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Firefox Australis: One browser interface to rule them all

extremetech.com

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Re: Firefox Australis: One browser interface to rule them all

#22

Post by debacle »

generateui wrote: post #18
acabal wrote: post #5

I actually prefer when apps respect the UI guidelines of the OS they're running on. I understand the desire for one unified interface, but there's also much to be said for intra-OS UI consistency. FF has done really well in the past with that, but I guess they're jumping on the Chrome bandwagon.

The browser is an exempli primus of an app allowed to break the OS UI guidelines. This is becase the browser is becoming the OS, and the OS becoming the browser. Said differently, the only UI on the OS is coming from the browser. This of course is not yet the case, but soon it will be.

Tell that to anyone who uses their PC for programming, document creation, graphics design, or is comfortable with the command line.

Re: Firefox Australis: One browser interface to rule them all

#24

Post by mattgreenrocks »

generateui wrote: post #18
acabal wrote: post #5

I actually prefer when apps respect the UI guidelines of the OS they're running on. I understand the desire for one unified interface, but there's also much to be said for intra-OS UI consistency. FF has done really well in the past with that, but I guess they're jumping on the Chrome bandwagon.

The browser is an exempli primus of an app allowed to break the OS UI guidelines. This is becase the browser is becoming the OS, and the OS becoming the browser. Said differently, the only UI on the OS is coming from the browser. This of course is not yet the case, but soon it will be.

I'm pretty sure I recall the same concessions being made for Swing when Java was up and coming.

(Of course, the difference here is that this is actually happening, but still...)

Re: Firefox Australis: One browser interface to rule them all

#25

Post by generateui »

debacle wrote: post #22
generateui wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The browser is an exempli primus of an app allowed to break the OS UI guidelines. This is becase the browser is becoming the OS, and the OS becoming the browser. Said differently, the only UI on the OS is coming from the browser. This of course is not yet the case, but soon it will be.

Tell that to anyone who uses their PC for programming, document creation, graphics design, or is comfortable with the command line.

I have been using webapps for said tasks more and more. Many tasks performed using a webapp do not yet have compelling advantages. But soon they will get them, I think. To name a bold example, http://C9.io: Not yet bringing many compelling advantages, but the tipping point is close.

Re: Firefox Australis: One browser interface to rule them all

#26

Post by generateui »

mattgreenrocks wrote: post #24
generateui wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The browser is an exempli primus of an app allowed to break the OS UI guidelines. This is becase the browser is becoming the OS, and the OS becoming the browser. Said differently, the only UI on the OS is coming from the browser. This of course is not yet the case, but soon it will be.

I'm pretty sure I recall the same concessions being made for Swing when Java was up and coming. (Of course, the difference here is that this is actually happening, but still...)

Another difference is UI startup time. The Java VM took minutes on most computers to go from URI entry to first UI display. Compare that to optimistic rendering all browsers do today, where delay is mostly dependant on network speed.

Re: Firefox Australis: One browser interface to rule them all

#28

Post by DanBC »

superxor wrote: post #13
sho_hn wrote: post #4

Web-based live demos of the new UI: Linux: http://people.mozilla.com/~shorlander/files/australis-design... OS X: http://people.mozilla.com/~shorlander/files/australis-design... Windows 7: http://people.mozilla.com/~shorlander/files/australis-design...

In these screenshots, the borders of inactive tabs disappear. This doesn't seem like a good idea. Wouldn't it be hard for users to identify them as tabs?

I'd really like tabs to auto-hide. I'd really like a bunch of the UI to be auto-hiding.

Just hiding the tab borders does seem sub-optimal.

Re: Firefox Australis: One browser interface to rule them all

#29

Post by kijin »

conradfr wrote: post #27

You know I don't use Chrome (which is sooo fast) partly because I don't like its UX (especially the tab design). Copying it will not gain back the lost market share, it will only give more reason to use Chrome.

The only difference between Chrome's tab design and Firefox's is that Chrome's tabs have rounded corners and Firefox's tabs are rectangular. You refuse to use a browser because it has rounded corners? Really?

Anyway, there will probably be add-ons to bring back the rectangular look if enough people prefer it to the rounded look. If I were a real fan of Firefox's current look, I'd be more worried about the big orange button being dropped in favor of an options button in the exact same place where Chrome puts it.

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