Ui Changes To Expect In Firefox 4.0

[Peaches]

UI Changes to Expect in Firefox 4.0

To save space for content and increase functionality

By Ionut Arghire, Mobile Editor

30th of September 2009,

Firefox 4.0 is the flavor of Mozilla's web browser that is expected to come to the market sometimes in the second half of next year, while delivering to users a series of visual changes that will start to appear as soon as Firefox 3.7 is pushed out. We already had a glimpse at how the 3.7 version of Firefox might look like, and at the visual improvements it might bring to Windows-based computers, and we should also have a look at how 4.0 should continue the improvements.

According to Mozilla Wiki, the UI of Firefox 4.0 is mainly expected to deliver refinements to the changes that are to come with 3.7, and should include some major additions and changes. Among them, we can count the possibility that the LocationBar and SearchBar are to be merged, the Stop/Refresh/Go are to become One Button, a Tab-on-Top Option could appear, as well as App Tabs, the Home Tab functionality is to be enhanced, the Bookmarks Bar hidden and the Status Bar removed.

Here's what Mozilla says when it comes to the merging of the LocationBar and SearchBar: "The AwesomeBar already has a lot of search functionality, even though it is currently only local. These fields have a convergent function: finding things. Merging these and including something like Taskfox will put search in a unified location with added utility. It will also reduce toolbar complexity/clutter by merging functionality."

The merging of Stop/Refresh/Go into a single button is something that should kick off in Firefox 3.7. While this move would result in the disappearance of a toolbar button, it might be inconvenient as it would be moved away from the back/forward buttons. However, it seems that users will find in the Customize page the option to add Stop, Reload and Go buttons.

More details at softpedia - http://news.softpedia.com/news/UI-Changes-...-0-123041.shtml