I started using the new Firefox browser and it’s oddly delightful | ZDNet

My usual response is: “Yeah, yeah. This is going to be soooo exciting.”

Somehow, browsers seemed largely their same dull selves until Microsoft Edge came along.

Yes, its creators decided that the best way to impress you was to get on your nerves, but at least it had twisted Chromium into something that felt vaguely new and speedy.

This week, along came Firefox to nudge me into upgrading to its latest version, Firefox 89.

I can’t pretend my enthusiasm was high, despite the fact that I’ve been a committed Firefox user for a very long time.

It’s not as if I find Firefox excessively pleasing in terms of aesthetics or anything functional really.

I merely want to support businesses that still have a vestige of heart and soul. I want to support businesses that appreciate privacy may have some role to play in maintaining other people’s heart and soul.

Dutifully, I made the change without excessive pondering. It was likely to look the same, wasn’t it? I’ve installed all the updates — have there really been 89? — without really noticing much difference at all.

I was having a busy day and suddenly realized I had nine tabs open. As I moved to close one or two, I realized that something was missing.

Please don’t ask me what that something was, because, — I suspect like many other people — I tolerate things about technology that I don’t like, but can’t be bothered to do anything about. Was this stuff icons? Was it bookmarks? It was certainly more elements.

Yet now, that stuff below the browser window was suddenly gone. All I could see were pleasantly floaty rounded tabs — which felt bigger and clearer — and nothing else. There was simply more clean space.

It’s not a revolution, of course. And I wouldn’t dream of suggesting that you should immediately toss your Chromic or Edgy tendencies to the wind. (You’re likely far too long gone for that.)

Also: Dumping Google Chrome in 3 steps

But when a well-meaning company bothers to make the connection between your eyes, your brain and your feelings a little more pleasant, I want to give it a hug.

Yes, I know that Firefox’s market share is a mere 3.4%. I know I’m something of a lonely man, meandering through the streets, muttering existential thoughts.

But a tech company did something aesthetically pleasing and spiritually soothing, so hosannas to that.