I don’t really like the idea of stacking an OS on top of my OS tbh. Can’t we just move back to native apps?
There’s a lot of good reasons. Notably, web apps have better security by running within a browser container. And they run anywhere that has a standards-supporting browser. And most desirable to me, it obviates the need for Electron for many of the apps using it right now.
Oh, and most importantly for mobile, they are more privacy respecting than running e.g. the actual Facebook app.
So - they added what a single .desktop file can do, but didn’t make it so the tabbar can be hidden (without botchy CSS).
It’s not even finished yet, who knows what will happen to the tab bar.
Edit: in fact, looks like they explicitly said that it wouldn’t be included.
Well, they explicitly stated they want it to feel like FF, including the tabbar.
Where does it say “including the tabbar”? I even see the following in the Connect post:
No tabs or bookmarks bar by default, but these could be enabled in web app preferences
Similarly, Rubino says web apps in Firefox will not use a minimal browser frame and will continue to show a main toolbar with address bar, extensions, bookmarks – though the ‘new tab’ button will be replaced with a button to open a normal Firefox window.
I read that as the tab bar still being there, but no ability to open more tabs.
Well, given that that doesn’t explicitly mention the tab bar, and that my quote does, I think you can still hold out hope that it will not be visible :)
Well, they explicitly stated they want it to feel like FF, including the tabbar.
Aren’t the whole point of PWAs that they feel like a native app, like one that can be installed on your android/desktop?
I hope they include an option to hide the tab bar.
Yes. That’s the main point I’m criticizing.
I don’t catch on fast lol sorry. It’s a very stupid thing tbh, mozilla’s shooting its foot too much these days.
Considering how long web app tools, single-site browsers and PWA integrations have been knocking around, Firefox’s proposed approach reads more like ‘minimum-viable product with minimum of effort’ than an innovative spin on the concept.
I sadly have the same read right now. Will try it when it’s available, but I worry they’re doing this for the “desktop PWA support” ribbon rather than for intentional UX reasons as they claim.
