The Lemon Fool

For anyone who's had the misfortune to recently update their Firefox browsers, they may be dismayed to see the 'visual improvements' Mozilla have made with the application...

If anyone's wanting to revert back to their previous Firefox visuals, then here's some instructions on how to do that -

1. In a Firefox tab URL bar, type 'about:config' and press return - you may also have to progress past a 'Proceed with caution' warning...

2. Once past any warning message, you can see a search box with the words 'Search preference name' in it - type 'proton' in that box and press return, and it'll then present you with some proton-related settings, which are related to the recent 'improvements'...

3. I've made the following changes by doubling-clicking on the true/false column as appropriate -

browser.proton.enabled > false (disables Proton UI of toolbars, tabs, application menu)
browser.proton.contextmenus.enabled > false (disables Proton UI of context menus)
browser.proton.doorhangers.enabled > false (disables Proton UI of doorhangers)
browser.proton.modals.enabled > false
browser.proton.places-tooltip.enabled > false

4. I've left the browser.proton.toolbar.version set to '3', as I don't think that really changes much if altered

5. I think the Firefox visual changes should revert back to something more 'normal' looking straight away, but I closed and re-opened Firefox just to make sure, and everything looked back to 'normal' for me following this rather intrusive visual 'improvement'....

Until next time, of course...

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Recently Firefox seems to have removed the facility to go back a page by using the backspace button. Fortunately my mouse has a button which does that, but when did they change and why?

TJH

tjh290633 wrote:
Recently Firefox seems to have removed the facility to go back a page by using the backspace button.

Fortunately my mouse has a button which does that, but when did they change and why?

I think they disabled it a while back, buggers that they are, but you can get it back by following the instructions in my earlier post, but type 'backspace' instead of 'proton' in the config search box, and then when presented with the 'browser.backspace_action' setting, change the '2' to '0', and you should then get the functionality back to use the backspace key to go 'back' a page...

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

In their unfathomable wisdom, Mozilla have also removed the ability to select the "compact" density option in the "Customise Toolbar" page - (available via the 3-bar hamburger menu near the top R/H corner of the screen).

This option can be recovered by:

1. Typing about:config in the Firefox URL bar
2. Tick the Accept the risk and continue button
3. Search for compact, in the displayed results, toggle browser.compactmode.show pref value to true.
4. Click on the hamburger menu button and select More Tools > Customize toolbar
5. At the bottom, click Density and choose Compact (not supported).

Cheers

Karen

Itsallaguess wrote:

tjh290633 wrote:
Recently Firefox seems to have removed the facility to go back a page by using the backspace button.

Fortunately my mouse has a button which does that, but when did they change and why?

I think they disabled it a while back, buggers that they are, but you can get it back by following the instructions in my earlier post, but type 'backspace' instead of 'proton' in the config search box, and then when presented with the 'browser.backspace_action' setting, change the '2' to '0', and you should then get the functionality back to use the backspace key to go 'back' a page...

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

I'm so pleased they did this. The backspace key is for deleting a character or selected item; why on earth did someone think it was a good idea to make it go back a page and remove everything I was working on? I'm perfectly happy with Cmd-[ to go back, as that works in other Apps too.

Oh...

Aargh! It still goes back a page with my browser -- so annoying!

GS

tjh290633 wrote:Recently Firefox seems to have removed the facility to go back a page by using the backspace button. Fortunately my mouse has a button which does that, but when did they change and why?

TJH

There are a lot of changes like that, not only in Firefox either
some jobsworths Monday morning starts with
"What can i change to mess up things for everyone"
and off they go

As a recent Firefox adoptee I do not miss these features I had not yet uncovered, but to go back/forward a page....
Alt + left/right arrow.
Also works in Edge.

V8

I tried this out for a couple of days because some of these things just take some time to get used to, but nope, I don't know what they were smoking when they designed those ugly floating tabs.

The Firefox 91 update is out. Wish I hadn't updated.

The bookmarks have been resized, just like last time, so there is a huge amount of space between each bookmark once you pull down the bookmarks menu (the effect makes the bookmarks almost twice as tall). So if, like me, you have a lot of bookmarks, get used to a lot of scrolling.

