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Firefox UI revamp sparks complaints, searches for alternatives
Computer World ^ | May 13, 2014 | Gregg Keizer

Posted on 05/15/2014 7:38:28 AM PDT by CedarDave

Some Firefox users, cranky about the overhaul of the browser's user interface, have scrambled to find ways to make the latest version look more like older editions.

Two weeks ago, Mozilla launched Firefox 29, the first production-grade version that sported the new "Australis" UI. The visual redesign, the most dramatic for Firefox since March 2011, was Mozilla's attempt to both streamline the browser's look and feel and standardize it across all platforms, from desktop to mobile.

Many of Australis' visual changes were subtle, such as more rounded tabs, inactive tabs that faded deeper into the background and a revamped customization panel. Australis also dumped the orange-colored Firefox menu in Windows, an element that first popped up in Firefox 4.

Some people balked at the changes.

"After updating to [Firefox] 29.0.1 I could barely use Firefox," complained a user identified as pdrummond on May 9, writing on MozillaZine, a third-party discussion board. "It's taken me an hour to get the UI back to a usable state and I'm more than a little annoyed."

"This is useless, please do not copy the Google Chrome," someone identified as imdawe said yesterday, also on MozillaZine. "WE DO NOT WANT GOOGLE CHROME UI. If we want that then we would use Google Chrome."

(Excerpt) Read more at computerworld.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: firefox; mozilla
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The article has lots of tips on how to survive this bastardization of what was once a good browser. It includes a link to the Pale Moon browser as an alternative.

Found this article in a link on a companion thread:

How to turn off automatic updates--- Firefox. Keep v 28

1 posted on 05/15/2014 7:38:28 AM PDT by CedarDave
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To: ShadowAce

For the Tech Ping list.


2 posted on 05/15/2014 7:39:01 AM PDT by CedarDave (CNN: The "Crisis News Channel" - all Flight 370 hysteria and global warming blather, all the time.)
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To: CedarDave

I’ve been using Pale Moon since the Firefox fiasco. Still runs better than FF.


3 posted on 05/15/2014 7:40:30 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (Uninstall Fascist Firefox. Get Pale Moon.)
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To: CedarDave

People still use Firefox, after it capitulated to the Gaystapo ???


4 posted on 05/15/2014 7:40:45 AM PDT by Salgak (http://catalogoftehburningstoopid.blogspot.com 100% all-natural snark !)
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To: CedarDave
Firefox?

Oh yeah. I used to have that on my computer. Until they came out of the corporate closet and ran off their new CEO.

5 posted on 05/15/2014 7:40:48 AM PDT by Gamecock (#BringTheAdultsBackToDC)
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To: dennisw

Thanks for posting that other thread. Firefox has been hounding me to update to v.29 but I was too busy to deal with it then. Glad I saw your posts and the link. I’m upgrading my computer the first of next month and Pale Moon will very likely be my choice for a new browser.


6 posted on 05/15/2014 7:44:17 AM PDT by CedarDave (CNN: The "Crisis News Channel" - all Flight 370 hysteria and global warming blather, all the time.)
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To: CedarDave

Let me know the instant Pale Moon will run on a Mac.


7 posted on 05/15/2014 7:44:40 AM PDT by null and void (When was the last time you heard anyone say: "It's a free country"?)
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To: CedarDave

Pale Moon for me! I switched at home last month, but didn’t do it at work for whatever reason. When I opened the 29 update, I quickly went to Pale Moon and downloaded it. Now if only PM would make a Mac version.


8 posted on 05/15/2014 7:49:25 AM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
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To: CedarDave
Here's a scary note from Mozilla regarding their new browser:

Just a note many older Themes and Extensions/Addons can and will break with the introduction of Firefox 29 (Australis) In most cases they cannot be updated by bumping the version in the XPI.
Australis Guide for Normal People

I have no idea what XPI is so woud have to do research on that, but probably will just go straight to Pale Moon.

9 posted on 05/15/2014 7:50:30 AM PDT by CedarDave (CNN: The "Crisis News Channel" - all Flight 370 hysteria and global warming blather, all the time.)
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To: demshateGod

Now if PaleMoon would Clone Thunderbird and Lightning...


10 posted on 05/15/2014 7:51:20 AM PDT by taildragger (The E-GOP won't know what hit them, The Party of Reagan is almost here, hang tight folks....)
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To: RandallFlagg

Wow... sounds they messed up big time AGAIN


11 posted on 05/15/2014 7:52:47 AM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans!)
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To: Gamecock
Firefox sounds like they're the internet equivalent of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. From the article:

It's not unusual for users to howl at UI changes to long-familiar software -- as Microsoft knows better than most after Windows 8 -- but Mozilla can little afford to lose large numbers of users because of Australis. Firefox, which once had a solid lock on the No. 2 spot in Web metrics company Net Applications' measurements of browser user share, slipped behind Google's Chrome in March. At the end of April, Firefox accounted for 17% of all desktop browsers in use, while Chrome had a user share of 17.9%.

Firefox has lost 3.3 percentage points of user share in the past 12 months, representing a decline of 16% from its April 2013 standing.

12 posted on 05/15/2014 7:54:26 AM PDT by CedarDave (CNN: The "Crisis News Channel" - all Flight 370 hysteria and global warming blather, all the time.)
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To: CedarDave

Just started using it, I think it looks good. Has some nice tools like Firebug and Lightbeam (tracks the trackers).


13 posted on 05/15/2014 7:55:33 AM PDT by uncommonsense (Liberals see what they believe; Conservatives believe what they see.)
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To: CedarDave

Pale Moon, much more efficient, lighter, faster and best of all it is not firefox.


14 posted on 05/15/2014 8:02:56 AM PDT by PoloSec ( Believe the Gospel: how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again)
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To: null and void
Let me know the instant Pale Moon will run on a Mac.

Will there be a Mac version? No, there are currently no plans to build for MacOS.

15 posted on 05/15/2014 8:03:32 AM PDT by bubbacluck (America 180)
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To: CedarDave

Firefox is so gay


16 posted on 05/15/2014 8:05:04 AM PDT by montag813
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To: RandallFlagg
I’ve been using Pale Moon since the Firefox fiasco. Still runs better than FF.

As I. I have been well pleased with Pale Moon.

17 posted on 05/15/2014 8:05:20 AM PDT by Last Dakotan
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To: CedarDave

Dump Firefox


18 posted on 05/15/2014 8:06:11 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: uncommonsense

Ditto (dons flame suit)

Its smaller and cleaner - the less an app gets in the way of content the better. I’ve customized a few things in the tool bars but using it mostly ‘out of the box’

All my blocking, firebug, Dev tools and proxy add ons still work.

It’s a browser for consuming content, not an IDE, I don’t get all the hubbub.


19 posted on 05/15/2014 8:06:34 AM PDT by PissAndVinegar
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To: taildragger

I switched to eM client:

http://www.emclient.com

no, it is not as good as Thunderbird, but, in a pinch. They only allow 2 free email accts. Not too big of a deal, if something comes up on the other accts I can check via the web. Or you can pay $50 to get unlimited for life.


20 posted on 05/15/2014 8:10:01 AM PDT by ican'tbelieveit
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