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Make text of inactive tabs visible

  • 5 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 22 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

When a tab goes inactive, the text of the tab disappears, and I am left with only the logo. This is annoying in and of itself, but I routinely have a couple of tabs with a FIle, rather tha a web URL, and there's no logo for these, so they simply disappear into the background.

Couple that with the (default?) absence of any distinguishing features of inactive tabs, and the thing might just as well be closed!

Not really a Luddite (well, not that big a Luddite;-) but this seems to me to be traceable back to the Microsoft fascination with low-saturation pastel colours, which are very hard for those of us of a certain age to see. Can I urge that your user testing include people with diminished vision, so that you can hear early, and LOUD about the undesirable effects of some of these changes?

Browser configuration is beginning to resemble the US Tax Code - mostly unintelligible, and seemingly designed to perpetuate the priviliged position of a very few.

</rant - phew!>

Thanks, Tony

When a tab goes inactive, the text of the tab disappears, and I am left with only the logo. This is annoying in and of itself, but I routinely have a couple of tabs with a FIle, rather tha a web URL, and there's no logo for these, so they simply disappear into the background. Couple that with the (default?) absence of any distinguishing features of inactive tabs, and the thing might just as well be closed! Not really a Luddite (well, not that big a Luddite;-) but this seems to me to be traceable back to the Microsoft fascination with low-saturation pastel colours, which are very hard for those of us of a certain age to see. Can I urge that your user testing include people with diminished vision, so that you can hear early, and LOUD about the undesirable effects of some of these changes? Browser configuration is beginning to resemble the US Tax Code - mostly unintelligible, and seemingly designed to perpetuate the priviliged position of a very few. </rant - phew!> Thanks, Tony

Chosen solution

Hi Tony,
I think I see what the problem is. It looks like you are using the Classic Theme Restorer add-on to put tabs on bottom and you have Australis style tabs that only work when on top. If you switch to square tabs or keep Australis tabs and put them back on top, you will be able to read the titles.

And my favorite Verdi opera is La Traviata.  :)

Thanks,
Michael

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Can you share a screenshot of what you see (see How do I create a screenshot of my problem?)? Once you've done this, attach the saved screenshot file to your forum post by clicking the Browse... button below the Post your reply box.

This should help me understand what's happening.
Thanks,
Michael

Grazie, Giuseppe (er, Michael ;-)

Here's a screen shot. You'll see that there is a tab with no icon between the Google icon and the BBC icon. You'll also notice that the only indication of the contents of the tab is whatever 'intuitively obvious to the creator' icon. I can't see any positive value to having the text disappear, except, maybe, in a situation where on a mobile phone you are limiting the display of other tabs to purely an iconic view.

However, this is a desktop - not a phone. I can't believe that Firefox can't figure that out for itself!

Even if it is easier for your volunteer coders to do things the same on every platform (which beggars the imagination), how about yet another about:config setting "Show text on inactive tabs"?

Cynicism aside (I'm wrestling with a dominant hand in a cast - grrr), it seems to me that any reasonably conscientious changer of a UI experience should either undergo rigorous testing on corner cases (such as my diminished vision - and temporary physical disability ;-) and provide an option to restore features that are removed.

Thanks for your help - I am really grateful, despite the way I've been ranting. And which is your favorite Verdi opera?

Tony

Chosen Solution

Hi Tony,
I think I see what the problem is. It looks like you are using the Classic Theme Restorer add-on to put tabs on bottom and you have Australis style tabs that only work when on top. If you switch to square tabs or keep Australis tabs and put them back on top, you will be able to read the titles.

And my favorite Verdi opera is La Traviata.  :)

Thanks,
Michael

In other words - Our way or No way!

It seems like the shortest distance between my two points is to jiggle the Classic Restorer settings. Alternative Curved Tabs worked. Thanks for the help. Now if only there were some documentation to read to explain all these things proactively.....

Thanks,

Tony

It looks that the text color of the other tabs is white and very faintly noticeable in the screenshot that Michael Verdi posted.

Did you try to set/change the tab colors in the Options/Preferences of the CTR extension (Custom Colors)?