Comments on: Firefox 3 to go native in appearance

The upcoming version of the open-source Web browser will fit right in with Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS X. Linux is another matter entirely.

[DaiMac]

Yes!

The relatively ugly UI of FF2 is among the reasons I don't use it
more, hopefully this means I can switch to FF3 full time when it
comes out.

[SeizeCTRL]

you do know...

that you can make changes simply by editing a few files, you can download themes, and you can even make your own...

[micheal676]

ummm

one of the best things about firefox is its ablilty to have addons such as themes to change its appearance.. i don't see why anyone complain about how FF2 looks because its very simple to dl a theme just go here https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:2

[itsmeleei]

VERY BEAUTIFUL TWEAK FOR 100% VISTA GUI INTEGRATION. PLEASE LOOK AT http://20boi-lee.spaces.live.com/

[noldrin]

Linux integration with GTK and QT

If they make a GTK version and a QT version, it should integrate with almost every distro quite nicely and it seems like it would be less of a hassle.

[Phred15]

Firefox 3 to go native in appearance

I don't see anything wrong with the way firefox looks now. I have been using it full time for several years now. I hope I will be able to use it the way it is now without visual changes.

[`WarpKat]

I Concur

The look of FF has nothing to do with its overall functionality or stability.

I just hope they don't tie it into the OS such that it begins to look like IE 7. I would simply abandon it altogether and go with Links.

[xenophod]

Agree 100%

I have seen IE7 on some computers and find it very difficult to work with. FF has been a clean, easy to use and most of all fast interface. I don't care if the browser looks more like a Max or XP as long as it works quick and similar, if they go changing it so its not universal from machine to machine it might have me looking elsewhere.

[itsmeleei]

VERY BEAUTIFUL TWEAK FOR 100% VISTA GUI INTEGRATION. PLEASE LOOK AT http://20boi-lee.spaces.live.com/

[john55440]

Like IE7 UI / Hate FF2 UI

On WinXP, I really like the user interface of IE7, and think that FF2 looks clunky and old fashioned.

I'm glad that FF's user interface is getting an update.

(I keep FF2 installed on my system as a backup browser.)

[Penguinisto]

Opposite here.

FF has smaller, neater tabs and better organized toolbars (IE7's tabs are freakin' HUGE, and the whole thing eats valuable desktop real estate). FF's tools are far more intuitive (Bookmarks for instance... why does IE7 have a little fisher-price looking star and a 'star+' icon sucking up real estate?) Hell, IE 7 stole half of Firefox' ideas (such as tabbed browsing behaviors) in the first place, then implemented them half-arsed.

In Linux, FF2 looks just like any other app I have - the only difference is the icon graphics. On the Mac, it blends in well enough, and this is the one place where (Cocoa-like) native looks would be the most useful. In 'doze, it works just fine.

/P

[Carion]

IE7 = Total Ugliness

IE7 has an overdone UI as result of a hysterical attempt to create something new. It is unpractical and totally user-unfriendly. Firefox will rule and the UI does not need to adapt to the OS. A fox is not a chameleon. KDE integration (I don't about Gnome) does however need some improvement.

[kjbfsjkdvb]

Finally

And history repeats itself.

Java started with native widgets (AWT) and then went non-native (Swing); quickly I gave up on Java and began moving to .NET. Eventually IBM built SWT which again offered native widgets with some success (Eclipse, Azureus, etc.) but was too late for me.

Netscape also started with native widgets and then went non-native (Mozilla); quickly I gave up and began moving to IE. Now native look&feel returns in Firefox 3. This time I may return, given it's easier to go from IE to Firefox than from .NET to Java.

Distancing from native only causes problems. My scroll-wheel stop working on Netscape6/Mozilla1; using the visual themes introduced with WindowsXP came almost for free to native applications, and was very costly mimicked by non-native apps. Firefox currently doesn't respect my preference "Hide keyboard navigation indicators until I use the Alt key" in the Display Properties. Context menus on text boxes in dialogs look strange, etc, etc, etc...

[gsmiller88]

Firefox is just plain fugly on OS X

I never use Firefox on my Mac because it is just that ugly! Camino
looks a lot better but I prefer Firefox' functionality but can't stand
Firefox's out dated generic interface.

[Seething Ganglia]

I don't want this at all

I like the fact that my browser windows look noticibly different from my local windows. That makes it easy to tell the difference between local and remote content.

Appearace is always secondary to functionality and performance.

[zeroplane]

Consistency is bad?

Why is having a consistent GUI for all operating system bad?

From a development perspective it sure makes testing and R&D a lot easier when the GUI, function, and technology is identical across all of the operating systems I do work on.

So changing the GUI and user experience from OS to OS will just make it harder for me to do my job.

My humble opinion is that the they are more GUI designer (I want to make an impact and show I am worth something) is influencing this direction than the Usability Expert (I just want to make it easy for users to use) point of view.

