Mozilla Working on Metro-style Firefox for Windows 8
Mozilla Working on Metro-style Firefox for Windows 8
Posted 02/16/2012 at 7:43am
| by Pulkit Chandna
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With the release of Windows 8 widely expected to happen later this year, we have a lot to look forward to. The next version of Microsoft’s operating system is unique for its inclusion of a touch-friendly UI, called Metro, in addition to the classic Windows desktop environment that we have all gotten so used to over the years. Microsoft may have used college interns to develop sample Metro-style apps for the Windows 8 developer preview build, but you can look forward to seeing a number of triple-A third party apps at the time of Window 8’s launch. One such app will be Mozilla’s Firefox web browser.
Mozilla on Sunday published its Firefox roadmap for 2012, spilling the beans on its Firefox on Metro release plans. The open-source outfit plans to have a proof-of-concept app ready in the second quarter of 2012, with alpha and beta builds coming in the second half.
According to the Windows 8 page on Mozilla’s Wiki site, the Metro version of Firefox will be a Gecko-based browser built either in XUL, C/C++, or HTML/CSS/JS. For this purpose, Mozilla is hoping that Microsoft will allow the Metro style Firefox app “to run as a Medium integrity app so we can access all of the win32 Firefox Gecko libraries avoiding a port to the new WinRT API for the bulk of our code.”
“Firefox on Metro is a full-screen App with an Appbar that contains common navigation controls (back, reload, etc.,) the Awesomebar, and some form of tabs,” reads the Windows 8 page on the Mozilla Wiki site. “Firefox will have to support three "snap" states -- full screen, ~1/6th screen and ~5/6th screen depending on how the user "docks" two full screen apps. Our UI will need to adjust to show the most relevant content for each size.”
“In order to provide users with access to other content, other apps, and to Firefox from other content and apps, we'll need integration with the share contract, the search contract, the settings contract, the app to app picking contract, the print contract, the play to contract, and possibly a couple more. We'll be a source for some, a target for some, and both for some.”
Image Credit: Winbeta
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ashinms
February 16, 2012 at 1:51pm
I, for one like metro. Not that ill be using it, because by the time 8 comes out, ill have fully moved to openSUSE, but honestly, its a lot simpler than the old windows, and like plenty of others have said, if you dont like it, turn it off.
loozer
February 16, 2012 at 1:16pm
Actually:
Mozilla MIGHT make a metro Firefox, but probably not due to metro limitations.More likely a "fake" metro app that's optimized for touch.
Eoraptor
February 16, 2012 at 1:18pm
as the article says, their plans are highly contingent on what rights Microsoft decides to grant them concerning permissions and trust levels. Welcome to the world where Microsoft controls what you're allowed to install on your computer.
ERSZ
February 16, 2012 at 12:07pm
I'm not worried about metro UI as its easily removable. I'm very much interested and how windows 8 will work out on the mobile platform, not too worried about my desktop after all everyone customizes their windows desktop this wont be much different just remove metro and you'll have your windows 7 look and feel so stop crying already.
Eoraptor
February 16, 2012 at 1:16pm
No, not "everyone" customizes their windows desktop. In fact, only the small percentage of people who both have windows and come to sites like this do. (and indeed, I'd wager that not even all of them do more than install a dock client) The vast majority of people with windows, like 80% of the world's computer-using population, use a stock build. So saying that they have to disable a fundamental function of of the OS just to get what they want is not an acceptable situation. it's not something to "stop crying about"
ERSZ
February 17, 2012 at 1:39pm
simple changing the wallpaper is customizing windows and I dont know of anyone that stuck to the wallpaper that came with their windows pc so ill say it again quit crying try it and learn it and im sure you'll be happy with it.
Hey.That_Dude
February 16, 2012 at 11:31am
Sounds like a good idea. Hit all the major mobile OS's, and conquer the WORLD!
biggiebob12345
February 16, 2012 at 11:21am
Mozilla has been getting more and more on my shit list since moving to rapid releases. The devs have become even bigger scatter brains...working on crap that they want to work on and not stuff that people actually care about.
Eoraptor
February 16, 2012 at 1:12pm
how is planning to be ready for the next major update to the world's most popular PC operating system "not stuff people actually care about"?
JaxJaguar
February 16, 2012 at 10:03am
So far, I am very unimpressed with Win 8. (Can you say Windows ME all over again?). Users do NOT want the Metro UI shoved down their throats, and that is what Microsoft is doing here. I expect Win 7 to become like Win XP in its longevity due to the crap that comes after it. And we wonder why AAPL stock goes up an average of 43% per year and MSFT has gone up less than 1% (total, not per year) over the past 10 years? I guess Steve Ballmer hasn't received the memo on this. Well, now he knows.
gmvolk
February 16, 2012 at 9:08am
Until the normal desktop PC is all touch, I really don't see Win8 being a huge success. Yes Mozilla needs to adapt, just hope it does not take away development from the Win7 Firefox. I for one don't see the desktop PC making much use of metro, tablets sure but not PCs.
LatiosXT
February 16, 2012 at 9:06am
Metro is not what's killing Windows Phone 7. A lot of reviews I've seen about it say it's a great UI alternative to what Apple started with iOS. And if anything, the reason why WP7 phones don't sell very well is...
1. Microsoft is late to the game. You've either committed to iOS or Android. And also, I can't seem to find one on Verizon.
2. And those who have used Windows Mobile have sour aftertastes.
mattatooski
February 16, 2012 at 3:59pm
I have gone from Android to WP7, and I can say that I do really like it. It is very fluent and I dont think I have ever had an app crash. The metro interface is a pleasure to use and must admit that I am intrigued to see it on my desktop pc. In saying all that, what I dont like about WP7 is the lack of customization.
You can choose from around 12 color schemes for the tiles and a black or white background for everything else. Coming from Android, this just hurts. I really hope that the new desktop metro will be a hell of a lot more customizable than the WP7 is. For peolpe like my technophobe parents, I think Windows 8 will be awesome and really simple to use, after I set up the email accounts and everything else. For everyone else, like maximum pc readers, we will have to wait see .....
Ashton2091
February 16, 2012 at 10:49am
Also, Microsoft previously was not paying out any incentives for the carrier's sale people to push the phone. That has changed though. Both Nokia and Microsoft have invested millions for incentives for pushing Windows Phone.
Eoraptor
February 16, 2012 at 1:05pm
All true points. Frankly, I don't want metro on my PC anymore than I want iOS on it. but in the smart phone arena it's a genuine contender, it's just that Microsoft doesn't have the necessary experience to market it.
(that and there's a very vocal portion of apple fanboys out there who work hard on behalf of cuppertino to tear down anything without the fruit on the back, so there is a lot of bad info and badly biased blogs floating around out there skewing opinion.)
praetor_alpha
February 16, 2012 at 8:31am
I like Metro's visual design of minimalism, large text, and pretty pictures, but Windows 8 looks like a candy shop, ugh.
ogman
February 16, 2012 at 8:02am
It's strange to me that Microsoft insists on putting all of their eggs in one ugly basket called Metro. It doesn't even sell on phones, and yet they act like it is going to be well adopted on all devices. Can't really blame Mozilla for playing along, but it seems like a waste of time and effort.
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