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Firefox Demos Prototype Metro Interface

Posted by Unknown on from the still-not-completely-sold dept.

In order to provide an alternative to IE on Windows 8, Firefox needs a Metro UI. Luckily, development of a Metro interface for Firefox is well underway. The current build reuses the Android interface XUL (by virtue of being based on Fennec). The latest test release features lots of platform integration support: "We have Metro snap working, you can snap another Metro app to the right or left of Firefox and continue browsing. We also have HTML file input controls tied up to the Metro file picker. ... implemented the Windows 8 search contract, you can use the Search Charm from any screen on Windows 8. If you enter a URL, it will be loaded. If you enter anything else, it will be searched in your default search engine. We also implemented the Windows 8 share contract, you can use the Share Charm from any Firefox page to share that page to another application. Once you select the Share Charm it will list the applications you can share to, for example: Mail, Twitter, or Facebook." If you're interested in following development, the team has made a Mercurial repository available. Further background is provided by the first and second posts in the series.

4 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Sharing data between Metro and desktop versions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Will Metro Firefox share information with desktop Firefox? Currently, Windows 8 has a Metro IE and a desktop IE that don't share cookies or bookmarks. It's pretty hilariously bad.

    1. Re:Sharing data between Metro and desktop versions by Eraesr · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Indeed. If MS wanted a unified Desktop/Metro experience, then it would've been unified in the customer preview. I mean, it's such a core usability concept (and probably technical as well) that I doubt they'd save that for last. I don't have hands-on experience, but I understand from all the preview articles that Metro and the desktop are two worlds apart. It's like running two OS-es next to each other. Does anyone really believe MS will bring the two together at this point in development? I really, really doubt it.

  2. Re:And the march continues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Windows 8 won't allow any browser to become the default unless it's accessible through the Metro UI. It's still the same firefox and can be accessed from the non-Metro interface too.

  3. I'm pretty sure I don't need this by cvtan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm almost certain I don't want to use anything that has a "Share Charm".

    --
    Sorry, but gray text on gray background is making my eyes bleed.