Recent answers to Firefox 29.0 default has tabs same colour as bar above it (not distinction), how do I get back to the what was in 28.0 where they were different colours?https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/9970042014-09-08T03:04:14-07:00Hi JillFire, the Classic Theme Restorer extension is a very comprehensive add-on that, on first inst2014-09-08T03:04:14-07:00jscher2000https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625474<p>Hi JillFire, the <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/classicthemerestorer/" rel="nofollow">Classic Theme Restorer extension</a> is a very comprehensive add-on that, on first install, will make the interface look similar to Firefox 4-28 on Windows. For example, there will be an orange "Firefox" button in the upper left corner.
</p><p>I don't think you normally need to use about:config with the extension. To fine-tune things like the location of the tab bar and shapes of tabs, you will need to go to the Add-ons page, Extensions section, and click the Options button for Classic Theme Restorer.
</p><p>Some other settings, such as size of toolbar buttons, will appear in the Customize screen.
</p><p>As StratMan55 indicates, the extension's page recommends renaming localstore.rdf to avoid possible glitches, but it also says that going into Customize and clicking the "Restore Defaults" button is almost as good, so I would suggest trying that first.
</p><p>(Note: I tested the extension when Firefox 29 first came out, but do not use it regularly.)
</p>Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, I'm chronically ill and have little time to muck about wit2014-09-07T17:11:12-07:00JillFirehttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625351<p>Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, I'm chronically ill and have little time to muck about with this changing setting etc. when I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing in case I find it takes me ages to get back to where I was if things don't go right.
</p><p>Checked out the style suggestion but wasn't too sure about that, could waste a lot of my time, time I'd don't have. Was thinking about the classic style add-odd Alacres suggested but StratMan55 has just let us know that that it will have to involve reconfiguring settings so won't try that until I actually have a reasonable amount of some spare time to muck about with it (which I never seem to have).
</p><p>So I still won't be marking this as solved until someone or Mozilla comes up with an easy solution that most people can do quickly without have to muck about for a while/have detailed software knowledge. It really is rather silly that Firefox team made it more difficult to use/manage tabs without leaving the option to go back to the easier original settings.
</p><p>May check out jscher's links on feedback and restoring to old firefox look when/if I get a chance. But surely if they monitored forum after 29.0 came out they would know already this was a dumb and unpopular change without someone having to go to the feedback site?
</p><p>I use Firefox as due to my illness I didn't even have a computer for many years and found Explorer simply awful (couldn't even download without it always hanging up) when I was finally given hand me down computer. While Firefox was more logical/easy to use more like the early browsers. Never been able to figure out how to use chrome - too stripped down for me without having someone to tell me how to do things I can't figure out (no menus to flip through to help you find out things for yourself!). Although I'm aware it is very popular so they must be ways to use it easily that I haven't been able to figure out for myself. So Firefox developers, you do have a great product, easily useable unlike the others, could you just watch these backwards step alterations in future please!&nbsp;:-)
</p>Thanks for your reply and sharing your development POV, jscher2000.
As noted just above, Alacres' s2014-09-07T15:49:09-07:00StratMan55https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625339<p>Thanks for your reply and sharing your development POV, jscher2000.
</p><p>As noted just above, Alacres' suggestion for the "Classic Theme Restorer" was investigated and installed. That work-around resolved the Tab color issue...
</p><p><strong>But,</strong> not without having to screw around with reconfiguring many of the settings in "About:Config" as per the installation guidelines where the localstore.rdf file was "reset" by having Firefox recreate it after deleting it.
</p><p><strong>Just in case a fellow user might be able to clarify whether or not that "reset" truly was required,</strong> the localstore.rdf file first was backed up in hopes of being able to use it to preserve my prior settings.
</p><p>Keep up the great work while many of us will have to keep slapping on "add-ins" to "fix what wasn't broken".
</p><p>StratMan55
A 25-year veteran database software engineer
</p>Hi StratMan55 and all, regarding interacting with developers:
Some members of the development team 2014-09-07T10:46:18-07:00jscher2000https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625235<p>Hi StratMan55 and all, regarding interacting with developers:
</p><p>Some members of the development team were monitoring this forum for a few weeks after the release of Firefox 29. However, at this point, if you want to suggest changes to the interface, you should use the feedback site (here: <a href="https://input.mozilla.org/feedback" rel="nofollow">https://input.mozilla.org/feedback</a>) or join a development mailing list (see <a href="https://lists.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow">https://lists.mozilla.org/</a>).
</p><p>Here on the support site, we are focused on the Firefox we have today. And the add-ons we have today... <a href="/en-US/kb/how-to-make-new-firefox-look-like-old-firefox" rel="nofollow">How to make the new Firefox look like the old Firefox</a>.
</p>Almost four months after my 5/19/14 10:05 AM post on this topic where the FireFox DevTeam has CHOSEN2014-09-07T08:34:54-07:00StratMan55https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625207<p>Almost four months after my 5/19/14 10:05 AM post on this topic where the FireFox DevTeam has CHOSEN NOT to reply...