Unfortunately the Proton workaround in about:config has been disabled, as has compact mode

I've tried to revert to Firefox 90, but with no luck

I found the large bookmark spaces were in V90
now that I'm on V91 they have gone back to normal
but I can't find anything about it in the release notes

Hold on... it has nothing to do with the versions
am looking into it, and if I find anything to help I will update here

have spent a while hunting around and have found conflicting advice
@SalvorHardin
give this a try to see if copmact mode helps
go to about:config
see @Itsallaguess OP - very useful if you haven't done that before
and then look for
browser.compactmode.show and change to False
Good luck

I'm now on my laptop which has the spacing issue(my desktop is ok)
So have tried the same settings as my desktop (compact and proton) but that has not fixed the issue
This is bl**dy annoying

this really annoys me. can't stand all the gaps in the bookmark folders etc. trying out chrome and i've already come across very annoying missing features. not sure i can win here.

1. In each bookmark folder you can click "Open All In Tabs" in firefox. do that 5 times a week at least to check company announcements. will be a real pain to have to click each one individually to check for news.

2. i have my laptop in 2 different positions. right in front of me and a foot or two further away so i often zoom in/out of a webpage. it's now a 2 click affair with chrome.

3. setting a webpage as a bookmark is very cumbersome. with firefox you can drag the tab into the bookmarks to the exact spot you want it in one drag and drop. with chrome it's at least 3 clicks and then you need to go into the folder and drag it to the position within the folder you want it. very annoying. i create and delete bookmarks quite frequently.

So looks like firefox with this horrible UI may still be the best option. if anyone has any tips to overcome my first 3 chrome gripes that would be great. or is the other browsers with these features?

nmdhqbc wrote:this really annoys me. can't stand all the gaps in the bookmark folders etc. trying out chrome and i've already come across very annoying missing features. not sure i can win here.

1. In each bookmark folder you can click "Open All In Tabs" in firefox. do that 5 times a week at least to check company announcements. will be a real pain to have to click each one individually to check for news.

In Chrome if I right-click a folder name I get options "Open all (6)" and "Open all (6) in new window". Is this what you want?

3. setting a webpage as a bookmark is very cumbersome. with firefox you can drag the tab into the bookmarks to the exact spot you want it in one drag and drop. with chrome it's at least 3 clicks and then you need to go into the folder and drag it to the position within the folder you want it. very annoying. i create and delete bookmarks quite frequently.

In Chrome I can drag a webpage and drop in a specific position in a bookmark folder. Maybe you need "Show bookmarks bar" switched on to do this?

Scott.

swill453 wrote:In Chrome if I right-click a folder name I get options "Open all (6)" and "Open all (6) in new window". Is this what you want?

brilliant. thanks.

swill453 wrote:In Chrome I can drag a webpage and drop in a specific position in a bookmark folder. Maybe you need "Show bookmarks bar" switched on to do this?

i have the bookmark bar showing. where do click to begin the drag and drop. when i click and drag from the tab area at the top it just re-sizes and moves the whole window.

nmdhqbc wrote:

swill453 wrote:In Chrome I can drag a webpage and drop in a specific position in a bookmark folder. Maybe you need "Show bookmarks bar" switched on to do this?

i have the bookmark bar showing. where do click to begin the drag and drop. when i click and drag from the tab area at the top it just re-sizes and moves the whole window.

The symbol (typically a padlock) to the left of the URL.

Scott.

swill453 wrote:The symbol (typically a padlock) to the left of the URL.

got it. that's great. the zoom thing was the least annoying so chrome could well be the answer for me. i'll give it a go and hopefully i can uninstall firefox soon. thanks a lot.

nmdhqbc wrote:2. i have my laptop in 2 different positions. right in front of me and a foot or two further away so i often zoom in/out of a webpage. it's now a 2 click affair with chrome.

Does control key and scroll wheel work?

xeny wrote:Does control key and scroll wheel work?

yep, looks like it does. still 2 inputs but i may end up preferring that when my laptop is close. obviously when it's further away the control key is out of reach. cheers.
edit.... well i suppose the firefox was 2 inputs - move the mouse then click. so i guess this is just as easy when i can reach the keyboard. no need to move the mouse.