Firefox Demos Prototype Metro Interface

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.

Comments

And the march continues

[rudy_wayne]

In order to provide an alternative to IE on Windows 8, Firefox needs a Metro UI.

Right, because normal programs won't run on Windows 8.

What a bunch of morons. Every decision now seems to be driven by a philosophy of "Let's make Firefox worse!!"

Re:And the march continues

[bmo]

WTF is a "paided" poster? At least get your grammar right.

I put it in quotes because it is internet slang for shill.

Metro is good for things like browsers and casual consumer apps and is perfect for something like a portable tablet., but is unsuitable for many productivity apps like Photoshop, AutoCad, Office or Visual Studio, thus the Desktop lives on.

Then why did Microsoft remove the ability to turn off Metro? You know, for people who sit at a desk and do work.

Explain. Give examples.

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BMO

Re:And the march continues

[bmo]

You make it sound as if they removed the desktop apps. You can still use all the deskop apps and use the start screen instead of the start menu.

Metro is not merely the start screen. Metro is an entirely different paradigm for using a computer. For you to say that it's merely the replacement for the start button is to be intellectually dishonest, and frankly, misrepresenting what your employer has created.

The removal of the Registry key that toggles Metro is evidence of where Microsoft is headed with Metro. If they truly wanted to leave it up to the user whether to use Metro or not, they could have left the registry key there. It's not like it was doing any harm. You could set the flag on the registry key and, as a desktop user, be totally content in a blissful state of pure desktop.

But no, they had to remove it. Why? To force Metro. There really is no other explanation. If you have one that makes an iota of sense, I'd like to hear it.

>Paul Therroutt

He is indeed correct on that last paragraph. Microsoft is doubling down on Metro, and if you fail to see that then you are blind.

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BMO

Re:And the march continues

[bmo]

You seem to believe that NO-ONE could like Metro,

I have yet to see anyone who does not have a vested interest in Metro like it.

It used to be that I could easily troll (is it really a troll if I honestly believe it's the case?) dozens of people by stating that Metro is going to take over the desktop. Many vibrating with visible anger. These days, not so much, because many people have moved on from anger and denial to acceptance. Because both you and I know that Microsoft can force whatever UI they want and people will eat it up, because when all you've ever had is a shit sandwich, you think all sandwiches contain shit.

>Windows 7

Windows 7 actually doesn't suck. It's what Vista should have been. Its throughput for nontrivial amounts of files /does/ suck, but as a run-of-the-mill OS, it's not 'orrible, guvnuh.

Metro, paired with the traditional desktop, switching in and out seemingly at random depending on what kind of application you're running, is a real 'orrorshow.

And that's what you guys keep glossing over. Having both GUIs on the same machine violates everything both Microsoft and Apple have said about consistency of UI.

The only solution is to get rid of one or the other.

That means that the Desktop needs to go. Microsoft is /not/ backing down from Metro. Even though Metro sucks on the desktop for anyone who has actually tried it.

>implying I'm a joke of the tech world

As if I care. There are actual jokes of the tech world, and they are Ed Bott, Robert Enderle of the Enderle Group (of one), Maureen O'Gargle (was that her ice in her highball I heard clink during a SCO phone call?) etc, ad nauseam. And they are all violently pro-Microsoft. The only journalist that covers Microsoft that has a shred of integrity is Mary Jo Foley. She really does make Ed Bott look like the utter douche he is.

By the way, there's only one person who has ever said this to me on here, and he happens to be my "anonymous stalker"

Hi anonymous stalker. You forgot to logout. Eat a bag of dicks.

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BMO