05/07/2003 Archived Entry: "Big Red Dinosaur"

So I've started using Mozilla as my primary browser. Apart from rebellious feelings of rebellion at not using the Browser of Evil (never mind the fact that I'm still using the Operating System of Evil), there really hasn't been too much of an improvement. Still, it's the thought that counts.

Tabbed browsing zealots would have you believe that tabbed browsing is cooler than a Lion Voltron/Spaceship Voltron crossover episode, but do not believe their lies. Tabbed browsing is neat and all, but speaking as someone who basically opens every new link in a new window anyway, it's not the end-all-be-all of my existence. It makes for a more organized browsing experience, but I still get annoyed when I shift-click on something and instead of opening it a new window, Mozilla pops up the "Save as..." dialog box.

I am annoyed that the switch tab keyboard shortcuts are on the other bloody side of the keyboard from where my left hand usually rests. I can alt-tab, ctrl-tab, and cut/copy/paste without really moving my left hand, but having to swing it all the way the hell over the keyboard to ctrl-pgup and ctrl-pgdn is a ctrl-painintheass. I end up clicking on the tabs to navigate, and that's very non-1337. The fact that the tabs to not behave like windows in their focus-order (i.e., closing one tab brings the tab immediately below it into view, instead of the last-clicked tab) wouldn't be so bad if there were a way to rearrange the tabs, but there's not. Feh.

Mouse gestures are bloody useless. It's nearly impossible to execute them with enough speed to compete with a quick keyboard shortcut. I can smack "backspace" quicker than I can mouse-gesture the "back" motion. I can even drag my left hand the hell across the keyboard and ctrl-pgup/dn faster than I can switch tabs with mouse gestures.

Perhaps my problem is that I've become so close to the human interface guidelines violations of Windows that I depend on those violations. In any case, Mozilla is an annoying adjustment.

I am going to James Coney Island for lunch. My intestines are already trembling in fear.

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