Does anyone other than me hate tabbed browsing?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against the idea of tabbed browsing. If you use it, that’s fine. That’s why this is in IHMO rather than the Pit; I’m not condemning tabbed browsing. Personally, though, I’m not too big on it, and it seems I’m in the significant minority.

Why don’t I like it, you say? Glad you asked. First of all, I’m used to managing seperate screens via the taskbar. Every program in the entire world works this way…except, it seems, for newfangled internet browsers. Why would I want to open a link in a new tab, and have to manage it at the top of my screen (not even the top, actually; you have to aim the mouse at the little tab in the top-middle), when I could just open it in a new window, like every other program I’ve ever used and ever will use? I realize that the above discrepancy would probably take a couple weeks, tops, to get used to if I decided to be diligent about using tabs. But why would I want to recondition myself to use a system that is only utilized on one application out of the 300+ on my computer, when I could just use the same system I use for the others (and, I might add, that’s been working fine for me my entire life) for my browser?

On a similar note, tabs do not respond to the keyboard controls I’m accustomed to using for window management. If I want my current window to go away but remain open, I hit Alt+Space->N (which I can do in the space of a split second; it’s second nature), and it minimizes. Using tabbed browsing, this causes my sole browser window to minimize along with all its various tabs (many times have I done this out of reflex, stared at my desktop for a moment in confusion, said "aw, @#$%!%^, and re-maximized my broswer). Now, I have to hit Alt+Tab to accomplish the aforementioned objective, which I hate, because I want Alt+Tab to cycle through my non-browser windows as I often run Firefox in conjuction with Studio.NET. My only alternative is to use the mouse, which I hate, because like most programmers and/or proficient typists, I prefer to keep my hands on the keyboard if at all possible.

You may also ask why I use Firefox if I don’t like tabbed browsing. Actually, you might not ask, since the answer is somewhat obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: IE sucks and is full of holes, ditto Netscape (though not quite as badly), and Firefox has features other independent browsers lack (such as an email client and user support) that I find useful. Truth be told, though, I wouldn’t have upgraded from the earlier Mozilla incarnation had I known they would replace the “Open In New Window” scroll-wheel click with “Open In New Tab”. Farging bastiges. :mad:

So, is it really just me? Is there anyone else in Doperland who’d rather just deal with windows than have to muck around with tabs? There has to be someone out there…

2

You’re not alone. I, too, use Mozilla Firefox now for many of the same reasons, but I eschew the tabbed browsing capability as well. I’m used to managing multiple separate windows, and I like it that way, dagnabbit!

3

I have barely used Firefox since I installed it, since I keep forgetting I have it. I finally had to move the shortcut to the other side of the screen. Anyway, I do not like tabbed browsing. I’m quite used to managing windows, and the tabs at the top of the window are not pleasing. I will use Firefox, I will. It’s just difficult to change one’s habits.

4

I felt this way for a long time, but I’m finally getting used to it. Now, when I have to use IE, I keep trying to open things in a new tab. :rolleyes: Once you get used to it, tabbed browsing is ever so slightly more convenient and flexible than window browsing, but not enough to justify the learning curve, I think. On the other hand, I hear there’s an extention you can download that lets you move tabs around and reload them after a crash (or after you accidentally close the window instead of the ^$%&!@# tab!). All that makes tabbed browsing that much more attractive, but then it’s that many more controls to get used to! Right now, I’d be happy just to have the current url show up in a new window or tab like it did on IE. That and the auto-fill feature on my Google toolbar.

<sigh> Do I sound like an old man yet?

5

You don’t like tabbed browsing?? Roland, I’m afraid I hate you now.

Terribly sorry.

6

:: opens thread in new tab ::

I like it because I’d have too many separate windows otherwise. I often have a dozen browser windows open.

7

Eh, that’s okay. I can do without the respect of a guy who easts pee-soaked sandwiches :stuck_out_tongue:

I keed, I keed! Well, not about the sandwich part.

8

Me too. I much prefer having one or two dozen tabs open instead of one or two dozen windows. Too distracting otherwise.

And it makes browsing the SDMB so much easier too.

9

Tabbed browsing reeks. What vanity, to assume your program is above obvious, time-tested window changing standards.

10

I normally have 50-100 web pages open at once, about 10 tabs in 5-10 windows. Tabs are a godsend for the heavy duty web user. I can’t imagine what the task bar would look like if I had 89 pages (like I do right now) open all at once.

11

Wow. The most I’ve ever had was ten, and that actually counted two messaging windows as well.

12

What the hell!? The most I’ve ever had was around thirty and that was a bunch of threads from the SDMB because it was about to go down for its nightly maintenance and I wanted something to read during that time.

How can you have 89 windows open? Damn.

13

There is a man dedicated to his pr0n. A round of applause, please. :slight_smile:

14

Well, its more like a dozen threads open here at the SD, 10 or so at Slashdot, another 10 at some other forum, I can open all the webcomics I browse daily at once, and so on. That and I have a habit of leaving threads open that look interesting for a while - much easier than bookmarking them.

15

I wish I could use it on my other applications! Tabbed Excel spreadsheets would make my life so much nicer …

16

Hey, like I said, I’m sure tabbed browsing has its applications; otherwise there wouldn’t be much reason to have created them in the first place. Given your web-use habits, I can see where it’s quite a boon for you, and I’m glad you have it. I’d say, though, that your situation is not the average user’s. I don’t know anybody who opens more than a dozen windows at once, tops…except for me, who sometimes opens 30 or so SDMB threads simultaneously, but they fit quite nicely on two taskbar levels (if you open more than a dozen or so windows, the taskbar gains multiple pages and up/down buttons). I just don’t like having to manage tabs, when the window management system is so ingrained into my mind.

Bill H.: What? You’re obviously attempting to be ironic, but you’ve essentially restated my personal point of view (and Q.E.D’s, and Harimad-Sol’s, and a part of Alan Smithee’s, etc.) except with a high-handedness that was lacking in any of our statements…least of all the OP, the first few sentences of which should’ve told you exactly that. So, what was your point, again?

17

Mine too, especially before I added all that RAM :wink:

18

It took me a couple of days to get used to tabbed browsing, but then I found I was addicted to it. From time to time I have to use IE, and then I really miss my tabs. It’s like when I went from a regular two button mouse to a mouse with a scroll wheel… took a couple of days to get the hang of it, but then I was hooked and now I can hardly function without it.

Those darn innovators need to be taught their place! We don’t need improvements! Actually, I find your post kind of strange considering Firefox offers both “Open In A New Window” and “Open In A New Tab”. It’s hardly arrogant to offer your own interpretation AND the generally accepted standard.

19

I find Firefox to be very limited in its adaptability. I can’t see why people sing its praises so much just for the tabs, though I admit I gave up on it pretty quickly.

I use Maxthon, which is a clone of IE except for a few extra features (like tabs) which is much more adaptable, so I can have it look just like IE if I want to.

20

I love 'em. It means I know immediately where I opened a link from. And when I’m done, I can shut em all down at once.