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Changing the UI unnecessarily, and forced AI nonsense is exactly a few reasons why I always have auto-updates off if possible. I don't have that choice in Firefox anymore.

No clue how you're having this experience.
No updates to FF have changed my UI anytime I can remember -- going back years now.

And I have auto updates on and am always on latest.
 
This. that sidebar wasn't there a week or so ago and it's got AI crap on it. Then the new tab page full of ads. Firefox used to be simple back in 38 ESR.
Screenshot 2025-06-27 at 6.27.00 AM.png

Auto updates are ALWAYS on in Firefox these days. You no longer have the ability to disable them. Ever since Quantum happened you get either update automatically, or check for updates but no longer is the 'never install updates' an option. If you select the check for updates it nags you endlessly then eventually forces it:

Screenshot 2025-06-27 at 6.31.12 AM.png


Firefox has been a flat nightmare of UI design since Quantum. Back in 38 ESR it had a selection of very nice themes that no longer work. Only options today are flat themes and can't give me that Windows 7 or OS X vibe any longer. I can only tolerate the default dark one. I only keep it around because many sites break in Safari and I'd rather not use Chrome if possible. Not sure if you know this but I DESPISE FLAT DESIGN. I despised it back in the Tandy 1000 era too.
 
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Safari has been my daily driver for as long as it's been a browser, I think.

There are certain work applications that I'll use Chrome for, but other than that, it's pretty much all safari all the time.
 
We’ll see. Current beta build hasn’t made a good first impression for these reasons

1) New themes really hard on my MacBook to visually differentiate the tabs when I have dark mode active, and am visiting pages that are also dark. Not sure why the underline under the tab is still black in dark mode, but it doesn’t stand out like it does when in light mode, and probably should be white instead (edit: this is a bug). Hope this is tweaked like other effects.

2) I used to use and like the compact tabs where the address bar became part of the tab. From what I can tell this has been removed, and it’d feeling quite jarring to go back to the old style. Hope they bring this back as an option.

If the situation doesn’t change, I may go to Firefox which is typically my fallback browser. Or might look at Orion or another smaller browser, especially if they replicate the compact Safari tabs.
 
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Seeing which tab is active hasn't been a huge problem for me, but I have noticed having to click to change tabs. But I chalked it up to being in beta, and hopefully that behavior does not persist.

My biggest issue with Safari is the same as it ever was. No uBlock. I know other alternatives exist, but having to install them as an app I never liked.
uBlock Origin Lite is available as beta for Safari now, see https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uBOL-home
 
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I stopped using Onion/Tor when so many sites were completely broken no thanks to Cloudflare. It's sucky to want privacy and then punished for wanting it, basically software telling me to 'go outside and touch grass, the internet ain't for you'

Brave with shields up basically forces DuckDuckGo which is lousy for search, and has its own 'bot detection' that after a few searches refuses to work.

I use Safari but it's to me like IE 11 now, so I have to have two or three other browsers on standby for sites that break in Safari. Firefox is awful since Quantum, Brave/Tor/Onion breaks the internet entirely, and Opera Air works but has a memory leak (eventually my MacBook Air tells me to close apps as memory is run out)

EDIT: Damn, you said Orion, I read that as 'Onion'.
 
I stopped using Onion/Tor when so many sites were completely broken no thanks to Cloudflare. It's sucky to want privacy and then punished for wanting it, basically software telling me to 'go outside and touch grass, the internet ain't for you'

Brave with shields up basically forces DuckDuckGo which is lousy for search, and has its own 'bot detection' that after a few searches refuses to work.

I use Safari but it's to me like IE 11 now, so I have to have two or three other browsers on standby for sites that break in Safari. Firefox is awful since Quantum, Brave/Tor/Onion breaks the internet entirely, and Opera Air works but has a memory leak (eventually my MacBook Air tells me to close apps as memory is run out)

EDIT: Damn, you said Orion, I read that as 'Onion'.
Yes, I meant Orion :D
 
Yeah I accidentally found the 'hide sidebar' in the menu, it's a flat icon that of course confuses me as it looks nothing like a 'button' nor tells me what it does (reminds me of those tons of buttons on steering wheels of modern cars, I'm afraid to press them) but I clicked on it by accident and dismissed it.

but it's one of those 'flow-breaking' things that forced updates do. I hate Firefox since Quantum, as I used to be able to skeuomorph the UI with themes, but all you can use now are flat crap. Every update takes user control away. Mozilla might as well be Microsoft at this point. There's a reason that the phrase 'Never touch a running system' existed. I DESPISE UI changes I never asked for and are thrusted on me without any say in the matter.
 
No, forced updates always change things and I like things being as I'm used to doing. I refuse to 'get used to' things I hate. Nothing wrong with choice, and since Firefox is supposed to be Open-source, choice should remain a priority as is user control.

Nothing pisses me off more than a broken flow when I've done x the same way forever. It ruins my mood. It's like someone coming into my home and rearranging the furniture. That would be an invasion of my life. I hate it when Walmart re-arranges the store forcing me to spend another hour relocating everything.

Even Macs don't force updates. It's still a choice (thank goodness) unlike those poor Windows users.
 
If not, what is missing that you need?

Broad support for the extensions I use on a daily basis, the ability to have the list of downloads in a separate window instead of a dropdown from the toolbar, more customization of the Start Page (One can turn off all sponsored/advertised links in Firefox), cross-platform synchronization (Mac OS, Windows, and Linux) are some of the things missing from Safari...
 
Yeah I accidentally found the 'hide sidebar' in the menu, it's a flat icon that of course confuses me as it looks nothing like a 'button' nor tells me what it does (reminds me of those tons of buttons on steering wheels of modern cars, I'm afraid to press them) but I clicked on it by accident and dismissed it.

but it's one of those 'flow-breaking' things that forced updates do. I hate Firefox since Quantum, as I used to be able to skeuomorph the UI with themes, but all you can use now are flat crap. Every update takes user control away. Mozilla might as well be Microsoft at this point. There's a reason that the phrase 'Never touch a running system' existed. I DESPISE UI changes I never asked for and are thrusted on me without any say in the matter.

The gear at the bottom of the sidebar also lets you disable it completely, and it does not reactivate after an update.
 
If its behavior doesn't change from the way it's acting now - NO

If it behaves like it did in Sequoia - YES

Lou
 
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