Firefox 7 To Eliminate ''http://'' URL Prefix

[Silmarunya]

Strange... Has FF introduced a single new feature lately that wasn't copied from its competitors? The big orange FF button is a copy from Opera's button. Tabs on top are nicked from Chrome. Its new extension framework is a copy of Opera's and Chrome's. This http hiding has been done by Chrome and Opera for a long time.

Face it, FF is no longer innovative. Like IE, it became the 'solid, dependable, but not very good in any way' choice.

 

[JimmiG]

[citation][nom]Silmarunya[/nom]Strange... Has FF introduced a single new feature lately that wasn't copied from its competitors? The big orange FF button is a copy from Opera's button. Tabs on top are nicked from Chrome. Its new extension framework is a copy of Opera's and Chrome's. This http hiding has been done by Chrome and Opera for a long time. Face it, FF is no longer innovative. Like IE, it became the 'solid, dependable, but not very good in any way' choice.[/citation]

Firefox was really lagging behind its competitors at version 3.6.x. In order to catch up, they had to start by doing what everyone else was doing. In UI design, copying a good idea isn't necessarily bad. It makes it easier to transition and causes less confusion. Why place the tabs somewhere else, like to the right or at the bottom of the screen, when all that would do is confuse users? The orange button is located where the window options button used to be located in WinXP and earlier, so people are used to finding some functionality there.

It's the same with cars - the basic layout of the steering wheel, dashboard, pedals etc. is the same. There's no reason to suddenly start putting the speedometer somewhere else or swapping the gas and break pedals just to avoid copying your competitors.

I would love it if more Windows applications adhered to the same UI guidelines, instead of each developer inventing his own rules. The ribbon was one such attempt by Microsoft, but clearly it's not being adopted by other developers.

 

[g00ey]

I think this version numbering scheme is pretty stupid. I can agree on the transition from FF3 to FF4, but why the sudden jump from FF4 to FF5? Just because IE, Opera and Chrome are bumping their version numbers why should Mozilla do the same thing?

I think the best thing to do is to remove the major version numbers altogether and use a name instead like e.g. different versions of MacOS are named Leopard, Lion, ....

 

[JOSHSKORN]

I'm running Firefox 7 the nightly 64-bit build. 😀

 

[Guest]

Apparently high version numbers makes software perform better.

 

[thebigt42]

Ok if it is dropped how do you enter a HTTPS if you need to....Can you turn it back on...I consider this a fail...Let me see how I am connected!

 

[tommysch]

''which has been confusing especially to users that are new or not familiar with the Internet''

Fuck them.

Is this a race to the bottom of the cesspool that the internet is becoming? I guess FF10 will not allow you to escape from the facebook (which will be known as ''the internet'' by most lusers by then).

 

[tommysch]

[citation][nom]alexkitch[/nom]Apparently high version numbers makes software perform better.[/citation]

They should drop the version numbers altogether, its still too useful. Why not use some random animal names?

Horny Unicorn?

 

[GNCD]

It's all about the cake...or cupcake...

 

[Guest]

[citation][nom]tommysch[/nom]They should drop the version numbers altogether, its still too useful. Why not use some random animal names?Horny Unicorn?[/citation]

Are you suggesting they ditch Chrome 13 and go for "Chrome Red Crested African Swallow"?

On second thought, it would probably have more meaning than any version number does these days.

 

[ElectroGoofy]

[citation][nom]thebigt42[/nom]Ok if it is dropped how do you enter a HTTPS if you need to....Can you turn it back on...I consider this a fail...Let me see how I am connected![/citation]

To maintain a reasonable level of security while browsing, Firefox 7 still displays the https/ prefix, to inform the user when the browser is showing a "secure" webpage.

I assume that along with this, we will be able to type the https/...

 

[user8192]

Eliminating the http/ prefix sounds like a bone-headed move. How is one to tell the difference between http/, https/ (secure HTTP) and ftp/ (File Transfer Protocol) connections? Just like Microsoft hiding filename extensions by default in Windows systems, this is setting less experienced computer users up for serious security problems. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

The smart thing to do would be to provide it as an advanced option, but display the URL prefix by default for most users, but I can't even see valid reason for hiding the URL prefix, even if the competition is doing it.

 

[gm0n3y]

Why not? You don't have to type it anyways, but if it makes things look 'cleaner' then I guess its a good thing.

 

[ElectroGoofy]

@user8192

Read the article.

It CLEARLY states that they will leave https (true, they didn't say anything about ftp).

 

[cpatel1987]

Two words: BIG WOOP.

 

[Guest]

once they make an integrated address/search bar with google instant (??) search-as-you-type typeahead lookahead searchahead...etc...etc (so you cant actually type anything in because the app is too busy ....searching for your typos....while you are frantically hitting the backspace.). thats it. im disconnecting. its over. taking http/ off is yet another stupid idea. why not just put in there the word that you searched for. that would be nice and friendly.

 

[Guest]

You can reverse it

http/www.sharemycode.com/item/view/77/mozilla-firefox-7-some-changes