Why you SHOULD be using Firefox

Soldato
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The upcoming Proton UI due v89 may drop compact mode: https://www.pcmag.com/news/firefox-redesign-will-see-compact-density-option-disappear

And the reason for this is silly, they say due to the option of finding the UI density not being clear, they assumed hardly any users use it. Which of course, caused a massive backlash.

Proton UI itself is rather chonky, compact on the left, normal in the middle, and proton on the right:
bHXISJT.png

There's already a patch to reduce the address bar area by 8px but the tab strip remains unchanged. They're also finally allowing their telemetry to actually see what density users are using in v88, but a vast majority of advanced users that knows where to find the compact theme will surely most likely have telemetry off :confused:.

Only good thing I've found so far with Proton UI is that the megabar will no longer expand past into the tab strip, like it currently does.
 
Soldato
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Mozilla gon' Mozilla. :rolleyes: I always use compact mode, on all my devices. Call me a weirdo, but I want my browser to fill its space with webpages/content, not thicc toolbars.That's especially important on my old mid-2012 MacBook Pro (720p screen), and any other devices where screen estate is at a premium.
 
Soldato
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Had to check what setting I was using, turns out I've been using compact. Must have changed it that 20+ versions ago.

If they do drop it, I expect I will get used to it. Tabs on top in v4 was a huge change but I cannot remember any different.
 
Soldato
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Nightly updated, but the upcoming Proton UI's compact mode is still slightly bigger than Chrome:

xT0zzVn.png

For those wanting to keep compact mode, the best method for now is to turn telemetry back on once 88 hits.
 
Soldato
Joined
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Standard-86-0-1.png

Nightly-88-0a1.png

Am I missing something?
 
Soldato
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87.0

Firefox Release

March 23, 2021

Version 87.0, first offered to Release channel users on March 23, 2021
We'd like to extend a special thank you to all of the new Mozillians who contributed to this release of Firefox!

New
  • You’ll encounter less website breakage in Private Browsing and Strict Enhanced Tracking Protection with SmartBlock, which provides stand-in scripts so that websites load properly.

  • To further protect your privacy, our new default HTTP Referrer policy will trim path and query string information from referrer headers to prevent sites from accidentally leaking sensitive user data.

  • The “Highlight All” feature on Find in Page now displays tick marks alongside your scrollbar that correspond to the location of matches found on that page.

  • We’re proud to announce full support for macOS built-in screen reader, VoiceOver.

  • We’ve added a new locale: Silesian (szl)
Fixed
  • We’ve fixed several significant accessibility issues:
    • Video controls now have visible focus styling and video and audio controls are now keyboard navigable. (Bug 1681007)
    • HTML <meter> is now spoken by screen readers. (Bug 1460378)
    • Firefox now sets a useful initial focus in Add-ons Manager. (Bug 580537)
    • Firefox will now fire a name/description change event when aria-labelledby/describedby content changes. (Bug 493683)
  • Various security fixes.
Changed
  • To prevent user data loss when filling out forms, we’ve disabled the Backspace key as a navigation shortcut for the back navigation button. To re-enable the Backspace keyboard shortcut, you can change the about:config preference browser.backspace_action to 0. You can also use the recommended Alt + Left arrow (Command + Left arrow on Mac) shortcut instead.
    Firefox keyboard shortcuts

  • We've removed items from the Library menu that weren't used often or have other access points in the browser: Synced tabs, Recent highlights, and Pocket list.

  • We've simplified the Help menu by reducing redundant items, such as those that point to Firefox support pages that can also be accessed via the Get Help item.
Enterprise
Developer
  • Developer Information
  • We've greatly simplified the Web Developer menu. Go to Application Menu > Web Developer > Web Developer Tools to access Inspector, Web Console, Debugger, Network Style Error, Performance, Storage Inspector, Accessibility, and Application

  • Developers can now use the Page Inspector to simulate prefers-color-scheme media queries, without having to change the operating system to light or dark mode.