In the end, if I can just change the theme back to FF2 I will be happy.

PS like others on here have posted, you can change the GUI of the browser by downloading a theme. Personally I find it not worth the trouble. But to each his/her own.

Peace.

[Seething Ganglia]

As long as ...

... I have the GUI and tool set that I want.

Oh, you want or need something different?

Too bad.

[rshew]

Consistency = good

This match-the-OS idea is interesting, but I agree with your points, and I've never downloaded and used themes.

I think having an OS-specific UI will cause more problems than benefits. It will make it less easy for me to walk my parents through a "how to" over the phone when they're using a Mac and I'm on a PC.

I don't know how much this is done with applications like the MS Office suite or Photoshop and Illustrator, but I'm fairly certain there are some differences which are probably intentionally done for the OS being used.

In an ideal world I'll be able to decide whether I want the new look or the old look, and if the new look is terrific I'll stick with it.

Ultimately I hope this isn't a waste of developer time that could be put to better use on other aspects of Firefox.

All this said, whatever happens, I'll be sticking with Firefox.

[Chocolim]

kind of agree

King of agree but just because i use severals OS, but if i never use windows for example firefox will be kind of strange. There are good news it have Themes!

[dajo25]

Regular User

Reading all of these posts, which for me was odd because I'm a
regular Joe User, but I like my laptops. I needed to respond
because the first thing I saw was some joker pointing out a fake
Ballmer website. Like your fight matters to me!

Like many people I have diversified monetary interests (I have
invested in multiple OS producing companies) and I have
completely diverse taste (I only buy one brand of computer and
OS.) But when an application comes up on my screen and it
looks rudimentary, as Firefox 2 does, I am suspect. It's the
same with a vessel that has a great engine with nothing to
sustain it (think Bayliner boats.)

I'm really happy for testers that think the UI should be the same
across operating systems, but I would give this advice, "You
have increased job security."

Get off your lazy computer driven ass and think about how
something looks for once! Unfortunately

[GGGlen]

?

"I have completely diverse taste (I only buy one brand of computer
and
OS.)"

I don't think the word "diverse" means what you think it does.

[aguanteelcachorro]

what about camino?

It`s nice to see people behind firefox try to adapt its user interface with both vista and OSX but I wonder, if they are trying to adapt firefox to OSX, what about camino? Will mozilla drop it? I thought mozilla would eventually stop developing firefox for OSX and replace it with camino.

[Too Old For IT]

Web browser being central to the OS

"The Web browser is an incredibly central piece of the user's operating system ..."

This is exactly what got MS in trouble with Neelie Kroes and the competition nazis in Europe.

[Wolfie2k5]

Actually...

...It was what got Microsoft in hot water with the Man here in the US. The European beef had to do with Windows Media Player being boxed with the OS - hence Microsoft's release of Windows XP-N - the LEAST popular version of XP ever released.

Funny thing about the N version. Even those complaining about WMP hate the N version. Seems Real Player and the others actually USE Windows Media Player's DLLs and routines. Since the N version removed ALL traces of WMP, it also means you can't use Real Player or any other sound system that's dependent on WMP's files. So much for competition...

[Gunady]

Disagree..

I like FF1 better than IE6. At that time, IE6 is just felt old. However, I like new interface of IE7, and FF2 is still ok, but just felt less attractive. Overall, new feature that I like from IE7 is how to select and manage Favorites, it's very intuitive and easy to use. Printing is much better than prev version.

Now, I have used IE7 as primary browser and FF2 as secondary. But, who knows thing will change for FF3. FF3 seems good and promising from the feature so far. And if MS doesn't do anything to IE7, Firefox will bite more.

[Gunady]

Wrong Reply

Sorry, I should click reply to comment, not reply to story :(.

[starcannon]

Pointless Feature

This feature while cute, is not going to contribute to my productivity nor to the usability of the software.
I think its a cool feature, but not a profound feature. It kind of sounds like dynamic skinning, and I'm not really sure why thats so interesting to anyone outside of the window-blinds or compiz crowd, sorry mac I don't know what kinds of skinning tools you guys use.
Anyway, I like to play with compiz, but I don't really see it as a workspace optimizer, its just a toy that is fun to play with.
Keep up the great work though Mozilla, Firefox is the best browser going in my opinion and I hope your around for a very long time.

[ruel24]

Supporting Linux

To support Linux, simply support both GTK and KDE. It's that simple. The vast majority of Linux users use Gnome or XFCE, which are GTK based, or KDE. All other window managers have a very minor market share and I don't think any of them will complain. What's the problem?

I want my Firefox to look like my KDE...

[itsmeleei]

VERY BEAUTIFUL TWEAK FOR 100% VISTA GUI INTEGRATION. PLEASE LOOK AT http://20boi-lee.spaces.live.com/