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How do I tell if Firefox is or isn't the active window?

  • 2 பதிலளிப்புகள்
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  • Last reply by StarliteLemming

One of the most fundamental and necessary functions in a window-based GUI is the ability to tell, at a glance, which is the active window.

Firefox seemingly dropped this essential functionality over a year ago.

When I saw the new colours in today's update, I thought, "finally, they've come to their senses." But apparently not.

How can I force Firefox to look clearly different when it's the active window versus an inactive window?

Please! Anything to make this work the way it should!

(Anticipating that many people might say, "everyone's doing it now," I'd like to point out that just because something is a popular trend does not make it good. Just look at Britain's revolving door of Prime Ministers right now. This particular trend in GUI implementation is a total disaster!)

One of the most fundamental and necessary functions in a window-based GUI is the ability to tell, at a glance, which is the active window. Firefox seemingly dropped this essential functionality over a year ago. When I saw the new colours in today's update, I thought, "finally, they've come to their senses." But apparently not. How can I force Firefox to look clearly different when it's the active window versus an inactive window? Please! Anything to make this work the way it should! (Anticipating that many people might say, "everyone's doing it now," I'd like to point out that just because something is a popular trend does not make it good. Just look at Britain's revolving door of Prime Ministers right now. This particular trend in GUI implementation is a total disaster!)

All Replies (2)

Thanks for your reply. You make a good point, however...

From a UI/UX design point of view, the eye is more naturally drawn to the top of a window than to the bottom of the screen. The visual connection between a visible window and a tab at the bottom of the screen is also not very effective.

(The so-called "politics" was just a current example of why popular trends are not always good.)

I'd still like an answer to the issue, please.

Dropa, thanks for trying. But I feel like you haven't understood the problem at all.

You mentioned the taskbar. My reply was simply that the taskbar does not achieve what I need (irrespective of position).

What I need is for the Firefox menubar/tab-bar to undergo a significant change in colour between when it's the active window versus an inactive window. This is windowed-GUI-design 101. I don't understand how no-one else has made a big deal of it!