Firefox’s Australis design won’t ship until March 2014

[DKT27]

Good news for Firefox users who do not like the changes that come along with the new Australis design that will be implemented in the browser in the foreseeable future.

The initial plan was to implement Australis in Firefox 24, but the deadline was not met and Australis was first delayed to Firefox 25 and then 26.

The design has not landed in Nightly yet which many saw as an indicator that Australis would not launch in Firefox 27 as well.

This has now been confirmed by an updated marketing roadmap that confirms that Australis has been moved to Firefox 28 which will launch March 4, 2014.

If things go as planned, Firefox Nightly users will be the first to experience the new Australis design when the build hits version 28 for the first time on November 1, 2013.



When will Australis hit other Firefox channels?

• Firefox Aurora users will get Australis six weeks later on December 13, 2013.
• Firefox Beta users will be migrated to Australis six weeks later than the Aurora version on January 21, 2014.
• Australis will hit Firefox Stable on March 4, 2014.

Note that this is still subject to change. The core reason for the delay in the deployment of the Australis design is performance-related. Mozilla wants to deploy Australis only when it matches the performance of the pre-Australis Firefox versions. Since that was not the case until now, Australis has been delayed from version to version.

If performance of Australis matches that of Firefox come Firefox 28, it will be deployed then. There is theoretically still a possibility that this won't be the case, so that Australis may get further delayed.

The release to the browser's Nightly channel will make the new design available to a larger audience, and it will be interesting to see how that audience will react to the changes that Australis introduces.

The real test however comes with the stable release of Australis, as this is the channel that is used by the majority of Firefox users.

The majority of tech savvy users seem to be largely opposed to the changes introduced in Australis, and many have been very vocal about switching web browsers when Australis launches or preventing further updates of their version of Firefox to block the deployment of the new design on their system.

:view: View: Original Article

[Matt]

Nice design I like it. :)

[RobrPatty]

To much like chrome. :s

[leland]

If I wanted Chrome I would be using Chrome. I use Firefox for a reason and with Australis that reason quite likely gets much smaller. Problem is Chrome doesn't work the way I do. I suppose I will move the Pale Moon assuming they stay away from Australis which so far sounds like the case...

[truemate]

copy cat.. its chrome design

the present look of FF is better

[Nocturnus]

On top just a little space for Tabs.

Downloads and Options menu are similar to Chrome.

It seems that many browser creators are out of ideas these days.

Hope the final version will be different... otherwise Firefox will have the same destiny of Opera.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Nocturnus

[Lyon275]

It's similiar to chrome :D

But i like it :) It's nice :D

[amor.love]

I'm not sure if many already know this or not, but there's info about what will be different in australis compared to firefox now, and honestly i'm a bit worried of the future firefox: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/07/29/so-this-is-your-idea-of-a-great-user-interface-mozilla/

But here are the main list from the article:

• The Firefox button is gone, replaced by a single Chrome-like settings button on the right.
• Tabs are on top and there is no option to change that anymore so that they are displayed on the bottom instead.
• The add-ons bar is removed and cannot be brought back.
• There is only one toolbar and it shares the search, navigational elements and all add-on icons.
• The search bar is no longer displayed, but can be added to that single toolbar as well.
• The menu bar and the bookmarks bar are hidden by default but can be displayed again.
• Curved tabs that look oh so pretty.

It might change by then, but I'm really not liking the changes, mainly always showing addons, and the removing of the google search area thingy (not sure what it's called, lol) cuz I've got mine customized with an addon i use everyday, and i dont want that to end if it can't be brought back.

Sorry for the long writing too!

[DKT27]

I'm not sure if many already know this or not, but there's info about what will be different in australis compared to firefox now, and honestly i'm a bit worried of the future firefox: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/07/29/so-this-is-your-idea-of-a-great-user-interface-mozilla/

But here are the main list from the article:

• The Firefox button is gone, replaced by a single Chrome-like settings button on the right.
• Tabs are on top and there is no option to change that anymore so that they are displayed on the bottom instead.
• The add-ons bar is removed and cannot be brought back.
• There is only one toolbar and it shares the search, navigational elements and all add-on icons.
• The search bar is no longer displayed, but can be added to that single toolbar as well.
• The menu bar and the bookmarks bar are hidden by default but can be displayed again.
• Curved tabs that look oh so pretty.

