I love tabs because I can keep a session going indefinitely with Firefox—that is, I can keep the same group of tabs open across browser shutdowns, because I’ve configured Firefox to restore the session when it opens again. This used to require a plugin, but now it’s built into the browser (since version 2.0, I think). It would be impossible for me to (reliably) do the same thing with windows.
What’s more, I like using multiple desktops with one maximized window per desktop. Tabs allow me to multiplex the browser while keeping to my preferred window management style.
No it’s not true. In Firefox and IE, at least, you can have multiple windows under the same instance of the browser. It’s up to the application, I guess.
Anyway, I think tabs just address limitations of the taskbar. If someone could design a workable hierarchical taskbar it would obviate the need for tabs.
I can understand the appeal of tabs in some circumstances, but I don’t like them much. I’ll do the same thing as others in this thread - go down a forum listing and open each thread that looks interesting. But I’ll do it in a new window each time.
I usually have anywhere from ten to twenty windows open. I find that the taskbar and ALT+TAB work fine to switch between them. If I had many pages open in tabs instead of windows, then I’d still have to ALT+TAB or use the mouse on the taskbar to select Firefox from among the other programs I’m running, and then use CTRL+TAB or the mouse at the top of the screen where the tabs are to select the specific page I want. The way I tend to browse the web, that’s just more work.
Then again, I still don’t see the point of “blogs” or 99% of the use of cell phones. I’m obviously not typical when it comes to tech trends.
When I have enough tabs up that the title on each is obscured like that, I just rapidly click on them one after the other to find one I’m looking for. Or, if you click on the tab portion of the tab you’re looking at, you can then use the left and right arrow keys to flip through them. (Or, of course, you can use the little down arrow tab on the very right of the tab bar to bring up a list of all the tabs you have open and navigate easily from there if you’re looking for one in particular.)
I don’t get it either. I’ve tried to use it and see the greatness of it, but I just can’t. It’s not a question of not browsing many sites at the same time either; right now I have seven Epiphany windows open, and that’s after closing about ten of them that I was done with but had left open for some reason. It’s just one of those things, I guess.
The best thing about it, to me, is that when I turn on the browser I can open up the same five websites I’m always in, automatically.
The worst thing about it, to me, is that IE sometimes futzes and my computer moves VERY slowly. I think it’s running three copies of IE or something, though it doesn’t show up that way in my task mgr.
I wish every program had tabs! I’d love to be able to open more than one Excel or Word or AutoCAD file and be able to switch between them with tabs. Excel has the pages tabs inside a given file, but for two files at once, you have to either deal with your start bar or the windows menu inside the application.
I’m also a big fan of multiple desktops. I have 4, and I regularly use at least 2, with more in use depending on my current workload. I love that I can have a version of Firefox or Windows Explorer or anything at all, really, open on any given desktop, and they won’t interfere with the ones on the other ones. It’s like being able to pile all the “fun” stuff in one corner, all the “autocad and design class project” programs in another, “computer class/programming” in the third… actually I rarely get to the 4th one.
Between tabs and multiple desktops, everything is just nicely organized for me.
I use tabbed browsing at work to keep all our web-based tools sorted - one window for customer databases (3), one window for ticket queues (1- 5), one window for provisioning databases (5), and one window for miscellaneous junk.
For me having the little ‘x’ visible when the focus isn’t on that tab is very useful. I sometimes leave tabs open and never get back to them. Without that, I seem to recall having to load the window to close it, which can be aggravating when you’re browsing between pulls in Black Temple and trying to get back before the raid leader realises you’re gone.
I honestly can’t really pinpoint what I like about tabbed browsing–I just know that I do.
I first tried Firefox just because you could open a link in another tab just by middle-clicking which was more convenient than IE at the time. IE didn’t have tabs and to get a new window you had to click on the link while pressing alt.
But since then what’s sold me is the customizing. IE is clunky by comparison. I can’t imagine going back.
See, here’s the thing. Properly used, tabbed browsing can be just as functional as using several windows and using the start bar like a “tab,” but here’s the thing – this way is NEW, NEW, NEW!
I didn’t see much advantage at first. But after trying it, I found it much easier to deal with. You can keep multiple pages open without cluttering your taskbar, which is a real advantage.
You can also move the tabs around as necessary (the biggest drawback to the taskbar – generally an excellent system – is that the buttons can’t be rearranged).
It lets you separate your web browsing from other work, and it’s a much easier way to shut down your browsing – you don’t have to click on each window to close it.
Look, a lot of people have come in here and described in detail their browser/computer habits in an attempt to help explain why they prefer one way over the other. For you to come in and then say that those of us who prefer using tabs are just entranced by the shiny newness of it is pretty dismissive. I don’t use tabs because they’re new (and they’re really not that new, frankly), I use them because they work better for me. Is that really too hard to understand?
Yeah, you can use either one to create similar set ups. I simply find it easier to use tabs. Your mileage may vary. Duh.
Horses for courses, I guess. I use tabs when I have to (IETab, for example), but prefer not to (that’s part - not a big part - of the reason IE7 wasn’t a hit with me - I already knew about tabs from Firefox, and didn’t care).
It’s a bit like email folders, I think - some people can’t stand to be disorganised and move all their incoming and outgoing emails to different subfolders of the inbox and sent items (some of my colleagues do this manually, and it takes up a lot of their time). I just never saw the point - when I want to find something, I’ll search for it.