Firefox 4.0 mockups

[Inctye]

Initial Windows Theme Mockups for Firefox 4.0

These are NOT FINAL! THEY ARE ONLY FOR BRAINSTORMING/EXPLORATION!

Version A - Tabs-on-Bottom

Possibly add a Bookmarks widget as an upfront replacement for the Bookmarks menu/Bookmarks toolbar (option to turn those on would remain).

Version B - Tabs-on-Top

The more contentious Tabs-on-Top concept.

Positives

Save Vertical Space

Efficiency/Remove Visual Complexity - Right now the tabs have to be connected to something. So we are adding an extra visual element for them to connect to.

Shorter Mouse Distance to Page Controls

Negatives

Breaks Consistency/Familiarity - Moving things confuses existing users.

Title is MIA - With the space removed from the titlebar you only get the truncated version in the tab.

Longer Mouse Distance to Tabs - Takes longer to mouse to a tab.

Lost Space - Sandwiched in between the application icon and the window widgets you lose some space.

Combo Stop/Refresh/Go Button.

Attached at the end of the location bar.

Turns green when you start typing.

Blends with the location bar when at rest.

Turns blue on hover.

Turns red when a page is loading.

The proposed iconography is mostly colorless. Adding color to these temporary action driven buttons will make it more obvious something is going on.

Source: Mozilla Wiki

Is it just me or is Mozilla trying to copy almost every element of the Google Chrome design?

NOTE: These mockups are different than the 3.7 ones posted last week. Compare then here.

Edited July 27, 2009 by revreddy

[Gibletz]

Wasn't it 3.7?

[Inctye]

Wasn't it 3.7?

Was thinking the same thing when I first saw it. But no, these are different. Hit the source link to see for yourself.

[thealexweb]

Wasn't this released a few days ago, why does it have to look like chrome?

[Inctye]

Wasn't this released a few days ago, why does it have to look like chrome?

Version A mockup is the one that we saw last week. Version B is a newer mockup, that basically mimics Chrome.

[Manish]

I love how Version B looks. (Though the Firefox logo should be bigger. Looks odd how it is now.) Personally I hate how Firefox looks now (yes, I know it's customisable), but if that's how v4.0 turns out, it'll become the best looking browser.

Also, you should've shown an Aero screenshot of Chrome. It looks a lot better without the blue frame ( :x ).

[closetgeek]

Is it just me or is Mozilla trying to copy almost every element of the Google Chrome design?

Maybe, bet I don't think that's a bad thing. That layout gives you more space to view the web page you are trying to access, which I think is a good idea :)

[ViperAFK]

I hope they do tabs on the top.

[Chris123NT]

Version A mockup is the one that we saw last week. Version B is a newer mockup, that basically mimics Chrome.

Nah version A is different from what we saw last week. What we saw last week didn't have the combined stop/refresh/go to the right of the address bar.

[+Xinok Subscriber²]

I like the tabs on top. I've been trying to get Firefox 3.5 to do this through extensions, but nothing works properly.

The combined Go / Refresh button mimics IE.

I think they should just embed the progress bar into the address bar (I think this is what Safari does?).

[.Neo]

Somehow that just looks plain messy IMO. :/

[digitalsoft]

I feel they need to look more native to the OS... Obviously transparency does this but the buttons and the whole browser just looks too far distant.

[logicwin]

I like the tabs on top. I've been trying to get Firefox 3.5 to do this through extensions, but nothing works properly.

The combined Go / Refresh button mimics IE.

I think they should just embed the progress bar into the address bar (I think this is what Safari does?).

you mean like this?

[Guest xiphi]

So far, looking good. Tabs on top wouldn't be a bad idea as long as they don't take over the Title Bar.

[primexx]

you mean like this?

no that's pretty horrible tbh.

--

I don't really understand people who accuse it of mimicking Chrome...they're both open source and supported by the same company, you'd expect them to borrow each other's advantages.

--

I like the new mockup (with tabs on top) a lot better. The same visual style just doesn't match the tabs-on-bottom approach.

Although they need to make sure that tabs-on-top is done well and don't suffer from the same problems that Safari4beta did.

[svnO.o]

I like Version B. Seems to give the most real estate.

[alisalem]

I don't think Firefox following Chrome's approach is copying. The graphical elements look way different in Firefox's mockups.

[night_stalker_z]

Version B looks much nicer and there more room to display stuff. The Tools button on version A just looks out of place as since it foes right up to the window border/edge.

[+Xinok Subscriber²]

you mean like this?

I actually meant when it combines the tabs with the tab bar, like Chrome.

[Inctye]

I don't really understand people who accuse it of mimicking Chrome...they're both open source and supported by the same company, you'd expect them to borrow each other's advantages.

That's an interesting point that I overlooked. But, I would expect the browsers to have a different design that makes it stand out from the other, at least more than a different shaped icons, etc.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

I'd go with the Chrome+Safari+Firefox 3 'keyhole' back/forward button mash-up which is version B.

One more thing I would like to see: How are Mozilla planning to implement this kind of theme on OS X?

[Septimus]

Seems to be the right thing to do... take all the best interface elements from IE8, Chrome and Safari. Blatant, but if they pull it off (for OSX as well for once grr) then no harm.

Though tabs on top is close with GrApple Crisp:

[Malisk]

Haha! :D Version B = Chrome, pretty much. They even have the omnibar-style search engine name there.

[Gavin001]

I love it!!

[vip]

I love revision B. Hope it gets in. If Chrome allowed extensions, I would use that full time.