Firefox 2 disappointed with an oh, so 1990s look and feel. Anyone remember Mac OS 8.5 or Windows 3.0, for reference? The browser's successor doesn't look any more modern. Safari and, gasp, even Internet Explorer 7 are whole lots more visually appealing. Is it too much to ask that software look good, rather than be tacky? Some folks might argue that I expect too much because the software is free. Maybe, but Mozilla makes heaps of money from Google search.
My eWEEK Labs colleague Jim Rapoza has better things to say about the new UI. He praises new visual cues, which arguably are better than Firefox 2. I just don't think they're foxy enough. I've been waiting for Mozilla to create the user interface for the Web. Firefox 3 Beta 3 isn't it. That new UI won't come from Microsoft, which can't get its head out the back end of Windows. The ugliest Firefox 3 Beta 3 enhancements are among features people will use most often. The address bar's URL identification is just butt ugly. The different size fonts and text highlighting are reminiscent of some TV cop drama ransom note. It's Law and Disorder.
My eWEEK Labs colleague Jim Rapoza has better things to say about the new UI. He praises new visual cues, which arguably are better than Firefox 2. I just don't think they're foxy enough. I've been waiting for Mozilla to create the user interface for the Web. Firefox 3 Beta 3 isn't it. That new UI won't come from Microsoft, which can't get its head out the back end of Windows. The ugliest Firefox 3 Beta 3 enhancements are among features people will use most often. The address bar's URL identification is just butt ugly. The different size fonts and text highlighting are reminiscent of some TV cop drama ransom note. It's Law and Disorder.
Anyway basically what i said was I liked what I saw from the mockups but the actual Icons look like crap in this beta. The big back button especially has rough edges and is just not a good icon.
It's not too much to ask that software look good, but it's ridiculous if you chose that over security and performance. I rather have Firefox looking the way it is now. I hate the way IE7 looks.
in any case FF is out of the question for me anyway. when they can't fix a huge known memory bug fo 3 majors versions and only add workarounds, then I don't trust the rest of their code.
It's not too much to ask that software look good, but it's ridiculous if you chose that over security and performance. I rather have Firefox looking the way it is now. I hate the way IE7 looks.
and firefox is that much more secure than ie7 or opera because...?
in my opinion, it all comes down to the stupidity of the user
in any case FF is out of the question for me anyway. when they can't fix a huge known memory bug fo 3 majors versions and only add workarounds, then I don't trust the rest of their code.
There's one AWESOME reason for NOT using Firefox. Can you even believe that is STILL an issue. Pretty lame, IMO.
Always get me, how people criticize the UI. Man, if that's your main complaint on anything, there's no hope for you!
Personally,
Can't stand Firefox on Windows and will not use it. Seamonkey is just as good and probably better, IMO.
It's called Bon Echo or IceWeasel in some Linux distro though, and not as bad.
If Microsoft had its way, we'd have no choice.
firefox's issues were a combination of lot of factors, cached pages, memory fragmentation, bad plugins.
Very little if any of the ram use with FF was actually a leak, but a great deal has been done to optimize memory use, defragmentation and faster memory return in FF3.
the gfx look fine, and it "feels" great, everything goes very smooth and ****, easy to use this program.
I will still use it though, as there is nothing else like it.
Might just be me, though.
Might just be me, though.
But Safari is the same.
IE7 looks awful, but there was nothing wrong with the look of Firefox 2.0 <
Safari does not look good - at least not on Windows anyway!
IE does look OK, but could look a whole lot better.
Firefox 3 looks at least a little bit better than Firefox 2, but I agree it could look a whole lot better.
FF3b3 looks good in Linux, runs great and uses less memory then b2, as far as I'm concerned that's all that matters
................looks...
............*facepalm*
Get some real news for once
Post a meaningful comment for once. "Yawn" "Apple is the best thing ever" and "this isn't news" really adds nothing to the discussion and never has.
I wish people that complained about these things would just die off and improve the gene pool that way but then again I guess these are the same people that think Paris Hilton is cool.
maybe... BUT is IE7's as good as Firefox's popup blocking WITh Adblock plus installed?
And for the people bashing IE, IE is great. And if you're getting popups you're doing something seriously wrong. My IE is clean, fast and looks nice. And yes. It works jUST AS WELL [oh noes!] as firefox, but with a greatly reduced startup time.
And for the people bashing IE, IE is great. And if you're getting popups you're doing something seriously wrong. My IE is clean, fast and looks nice. And yes. It works jUST AS WELL [oh noes!] as firefox, but with a greatly reduced startup time.
that startup time may have to be related to something a bit about INTEGRATION into the operating system, something, that FF doesnt have to begin with
And for the people bashing IE, IE is great. And if you're getting popups you're doing something seriously wrong. My IE is clean, fast and looks nice. And yes. It works jUST AS WELL [oh noes!] as firefox, but with a greatly reduced startup time.
that startup time may have to be related to something a bit about INTEGRATION into the operating system, something, that FF doesnt have to begin with
Sure, it needs polishing, but it's in beta, people! Has firefox ever really done you wrong?
<3 Firefox.
That's why FF is the greatest thing ever for Mac but really offers nothing for PC users. Maybe Google should fork over a little more money so they can hire some better programmers.
Or.... at least, keep your whining off the front page, I know it's an "editorial", but good grief Daniel, give me your address and I'll ship you a truck of tissues already.
Or.... at least, keep your whining off the front page, I know it's an "editorial", but good grief Daniel, give me your address and I'll ship you a truck of tissues already.
Two things:
1. It's not an editorial.
2. It's not by Daniel Fleshbourne.
Love the enhancements, the speed and response, and web rending.
What I'd not like to happen is for v3 to no longer work with what aesthetics I already use like IE7 did - only worse - so you can't customize the toolbar bitmap at all anymore. In no way does IE7 work as well or better than Firefox (any version) IMO as there are not all the add on's to make it function with panache' and using features of my own choosing. IE7 without IE7 Pro is worthless to me... and even with the add on installed barely passes with a one thumbs up.
What was I thinking?! Everyone knows a browser like a new car runs better with a new paint job... kick the wheels and off ya go. No? Well at least it looks better as it limps along.
Fisrt, the standar look of v2 and v3 is not bad at all. But i do think they have to do a better job at designing it. They can have it look more integrated and slick without compromising security.
Second, performance has to be a major concern in next versions of Firefox because it leaves much to be desired in this field.
Third, security is well and it has been addressed promptly over time.
Fourth, IE 7 is a good browser. If only MS can add more customizing options and a decent adblocking engine like AdBlock Plus.
That being said, i think people won't stop using FF just because the main UI is "plain" and "simple" even if it can have a major overhaul in newer versions.
The IE7 alternatives aren't being more accepted like before just because the adblocking components AdBlock PLus brongs to FF. The World Browser for Vista is really faster and responsive that IE7 and FF.
A plugin is possible but it is highly unlikely to be MS endorsed.
Ie7 is an 'ok' browser for 2001, it's standards compliance is still horendous, simply not quite as bad as ie6 or earlier.
Ie8 is looking to perpetuate this problem by not running in real standards compliance mode by default.
FF3 is a significant improvement in performance, memory management and usability for FF, it's also making inroads in stability on my system, already shutting down far less with b2, and b3 than ff2 final versions.
Or even better, use Opera... best damn browser out there...
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.