  • Developers can now use the Page Inspector to toggle the :target pseudo-class for the currently selected element in addition to the pseudo-classes that were previously supported: :hover, :active and :focus, :focus-within, :focus-visible, and :visited.

  • There is a number of Page Inspector improvements and bug fixes related to inactive CSS rules:
    • The table-layout property is now marked as inactive for non-table elements.
    • The scroll-padding properties (shorthand and longhand) are now marked as inactive for non-scrollable elements.
    • The text-overflow property was previously incorrectly marked as inactive for some overflow values.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
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91,048
A little bit annoying navigation via backspace was disabled - I use that a fair bit and thought for a bit my keyboard was broken. Part of the problem there is websites over-riding long time standard approaches to do their own thing for no real good reason rather than a web-browser issue as such :( especially stuff like right click mouse, etc.
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Jul 2010
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6,298
A little bit annoying navigation via backspace was disabled - I use that a fair bit and thought for a bit my keyboard was broken. Part of the problem there is websites over-riding long time standard approaches to do their own thing for no real good reason rather than a web-browser issue as such :( especially stuff like right click mouse, etc.
I thought I'd miss the backspace navigation too, but actually I've only noticed it on one occasion. It's far more easier to use my mouse's back navigation button.
 

mrk

mrk

Man of Honour
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Cannot remember the last time I used backspace for web navigation! All mice have a back/fwd button on them, use that surely!
 

D3K

D3K

Soldato
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13 Nov 2014
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Firefox ignores automated input validation from the keyboard. Limit it to a number type, I can still type letters. All the other browsers prevent alphabetical.

Why you SHOULD put FF in the bin :p
 
Man of Honour
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Posts
91,048
Cannot remember the last time I used backspace for web navigation! All mice have a back/fwd button on them, use that surely!

Loads of mice don't - I do on my Zowie FK but it isn't a natural movement to use them so not really convenient - I think I have them disabled to avoid accidental use anyhow.
 
Caporegime
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Leafy outskirts of London
A little bit annoying navigation via backspace was disabled - I use that a fair bit and thought for a bit my keyboard was broken. Part of the problem there is websites over-riding long time standard approaches to do their own thing for no real good reason rather than a web-browser issue as such :( especially stuff like right click mouse, etc.

You'd be surprised how much back-end annoyance backspace navigation has for some sites.

Filling in a form and hitting backspace when you aren't in a text box? Super annoying for a user.

Also, some people hit backspace after submitting a form, and it can trigger a duplicate submission, which is annoying for me as part of my job is keeping our data clean :p
 
Soldato
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Greater London
There's always alt + left arrow, granted it's two hand operation but there's been too many times for me accidentally going back a page when filling a form.

Firefox is no longer removing compact mode but still plans to make it hard for people to find the option, it will now be hidden in an about:config toggle. And even then, the toggle only shows/hides the density option. Surely they should just redesign the customisation UI instead (like making it part of Settings): https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1703254
 

Dup

Dup

Soldato
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10 Mar 2006
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East Lancs
As a web developer I have used Firefox as my main browser for well over a decade and compact mode is a part of that decision. I don't give a hoot about all the options and controls at the top of the window more than the sites I am viewing. Utterly daft and irritating decision they're sunsetting it.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
18 May 2010
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22,370
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London
FLOC.

Sounds like another reason to not use a Chromium based browser.

By using a Chromium based browser you are essentially allowing Google to direct the future of the web.

Simple as that.

Are you as a Chrome user FloCed?
 
Last edited:

V F

V F

Soldato
Joined
13 Aug 2003
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21,184
Location
UK
You'd be surprised how much back-end annoyance backspace navigation has for some sites.

Filling in a form and hitting backspace when you aren't in a text box? Super annoying for a user.

Also, some people hit backspace after submitting a form, and it can trigger a duplicate submission, which is annoying for me as part of my job is keeping our data clean :p

It's so god damn annoying.
 
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