</p><p>It's refreshing ~ in a disappointing way ~ to learn today that others feel the same as me regarding this absolute degradation to this browser's U.I. where FireFox has been falling in general popularity in the browser rating surveys.
</p><p>What a damn shame!
</p><p>Oh well, guess I'll give the Add-On work-around a try as no other idea has resolved this poor design problem so far. Thanks for the tip, Alacres.
</p>Hi jscher2000,
T H A N K Y O U !!!!! You made my day!
It's still a pity that so called Mozi2014-09-07T05:45:58-07:00rudkhttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625168<p>Hi jscher2000,
</p><p>T H A N K Y O U&nbsp;!!!!! You made my day!
</p><p>It's still a pity that so called Mozilla Firefox Upgrades are actually DOWNGRADES.
</p>Glad to help alison :). Now if only the Mozilla devs would take the hint and gives us an offici2014-09-07T04:15:41-07:00Alacreshttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625152<p>Glad to help alison&nbsp;:). Now if only the Mozilla devs would take the hint and gives us an official option for making Firefox look like... Firefox again. Fat chance at this point though I guess. So glad we have talented amateur devs around willing to help circumvent messes like this.
</p>Ahhh... so much better! Thanks for mentioning that classic theme restore, Alacres. Now I can switc2014-09-07T03:22:13-07:00alisontaylorbchttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625128<p>Ahhh... so much better! Thanks for mentioning that classic theme restore, Alacres. Now I can switch back from Chrome which I've been using the past three months. (I like Chrome well enough for browsing, but I prefer Firefox for troubleshooting with Firebug.)
</p>Or you can just forgo all that bullshit and download the "classic theme restorer" add-on. It will br2014-09-07T02:59:29-07:00Alacreshttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625121<p>Or you can just forgo all that bullshit and download the "classic theme restorer" add-on. It will bring the UI back to a state before it was made idiotic beyond belief. It's honestly the only reason I continue to use Firefox.
</p>Hi rudk, are you running Windows XP? I think XP users with the classic blue theme are the least happ2014-09-07T02:52:24-07:00jscher2000https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004?page=2#answer-625116<p>Hi rudk, are you running Windows XP? I think XP users with the classic blue theme are the least happy with this design.
</p><p>To use a different background behind the tab bar than the title bar, you can switch a preference (this also keeps the title bar clear when you maximize the Firefox window, instead of having the tabs slide up into it).
</p><p>(1) In a new tab, type or paste <strong>about:config</strong> in the address bar and press Enter. Click the button promising to be careful.
</p><p>(2) In the search box that appears above the list, type or paste <strong>tabs</strong> and pause while the list is filtered
</p><p>(3) Double-click the <strong>browser.tabs.drawInTitlebar</strong> preference to switch its value from true to false. Shortly after that, you should see a different background color appear in the tab bar.
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you run an "Aero" theme on Windows Vista or newer and want a shape around the tabs, you can use a custom style rule. I've got three examples here: <a href="http://userstyles.org/users/2029" rel="nofollow">http://userstyles.org/users/2029</a>
</p>I've just upgraded from version 28 to 32 and have the exact same problem. The tabs not currently vie2014-09-07T02:14:48-07:00rudkhttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-625095<p>I've just upgraded from version 28 to 32 and have the exact same problem. The tabs not currently viewed are now the same color as the background above them at the top.
</p><p>It looks horrible, and no, it's not "a matter of taste", no, it's not a "very strong visual indicator", and no, it absoluely doesn't minimize distraction but increases it.
</p><p>To make it short - it's an absolute nonsense, thank you very much.
</p><p>Why for christ sake do things "improve" for the worse with every damn upgrade, dammit????
</p><p>At least make the tab background color choosable. It's pathetic, really.
</p>And On "It" Goes...
This 25-year veteran database software engineer has watched MS, Acronis, Acrobat2014-05-19T00:05:06-07:00StratMan55https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-577950<p><strong>And On "It" Goes...</strong>
</p><p>This 25-year veteran database software engineer has watched MS, Acronis, Acrobat and many other "professional quality" software apps' UIs (User Interface) truly <strong>DUMB-DOWN</strong> thru the years were common-sense, user-friendly interfaces <strong>NO LONGER</strong> exist compared to prior versions.
</p><p>Just Google the Net and you will find countless examples of absolute, stupid design practices and valid complaints where the "developers" put <strong>their</strong> "happy ideas" ahead of the users' perspectives and needs without ever doing much, if any, research with said user-base.
</p><p>Frustratingly, this topic regarding the "downgrade" to v29 is yet another example where a company that has been and is suppose to be "better" than other browsers has fallen to much lower standards and levels these past couple of years. No wonder Firefox's popularity seemingly is slipping!
</p><p>I strongly agree with all who totally HATE <strong>this unfriendly UI as it exemplifies how the "classic", common-sense features continue to get ripped away from users.</strong>
</p><p><strong>mikedeboer:</strong> You and your DevTeam hereby are asked to get back on track, listen to our valid complaints and return the prior functionality and default theme options to Firefox so we do not have to screw around with Add-Ins.
</p><p>Thank you!
