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Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#41

Post by DaniFong »

bkrausz wrote: post #2

While I agree that there should be a way to disable the awesome bar, it's worth nothing that it does take some training and getting used to. The awesome bar uses historical data from previous searches, so if your search for "news" always ends with you clicking on HN, it will put that at the top. Over time, the bar will learn your preferences and become much more useful. I hated the bar at first, to the extent that I…

For what it's worth, I found it immediately intuitive, and thought it was a great design feature. I hope many others do too.

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#42

Post by scw »

gambling8nt wrote: post #39
Tichy wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see your problem: you can still "just type your URL", can't you?

His problem is that he has to go through a lot more effort because under FF2, etc., he only had to type a few letters from the beginning of the URL in order to get where he was going.

This is still the case: typing in 'news.' will be recognized as a URL, and only subdomains of 'news' will be matched.

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#43

Post by thorax »

s3graham wrote: post #35

Completely agree, I can't stand it. That combined with the fact that (in the Windows theme at least) the drop down on the back button is now in the wrong place are two pretty random changes that are exceedingly irritating. Without reading up on it, I'd guess the SmartBar is an attempt towards trying to address the fact that "a lot of" [1] people don't distinguish or understand the differences between the address bar,…

Be careful-- the next thing you know, in FF4, the smartbar will be the "Google-as-you-type-suggestion-bar".

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#44

Post by jonknee »

scw wrote: post #42
gambling8nt wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

His problem is that he has to go through a lot more effort because under FF2, etc., he only had to type a few letters from the beginning of the URL in order to get where he was going.

This is still the case: typing in 'news.' will be recognized as a URL, and only subdomains of 'news' will be matched.

No it's not, it searches entire URLs, names, etc. So site.com/news will come up as well. I found the "awesome bar" entirely un-awesome as well.

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#45

Post by scw »

jonknee wrote: post #44
scw wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is still the case: typing in 'news.' will be recognized as a URL, and only subdomains of 'news' will be matched.

No it's not, it searches entire URLs, names, etc. So site.com/news will come up as well. I found the "awesome bar" entirely un-awesome as well.

No, it won't with the trailing '.' -- try it yourself, visit site.com/news and then search for 'news.'

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#46

Post by Zev »

ComputerGuru wrote: post #30
Zev wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like that Mozilla went out there and tried to change things around. I'm just wondering what the rationale behind not allowing the previous way to be used is. Don't suppose you know or have an inkling? My problem with "awesomebar" is that while it does bring up the sites I visit often (which FF2 did, and given they're a small number of social/news sites; /., reddit, hn, facebook, nytimes, etc its not exactly difficu…

I'd like to point out that Opera 9.5 alpha had this feature before "Mozilla went out there and tried to change things around."

Didn't know that. I haven't used (and dont plan on using) Opera. It's not a bad browser, just not my cup of tea.

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#47

Post by Zev »

axod wrote: post #37
Zev wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That only makes it look like FF2. It still uses the same annoying way of guessing what URL you want.

How is it annoying? Just unlearn the cryptic prefixes or urls, and type in what you really want.

Well, starting to type "news" when i want "news.ycombinator.com" and getting "reddit.com" or "digg.com" is kinda pointless. Unless you're suggesting that URL's are obsolete?

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#48

Post by axod »

Zev wrote: post #47
axod wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is it annoying? Just unlearn the cryptic prefixes or urls, and type in what you really want.

Well, starting to type "news" when i want "news.ycombinator.com" and getting "reddit.com" or "digg.com" is kinda pointless. Unless you're suggesting that URL's are obsolete?

not at all, but why not start typing "yc..." or "redd" etc instead? Be specific.

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#49

Post by Zev »

axod wrote: post #48
Zev wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, starting to type "news" when i want "news.ycombinator.com" and getting "reddit.com" or "digg.com" is kinda pointless. Unless you're suggesting that URL's are obsolete?

not at all, but why not start typing "yc..." or "redd" etc instead? Be specific.

Maybe my line of thought where a URL that only one website can own is outdated, but i thought that by typing the URL it would be more specific then, say, going to google and typing in "news" and hoping to find hn.

Re: Firefox 3 smart bar is just too smart

#50

Post by [deleted] »

scw wrote: post #45
jonknee wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it's not, it searches entire URLs, names, etc. So site.com/news will come up as well. I found the "awesome bar" entirely un-awesome as well.

No, it won't with the trailing '.' -- try it yourself, visit site.com/news and then search for 'news.'

[deleted]
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