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Mozilla dev shares new info on Firefox 4 for Windows
It's no secret that Mozilla is working on a fairly major facelift for the next major version of Firefox. We've already seen some early concepts for Linux and Windows and there's even an easy-to-install Strata 4 theme (called Strata40) for current versions of Firefox.
On his personal blog Chromatic Pixel, Mozilla contributor Stephen Horlander has shared some more iterations of the Windows version. Early in the post, Horlander admits that Mozilla's undivided attention has shifted toward implementing a new theme for v4.0. Firefox 3.7 likely won't see a UI update.
One thing which is clearly getting a lot of attention is the application button. It's been tested in at least the five positions you can see in the bottom of the header image (and likely several others). Mozilla is taking a cue from Microsoft here, looking at the single-button menus in Windows 7 apps like Wordpad, Paint, and just about anything else with the Ribbon UI.
Personally, I'm a fan of the options on the top and bottom right - they seem like an efficient use of space and a good fit for widescreen monitors.
What do you think of Strata 4.0 so far? Where would you like to see the application bar placed? Does it even matter? This is Firefox, after all, so v4 is going to be as customizable as other versions have been.
[via IThinkDiff]
On his personal blog Chromatic Pixel, Mozilla contributor Stephen Horlander has shared some more iterations of the Windows version. Early in the post, Horlander admits that Mozilla's undivided attention has shifted toward implementing a new theme for v4.0. Firefox 3.7 likely won't see a UI update.
One thing which is clearly getting a lot of attention is the application button. It's been tested in at least the five positions you can see in the bottom of the header image (and likely several others). Mozilla is taking a cue from Microsoft here, looking at the single-button menus in Windows 7 apps like Wordpad, Paint, and just about anything else with the Ribbon UI.
Personally, I'm a fan of the options on the top and bottom right - they seem like an efficient use of space and a good fit for widescreen monitors.
What do you think of Strata 4.0 so far? Where would you like to see the application bar placed? Does it even matter? This is Firefox, after all, so v4 is going to be as customizable as other versions have been.
[via IThinkDiff]
Comments
22
Subscribe to commentsJohnathanDec 21st 2009 10:35PM
Flak though I may get for this, I really hope someone releases an extension for ffx 4, or that it the browser itself is customizable enough to put the tab bar below the address bar. Playing obvious catch-up with Chrome wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for such an unattractive and useless feature.
kojo87Dec 21st 2009 10:57PM
catch-up to Chrome? how do you figure? i have both browsers installed on my desktop and i couldn't tell you the last time i opened Chrome. but thats just me.
personally i like the top and bottom left options for no particular reason. i just do.
LMMDec 22nd 2009 12:25AM
Seconded, I don't like the idea of the address bar below the tab bar. I don't need a stylized browser. There's nothing wrong with the tried-and-true way of having the address bar above the tabs.
iofthestormDec 22nd 2009 1:25AM
The post explicitly says that the position of the tabs above or below the address bar will be an option.
JoshDec 22nd 2009 4:48AM
I spoke with a UI developer around when the first mockups were released and they said that the interface would be much more customizable by default and you could switch to the 3.5/3.6/3.7 interface with the click of a button. So don't expect it to be difficult
gordonglasDec 22nd 2009 10:20AM
Riiight.. cause this recent article clearly shows Firefox is playing catch-up -_- http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/12/21/firefox-3-5-passes-ie7-as-most-poluar-web-browser/
ArnieDec 21st 2009 11:53PM
The top most one. I think it uses most available and also would be ideal for smaller screens (13" & below)
AustinDec 23rd 2009 10:00AM
Johnathan, you're living a lie if you think FIREFOX is playing catchup with CHROME.
RUGRLNDec 22nd 2009 12:29AM
Wasn't there an almost identical Opera 10.5 leaked theme like this on the internet yesterday?!
hmmDec 22nd 2009 12:50AM
It wasn't just a leaked theme, it was a leaked build(as in not just a mockup). Though not exactly identical, all browsers seem to going in a similar direction.
RUGRLNDec 22nd 2009 1:25AM
Hmm...well the top most and middle most look v nice..can't wait to see those ones!
hmmDec 22nd 2009 1:53AM
Well I use Linux or Windows Xp mostly. Haven't got around to Windows 7 yet. Unable to try aero themes of any browser!
Brad JensenDec 22nd 2009 8:56AM
I like the very last one.
tigsfanDec 22nd 2009 10:14AM
I feel like the title bar should have an option to be hidden as well. Based on the image on the UI developer website, the difference in screen real-estate is barely noticeable.
*Note* in the screenshot he shows, the FF3.5 screenshot has the bookmarks bar turned on, while the other does not.
If Firefox is adapting the Chrome-Look, then they should at least lose the title-bar as well (or give the option to hide it) so that they can adapt the functional positives of the Chrome UI as opposed to just playing catchup visually.
Style is great, but without function its pointless in my opinion.
SilverWaveDec 22nd 2009 4:07PM
I wonder how " Tree Style Tab" will look with this new look :D
techpopsDec 22nd 2009 4:50PM
Oh I love this. The subtle little design choices are great. I'm agreeing that the menu being tucked away into the top is great, especially seeing it iconified only like that. Very cool.
I want this theme now and I care not if its a copy, an echo or nothing to do with Chrome. It just looks great.
It all being super customizable should really silence the moaners who like things to stay the same too so everybody wins
John A. Bilicki IIIDec 22nd 2009 8:15PM
Stop destroying the GUI for goodness sakes! Leave the menu bar the F%$^ alone! Give me back the go button without having to hack the user chrome file! Honestly, getting rid of the go button that I use every few minutes and replacing it with a bookmark button that I use every few weeks is NOT good design.
ONLY tabs belong on the tab bar, stop moving all the controls all over the freaking place! Back, forward, reload, stop, home, downloads, new tab, and print belong ABOVE the location bar bar. The bookmarks toolbar belongs to the RIGHT of the location bar. The search bar and extension based buttons belong to the right of the main buttons bar above the bookmarks toolbar. The tabs bar belongs on the bottom and the file menu belongs on the top.
Minimizing the GUI for the sake of minimizing the GUI is massively counter-productive because all these changes are NOT intuitive to the average NON-TECHNICAL user. Really, if you want to have absolutely no GUI and get rid of everything that's useful then manually disable it yourself after installation but don't screw over 99.9% of everyone else on the face of the planet by this misplaced overly fanatical sense of minimalism.
lolcoptersDec 22nd 2009 9:25PM
its called pressing enter on the keyboard, heard of it?
John A. Bilicki IIIDec 22nd 2009 11:47PM
Pressing the go button requires one action, clicking the go button. For pressing enter to work with only one action requires the address bar/location bar to already have focus which is not always the case.
techpopsDec 25th 2009 11:43AM
I think you've got things the wrong way round there. Less options tend to make for an easier experience for new users. More options tend to make things more complex.
Microsoft have clearly put the time in working out what works better in Windows. Windows 7's numerous tweaks are a great example of how simplifying things makes for a more usable OS. Makes sense to me and obviously made sense to Microsoft looking at the feedback they got. One of the largest studies of OS usability ever conducted if I remember rightly.
Mozilla are obviously not just throwing out elements for the hell of it. Every change will be debated at length and in the end, what they believe works better is what we'll get.
People like you who prefer things to stay the same because that's just the way it is. Well mostly you can change Firefox back to the way you like it, even if you have to get your hands dirty in a config file or two along the way. It's not like you have to do it more than once and then you're back to samey old bliss.