</p><p>PS: Many times, friendly and practical functionality must override <strong>one person's</strong> idea of a "<em>nice style and look</em>". That's like being forced to buy a car with color you hate.
</p>This seemed to do the trick. It only gets the previously visited tabs which are not active.
#TabsT2014-05-18T11:48:31-07:00nullstephhttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-577804<p>This seemed to do the trick. It only gets the previously visited tabs which are not active.
</p>
<pre>#TabsToolbar .tabbrowser-tabs tab:not([pending="true"]):not([selected="true"])
{
background-color:rgba(50,50,50,0.2) !important;
border-collapse:separate !important;
border-radius:1em 1em 0 0 !important;
color:#fff !important;
text-shadow:1px 1px 2px #000;
}</pre>Hi nullsteph, if you want to insert background images, the first 3 userstyles here could provide a r2014-05-18T11:11:49-07:00jscher2000https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-577779<p>Hi nullsteph, if you want to insert background images, the first 3 userstyles here could provide a reference point: <a href="http://userstyles.org/users/2029" rel="nofollow">http://userstyles.org/users/2029</a>
</p>Yep, visited, inactive tabs are difficult to read and distinguish from each other.
Maybe someone c2014-05-18T10:28:09-07:00nullstephhttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-577755<p>Yep, visited, inactive tabs are difficult to read and distinguish from each other.
</p><p>Maybe someone could provide the css selector to style them myself. For whatever reason, none of the themes handle this issue.
</p>@MrCreosote: It would appear that way, but as I've complained to FF before (via feedback), a couple 2014-05-16T11:23:46-07:00notthenineoclocknewshttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-576682<p>@MrCreosote: It would appear that way, but as I've complained to FF before (via feedback), a couple of teenagers could create an addon for unhappy users to retain what's been ripped away from them in a single weekend. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
</p><p>Mozilla seem happy to foster anger and negativity for the sake of trying to muscle in on the Google mobile/tablet market (in other words 'greed' before people), which means they'll very much come out on the losing end as a result, because that's not what they started out to be.
</p><p>@jscher2000: It's not just that some "don't want to use addons", but many - I repeat: MANY - people are NOT tech savvy enough to know how to screw around with coding to change things back in order to match their needs and requirements - and they shouldn't have to be. If anything, the 'addon' should have been what tablet/mobile users download for their benefit, not shafting desktop users.
</p>I know that some people do not want to use add-ons or have to create a userChrome.css file with cust2014-05-16T11:05:12-07:00jscher2000https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-576674<p>I know that some people do not want to use add-ons or have to create a userChrome.css file with custom style rules. But if that is an option for you, I have posted some style rules that alter the background images for the inactive tabs to make them more visible, from a fairly subtle outline to a bright area behind the title. You can explore from here: <a href="http://userstyles.org/styles/101036/brighter-background-tabs-australis-firefox-29" rel="nofollow">http://userstyles.org/styles/101036/brighter-background-tabs-australis-firefox-29</a>
</p>Firefox is being "dumbed down" to accommodate firstly Smart Phones and secondly Tablets.
These peopl2014-05-16T05:31:21-07:00MrCreosotehttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-576464<p>Firefox is being "dumbed down" to accommodate firstly Smart Phones and secondly Tablets.
</p><p>These people don't use all the power of Tabs - their devices are too small.
</p><p>So Tab graphics should be developed for PCs only.
</p><p>Of course, that is blasphemy these days.
</p>Totally agree with Dave_in_NZ and would like to hear a dev answer this question, rather than pretend2014-05-16T05:02:36-07:00notthenineoclocknewshttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-576456<p>Totally agree with Dave_in_NZ and would like to hear a dev answer this question, rather than pretending it's not being asked:
</p><p><em><strong>Why can't/won't/don't you offer previous defaults as an options addon, when you're fully aware that a majority of end users don't want what's being dished up as an 'improved' version? </strong></em>
</p><p>Isn't it for <em>us</em> decide what we do and don't want, need, like or don't like, and not you?
</p><p>Aren't end users in a far better position to advise you of what's working for us and what's not? Who is it you're actually trying to please, because it certainly doesn't seem to be the end user?
</p><p>I hope these questions will be addressed in detail, but I shan't hold my breath.
</p>What winsbury said...
This is NOT "a matter of taste"; it is a matter of USABILITY. Inactive tabs s2014-05-13T09:22:18-07:00alisontaylorbchttps://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/997004#answer-574781<p>What winsbury said...
</p><p>This is NOT "a matter of taste"; it is a matter of USABILITY. Inactive tabs should be clearly delineated, as they were before and as they are in all other browsers.
</p><p>I am trying to stay with Firefox, because I don't want Google to have a monopoly on Internet browsers, but it's becoming increasingly difficult. First there was that change where people visiting my websites in Firefox see a different font size than what I want unless they discover that about:config setting that will use the same font size all the other browsers use... and now this.
</p><p>Mozilla, listen to us! We're your users, and we're a committed bunch, and we're pretty savvy about the web. We have useful input to share with you!
</p><p>Meanwhile, I'm going to spend today in Chrome, and hope you fix this soon..
</p>