Give us the option to use the redesigned 3 dot menu and tab viewer or the old configuration.

[Crusader_Nejaa]

It's not secret that many people dislike the new changes to the menu and tabs viewer, further there are people who will not be able to use it or severely struggle to use it. By allowing us the option of which we use and see it will allow users to continue using our favorite and preferred android web browser as well as allow those who prefer the older style of menu and tab organization.

[Crusader_Nejaa]

@firefoxer1 I've been using Brave. It doesn't have the list view I like so much, but it has ad block baked in

[SophieLaLi]

The last update seems to have shrunken tabs even further towards the top of the screen. I can only use one hand at the moment. It hurts(!) to close the top most tabs. You allow us to have the nav bar at the bottom of the screen. I love this feature. But please be consistent and let us pin the tabs to the bottom, too. Or at list 6 move them back further down like it was before this mess came live.

[Crusader_Nejaa]

This suggestion is in the monthly recap. Please, anyone and everyone who has commented and upvoted this idea, go leave a comment on the monthly thread letting them know we still want the old tab viewer and 3 dot menu back as an option!

Thread here:

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/mozilla-connect-monthly-recap-top-voted-ideas-for-may-202...

[nellieblue]

I agree 100%, give us the old menu back and if you like you can provide a way to use the old menu and your new one no one likes the new one very few people it's too clumsy and awkward to use takes too much time nothing's in reach like it used to be. I have personally downgraded to an older version of Firefox just for this reason but will eventually have to find another browser because the older version will eventually become incompatible with too many things to be able to continue to use it and I absolutely refuse to use your new worthless menu design. 

[Wackygoose]

Michael Jackson - They don't really care about us

[nellieblue]

I would tend to agree because everything I've heard says the current development team has a history of ignoring users of Firefox and their complaints or suggestions. Their way of thinking is that everybody will eventually give in and switch to the new format. I downgraded to and earlier level of Firefox where I still had what we want but I am starting to get incompatibility messages and I'll probably have to go to the most recent version of Firefox until I decide what other browser I'm going to switch to at this point it's likely to be Chrome which I really don't like but it seems ice raven and others cited are still built on same underlying problematical Firefox structure... .

[breakingspell]

@Jon or any other admin, staffer, ANYONE with authority to help out:
What threshold does a Trending idea require on The Idea Journey in order to transition it forward? This needs to start moving sooner than later, before developers continue to remove code upstream. 

This "idea" is the focus of community voice on this regressed UI, but also take note of these related "discussion" threads asking for the same. If this does not constitute a trending issue, I don't know what does:

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/firefox-for-android-ux-ergonomics-move-navigation-controls-to/i...

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/new-ui-on-android-is-awful-please-give-us-an-option-to/m-... 

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/some-hopefully-helpful-perspectives-on-problems-with-the-...

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/please-revert-the-android-ui-changes/td-p/118562

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/please-add-an-option-on-android-to-switch-back-to-the-old...

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/new-android-ui/td-p/118874

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/android-tab-menu-is-no-longer-usable-one-handed/m-p/12072...

[alex_ff]

Has anyone actually been able to find the commit that removed the old UI?

Perhaps it's not that bad in terms of reverting it. Likely they changed tons of files but hey, until that cursed commit FF supported _both_ UIs, i.e. they could coexist together.

[nellieblue]

I know about that but because everything I've heard says the current development team has a history of ignoring users of Firefox and their complaints or suggestions. Their way of thinking is that everybody will eventually give in and switch to the new format. I downgraded to and earlier level of Firefox where I still had what we want but I am starting to get incompatibility messages and I'll probably have to go to the most recent version of Firefox until I decide what other browser I'm going to switch to at this point it's likely to be Chrome which I really don't like but it seems ice raven and others cited are still built on same underlying problematical Firefox structure... .

[breakingspell]

Has anyone actually been able to find the commit that removed the old UI? Perhaps it's not that bad in terms of reverting it.

---

It's pretty bad. I tried porting the old Tabs drawer forward to v150 as a Customization option, and spent hours compiling to no avail.

The tabs code was removed in a single large commit, but many things have changed since and it's not a clean restore beyond v149: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1975314 - https://phabricator.services.mozilla.com/D279948 

Further, the 3-dot menu and composable toolbar are linked, and their cleanup steps are spread across multiple commits and goals. I believe the menu code is already removed, but can't find the ticket right away. The old toolbar code is planned to be removed across https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2015402 - https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1984988 - https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1959067 

I hope this helps. Unfortunately I noticed on the new roadmap: the Nova redesign is marked for Android: https://www.firefox.com/en-US/whatsnext/. I fear this means we are stuck with this fundamentally broken design going forward.

[firefoxer1]

Wow, their description of Nova includes this gem:

> Firefox has long been the most customizable browser. It’s in our open source DNA. Now we’re adding more ways to make Firefox feel like yours, including new themes and wallpapers. And we’re exploring more customization over time, like controls for the shape of the interface — tabs, components, and related visual treatments. 

Meanwhile they're actively removing interface customization options, and ignoring requests to bring them back.

[breakingspell]

I found out today that we can build the ESR version of the Android app from source just fine (v140.12.0 current). ESR releases simply aren't provided for Android officially, but there's nothing stopping us from building and running it on the side. 

So far the only feature that I've noticed missing from v140-v148 is the tablet-centric top-only Tab Bar. This may be the only secure route forward for both Mobile and Desktop, considering Nova will steamroll both into their Fisher-Price design. 

[alex_ff]

@breakingspell Nice find!

I will setup a VM with Android Studio and other dependencies, hopefully Mozilla didn't complicate the Firefox build process too much.

At least we'll have some time to use a fully-patched Firefox with sane UI while figuring out a proper solution - perhaps elements resize/reorder-like patches on top of the new UI might be an easier way than reverting everything back.

[breakingspell]

@alex_ff Give it a shot! I used a Debian container for the build, no dependency issues (Mozilla source CI pulls Android Studio and NDK locally during bootstrap). 

Essentially it's these docs in order, checking out branch FIREFOX_140_12_0esr_RELEASE before building:

https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/setup/index.html#for-firefox-desktop (set up for all builds, desktop + mobile)

https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/mobile/android/index.html (bootstrap for Android, add arm/arm64 target to mozconfig, build). 

https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/mobile/android/fenix.html (build+package Fenix apk)

In all, once the main repository is set up:

git checkout FIREFOX_140_12_0esr_RELEASE
./mach bootstrap   (walk through the wizard and make sure to apply recommended git/shell changes)
vim mozconfig      (add aarch64 or armv7 target)
./mach build && ./mach gradle fenix:assembleDebug

Building a release apk with fenix:assembleRelease requires removing all existing Mozilla apps due to the signing keys differing, but Debug is perfectly fine for testing and can be installed alongside existing apps.