, but just adding another button to the address row is unfortunate, I have bookmarks and Firebug there now, I don't need any more.
    SeanBlader
    Reply Vote

  • Awesome !

    I would start using firefox again if they changed to this format. The rounded "Chrome" corners on the tabs are so much easier on the eyes, and the new "wrench", I mean menu button instead of that unsightly orange button. And they moved it over to the Chrome, I mean right side, too ! And the best part off all, the author didn't mention, no more redundant search box ! It will be just like my Chrome as far as the look, except I can move all the little buttons and such around the way I want them. Tell, me this is going to happen, soon.
    bigghands
    Reply Vote

    • Tabs

      I would take gladly different tabs as I want my WWW browser to follow the style as rest of my working environment.
      That is the bad decision in Chrome/Chromium that it use custom GTK widget for tabs instead standard one. It should be possible change with themes to custom one but by default use standard GTK widgets.
      Fri13
      Reply Vote
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