Firefox 26

[Anupam]

Firefox 26 has been released, and is now available on the official Mozilla site. Here are the release notes:

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/26.0/releasenotes/

[Concerned User]

Updated just now. Thank you.....Been trying out the nightly and the new "Australis" AKA chromish UI doesn't look too promising with curved tabs, no status bar etc...Thankfully, an addon fixes that (not sure how long the addon writer will put up with Mozilla's rapidfire changes). Looks like Mozilla wants to imitate chrome as much as possible.

Australis (curved tabs, no status bar, chromish customize button):




Back to the "Normal UI" (with the help of the classic theme restorer addon):



Maybe I'm just old fashioned that I like firefox's normal UI...Thankfully, Palemoon's UI is still consistent.

PS: sorry for the screen hogging screenshots. Looks like I'm not alone:

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/f...-suckfest.html

[Anupam]

I really don't understand why Mozilla want to imitate Chrome. Firefox has an identity of it's own. I am glad that even after making the interface like Chrome, having tabs on top, or having the Firefox button, atleast they have still maintained their identity... with their tab management excellent, and intuitive, square tabs, which I like... and Firefox also takes lesser memory than Chrome with many tabs open. I like that aspect too.

They have maintained this individuality, and that's why people still use Firefox, and like it. I don't understand why they want to go ahead and imitate Chrome in every way.

I have taken a look at video of future Firefox, and they are going to make a bit of changes, which are genuine, and will look great. I don't know whether that's Firefox Australis, or something else.

But, I seriously hope that final Firefox in future doesn't look at all like the Australis image that you posted. It looks like a horrible Chrome clone, and I hate that Chrome setting icon. I don't like that icon, I don't like the shape of tabs, and I don't like lack of add-on bar. If they had to make Firefox look like Chrome, why not we use Chrome instead.

They keep changing the designs, so I hope that ultimately, the Firefox doesn't look that way, like Chrome. I would be very disappointed.

I am using Firefox on Linux, and I find it disappointing a bit. The bookmarks bar is not like in Windows, and clicking on it doesn't show the dropdown menu, but opens a bookmark bar in the left, which is annoying, and unproductive. The look is also a bit different from Windows. Still, I like it better than Chrome, and it's almost as fast as Chrome.

In Linux, there is no download indication, like in Windows.

Also, with this release, if anyone noticed, the option to turn off the new download bar is gone. Means, you are stuck with the new download manager, and can't get the old one by tinkering in about:config.

Also, in this release, or maybe with older one, the plugins.click_to_play option in about:config is set to true by default, which is great. Earlier, it was false, and had to be changed.

So far, so good, Firefox. I hope they maintain their identity. Otherwise, we will have yet another Chrome clone on our hands.

[CASD]

I hate tabs on top..

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by Anupam

So far, so good, Firefox. I hope they maintain their identity. Otherwise, we will have yet another Chrome clone on our hands.

Google owns the world.

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

Google owns the world.

Sadly, it has started to feel like that. Google is everywhere.. browser, phones, maps, search engine, cars, OS, on your eyes(Google Glass), yada yada. It's taking over the world slowly .. it's scary. What's more scary, we like and keep using their products, inspite of it all

[bo.elam]

Originally Posted by CASD

I hate tabs on top..

Me too. Fortunately, you can change it to have them under the address bar. Go to "about:config", search for "browser.tabs.onTop", and change the value to False. After you change the value, you ll have Tabs on the bottom and you ll find the option to move them back on Top in View>Toolbars.

Bo

[bo.elam]

Originally Posted by Anupam

Also, with this release, if anyone noticed, the option to turn off the new download bar is gone. Means, you are stuck with the new download manager, and can't get the old one by tinkering in about:config.

I did get rid of the download manager when it first came out but I cant remember right now which setting I changed. I ll try to figure it out later what is it that needs to be changed and I ll post it here. I haven't updated to 26 yet but when I tried it sandboxed a couple days ago, everything remained as I have it now, including how I handle downloads (no downloads manager).

Bo

[Anupam]

The about:config setting to change to bring the old functionality of download manager was: browser.download.useToolkiUI

But, with this release, it cannot be seen in the about:config options.

In Linux, I also came across a bug, I don't know if it's from Mozilla side, or Ubuntu. I pinned a tab, but now, I cannot find the option to unpin it. In Windows, if you right-click on a pinned tab, you see the option to unpin it. Not so in Linux.

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by Anupam

In Linux, I also came across a bug, I don't know if it's from Mozilla side, or Ubuntu. I pinned a tab, but now, I cannot find the option to unpin it. In Windows, if you right-click on a pinned tab, you see the option to unpin it. Not so in Linux.

There's a bug post for this.

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=876313