Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Mozilla, Beta, Browsers
Firefox 3.1 beta adds new tab functions
by Brad Linder Nov 17th 2008 at 3:00PM
Now before you say anything, yes, I know that the Opera web browser has been able to do this for ages, and Google Chrome has supported similar behavior since it was launched. But that doesn't make mean it's not nice to see the feature come to Firefox. It takes more than innovation to make a good web browser. You also have to be willing to recognize good ideas where you find them and be willing to implement them in your product.
[via Mozilla Links]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
David said 3:14PM on 11-17-2008
You forgot to mention that Safari has always been able to do this - and much more gracefully. :-)
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Samuel said 7:36PM on 11-17-2008
I do hope that the Mac version looks exactly like Safaris implementation! All one has to do is compare the search feature to see where Mozilla slips up.
Noah said 10:04PM on 11-17-2008
Well, not always — only since 3.0, if I recall. But yeah, Safari's implementation of it is smooth like buttah. It also demonstrates well-nigh-perfectly where (and why) subtle animation effects should be used in a UI.
Evenio said 10:04PM on 11-17-2008
Well, not always — only since 3.0, if I recall. But yeah, Safari's
implementation of it is smooth like buttah. It also demonstrates
well-nigh-perfectly where (and why) subtle animation effects should
be used in a UI.
Pel said 10:16PM on 11-23-2008
That's right. BUT a very TINY segment of internet users use Safari on windows. So what is the big deal.
Rocketboy said 4:14PM on 11-17-2008
Opera can do this? I guess I've just never,ever,ever, needed to.
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Ninjustin said 4:56PM on 11-17-2008
Um. Beta 1 doesn't do itas far as I can tell . Or I don't know how to turn it on.
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TJ Draper said 6:47PM on 11-17-2008
Safari has been able to do this for a while now!
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WolvenSpectre said 6:47PM on 11-17-2008
Opera used to have even more functionality in the "Tear" feature. Not only could you drag them back and fourth between Opera Browser windows, you could also 'tear' a tab off and it would open up as a pop up window, which if you wanted could open up the address bar with all of its browsing Icons, but with no menus or tab bar, unless you put it back into an Opera Browser window. Now just like the video it opens a new browser window.
I am surprised Firefox is only adding this now and I hadn't noticed it as it is my secondary browser. I thought it was there already.
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Mike Cerm said 7:36PM on 11-17-2008
There have been extensions that add this kind of functionality to Firefox for quite some time. I suppose they Mozilla feels that since every other browser is including it by default it's time to add it to Firefox.
Transcontiental said 7:37AM on 11-18-2008
Gadget, stupid, makes me fear Firefox is on its way to becoming bloated. Should this be confirmed, I'd quit Firefox for Opera or Chrome ...
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Damian said 8:27AM on 11-18-2008
*sigh at ridiculous bloat comment* Do you even know what that means? Firefox probably had the heaviest rendering engine when it comes non-Microsoft browsers. Gecko has a lot of functionality because it's designed for more than Firefox. Yet it's a pretty substantial leader in memory performance for many tabs and over a very long period of time.
Yeah, Firefox developers don't think they're being exactly cutting edge with this, they know they're playing catch-up. But it's better to catch-up than not to catch up right?
The patch for that particular build there won't make it to Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 because it caused a lot of regressions, but a better patch should make it in time.
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blogward said 10:13AM on 11-18-2008
I agree with rocketboy: now I know Opera has it - but have never needed it. I'd love somebody with superior knowledge to tell us the ubergeek's definition of bloated, but I do know that Firefox is clunkier than ever.
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Rightey said 10:05PM on 11-18-2008
Thanks to Opera.
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Grinzle said 8:21AM on 11-19-2008
Thanks to Safari
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rothgar said 7:11PM on 11-19-2008
Bout...Friggin'...Time.
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Peter Frank said 8:51AM on 11-20-2008
Well.. I prefer as it is now.
Using latest v2 and not v3 actually but will switch later when I get some peace.
With FF v2 I drop tabs on my desktop or in a folder and that makes a shortcut to that page (just as I want to!). I don't want FF to open it in a new FF. Also, I can open a new FF and drag tabs between FF if I want to so that one is pretty old.
What I found out by an accident was that I could just drag a picture from a webpage to my desktop or folder instead of rightclick on mouse and choose 'save image as..' Gee.. that did save me time!
FF3 is said to swallow less of my RAM when surfing (30-40 tabs is not unusual for me) but it's not fun when one tab is &/%&¤# and drags all FF down. Haven't used Chrome but that kinda problem is solved there, they say.
Hoping Mozilla will "fix" that one in next FF as FF does rule over IE long way!
//Peter Frank
www.FranklyOnline.se
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