It might change by then, but I'm really not liking the changes, mainly always showing addons, and the removing of the google search area thingy (not sure what it's called, lol) cuz I've got mine customized with an addon i use everyday, and i dont want that to end if it can't be brought back.

Sorry for the long writing too!

Which search bar addon do you use? :)

Either way, the ghacks author in that article is just on the rant mode, he has made it clear that he doesn't like changes and just wants to complain whatever UI changes Firefox wants to bring.

[amor.love]

I'm not sure if many already know this or not, but there's info about what will be different in australis compared to firefox now, and honestly i'm a bit worried of the future firefox: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/07/29/so-this-is-your-idea-of-a-great-user-interface-mozilla/

But here are the main list from the article:

• The Firefox button is gone, replaced by a single Chrome-like settings button on the right.
• Tabs are on top and there is no option to change that anymore so that they are displayed on the bottom instead.
• The add-ons bar is removed and cannot be brought back.
• There is only one toolbar and it shares the search, navigational elements and all add-on icons.
• The search bar is no longer displayed, but can be added to that single toolbar as well.
• The menu bar and the bookmarks bar are hidden by default but can be displayed again.
• Curved tabs that look oh so pretty.

It might change by then, but I'm really not liking the changes, mainly always showing addons, and the removing of the google search area thingy (not sure what it's called, lol) cuz I've got mine customized with an addon i use everyday, and i dont want that to end if it can't be brought back.

Sorry for the long writing too!

Which search bar addon do you use? :)

Either way, the ghacks author in that article is just on the rant mode, he has made it clear that he doesn't like changes and just wants to complain whatever UI changes Firefox wants to bring.

hey dkt27 :) i think we mentioned it on a diff thread before, it's: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/quicksearch/ it's amazing how much i come to use that addon all the time and dont want to give it up.

lol, and yeah he did seem a bit ott about it. it was fine till i couldn't tell whether or not the google searchbar thingy was fully gone and not just hidden. but i think that's the search bar he mentioned, but not sure. i just hope they don't follow the chrome way of putting bookmarks/history on a diff tab. never was a fan of it.

[janedoe]

I always have multiple tabs open and thus dislike tabs on top because of the reduced area available in that mode. So of course Mozilla has to go and ape Google once again and remove that option. An old-style skin will be the first thing I'll install if I haven't switched browsers come March.

[DKT27]

hey dkt27 :) i think we mentioned it on a diff thread before, it's: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/quicksearch/ it's amazing how much i come to use that addon all the time and dont want to give it up.

lol, and yeah he did seem a bit ott about it. it was fine till i couldn't tell whether or not the google searchbar thingy was fully gone and not just hidden. but i think that's the search bar he mentioned, but not sure. i just hope they don't follow the chrome way of putting bookmarks/history on a diff tab. never was a fan of it.

So I discussed it with you? :) Don't remember. :P

Yeah, I like that addon. It'll be interesting to see how I can get the functionality back or the author himself does something about it.

[amor.love]

hey dkt27 :) i think we mentioned it on a diff thread before, it's: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/quicksearch/ it's amazing how much i come to use that addon all the time and dont want to give it up.

lol, and yeah he did seem a bit ott about it. it was fine till i couldn't tell whether or not the google searchbar thingy was fully gone and not just hidden. but i think that's the search bar he mentioned, but not sure. i just hope they don't follow the chrome way of putting bookmarks/history on a diff tab. never was a fan of it.

So I discussed it with you? :) Don't remember. :P

Yeah, I like that addon. It'll be interesting to see how I can get the functionality back or the author himself does something about it.

yea, at least i think it was with you, lol. i think someone posted about this addon, and i already was using it and asked about this same thing, i think. i think we came to the same conclusion as now too.

i read about some developer is making an addon for the next firefox to make it like this one if it does get rid of some things i really like. as long as the bookmarks/history is left the same, i can hide all my add-ons (i use about 13ish), cuz i don't want them to clog up the view, and this addon is still usable, i'm all good, lol.