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How to make a better default Firefox UI

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Re: How to make a better default Firefox UI

#41

Ever since Firefox borked their tabs I've given up on it as my default browser. Every now and then I open it up for testing and when I still see buttons instead of tabs I make a mental note of trying again in half a year or so. Light theme is especially insulting with white buttons on light-light gray. It even doesn't repsect Windows' system theme settings, because in Windows you can have apps keep light theme but ap…

Install Sidebery[1] and hide the native tabs[2]. This is the way. :)

[1] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sidebery/

[2] https://superuser.com/a/1424494

Re: How to make a better default Firefox UI

#42
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> these systems are designed by ... I don't understand what you're referring to, this firefox addon? Or standard firefox? I'd image that firefox developers actually use it as their browser too..

Standard Firefox. >I'd image that firefox developers actually use it as their browser too.. The graphic design of Firefox is not made by developers, it's made by designers who don't use Firefox.

Citation needed, I'd say.

Re: How to make a better default Firefox UI

#44
post #22

Whenever I see someone using (or a screenshot of) horizontal tabs I'm just shocked that people put up with it, or perhaps even more so that it's still the default in all major (and minor?) browsers. I recommend Sidebery, but more than that I just recommend something to get your tabs listed vertically in a sidebar, so they don't squash each other up as you add more until you can't tell what's what at a glance, the wid…

Whenever I see someone using (or a screenshot of) vertical tabs I'm just shocked that people put up with so many open tabs at once.

I have maybe max 20 tabs open at any given time. When I'm done with $TASK I close all the tabs (save 2-3 that remain open and pinned, mail, calendar, etc). The tab bar is like my stack. I only fill it up for the task at hand, then clear the stack and move on when done. If there are things I need to come back to, I use bookmarks.

Vertical tabs and the browser's bookmarks manager are just too similar for me to want to use tabs over bookmarks. Especially considering a crash can wipe all open tabs.

I am glad the browser gives me this option as a setting. And a browser that forces vertical tabs on me will probably lose me as a user for life.

Also:

> since I imagine Safari/Chrome/Edge don't let you make that kind of modification?

MS Edge supports vertical tabs out of the box. Brave also, but I can't comment on the rest in your list.

Re: How to make a better default Firefox UI

#45
post #14

The main issue I've had with their new UI is the massive size of everything, it's fair enough for fat finger phone displays but is annoyingly wasteful for any regular sized desktop. This is partly due to the increased padding as per the article, but also because they removed the "compact" UI density option. However you can bring this back under about:config browser.compactmode.show Then go to menu > more tools > cust…

That was my issue with ir, I will try the flag today!

Re: How to make a better default Firefox UI

#46
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How I find Lepton? In the addons store there's nothing listed under themes for that name. Or is Lepton a previous generation UI for Firefox that no longer exists except on old releases? Sorry if these are stupid questions, I did read the article but I may have missed some things.

Since Mozilla does not allow it as an add-on, you must download and install it yourself. Yes. I know it's really uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the fact that it was this popular is also proof that the existing UI was inconvenient. https://github.com/black7375/Firefox-UI-Fix/wiki/Installatio...

It takes 2 minutes and the instructions are very clear. Should not be a problem.

This is the first time I've heard of Lepton. Now I've installed it I don't think I will go back. Thanks!

I don't care about the tabs being buttons though. Mainly the huge amount of space the new design uses. And the lack of icons.

Re: How to make a better default Firefox UI

#47
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Joke all you want but Firefox's market share agrees with me as most users value convenience above all else. At least Google knows not to be intrusive and not fuck with the UI so often. Chrome looks almost exactly like it did over 10 years ago. Why can't Firefox imitate that quality of life feature? It's not that hard to not change shit at the surface. They've been bleeding market share for years including faithful lo…

I would agree that most people would be glad to give up their privacy for minor convenience. if I was a developer of Firefox I might care that its marketshare is falling, but truthfully nobody needs to be married to a web browser, or take its rise and fall too seriously. Still not going to use a Google browser though, that's just a self own.

The rise and fall reflects user popularity. And Firefox is less popular than ever, with both the new generation who grew up only knowing Safari and Chrome, and also with the old generation who they pissed off by trying to copy the shitty parts of Chrome instead of staying true to what made them popular in the first place such as speed, light weight, and getting out of your way by not charging the UI every 6 weeks.

Re: How to make a better default Firefox UI

#50
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Damn that new tab must pop up for me like... once a month! What a distraction! I guess giving all my data to Google is probably worth it.

Joke all you want but Firefox's market share agrees with me as most users value convenience above all else. At least Google knows not to be intrusive and not fuck with the UI so often. Chrome looks almost exactly like it did over 10 years ago. Why can't Firefox imitate that quality of life feature? It's not that hard to not change shit at the surface. They've been bleeding market share for years including faithful lo…

But your premise that one is more intrusive, isn't even true. Like others said by now, Chrome does the same thing if you don't open it often.
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