Are Browsers Conforming?

With the screen shots of Firefox 4 out, and the change in look of the modern browsers have we been seeing more and more similarities between the browsers we're using?

I've noticed a few things Safari included in their new browser that were very Chrome like, and now we're seeing in the new Firefox the tab bar being placed at the top, is nothing sacred?

Comments below thanks, please don't turn this into reasons for attacking other browsers please, that would be very arbitrary.

Tags: browsers, chrome, conforming, firefox, safari

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by medinamatt on July 28, 2009 at 5:42am: in firefox 4 the tabs can be on the top or the bottom, depending on your preferences; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by medinamatt on July 28, 2009 at 5:54am: i dont think anything is sacred anymore, but if IE copies chrome interface, all hell will break loose; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Matthew on July 29, 2009 at 3:01am: Exactly, I agree 100%; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by franklin on August 5, 2009 at 7:25pm: suing galore?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Phill on July 28, 2009 at 6:10am: Good observation, I've also seen it ever since Safari 4 or whatever came out. Well, I guess we'll be seeing this forever: Firefox starts tabs (or whoever did) and now it's a must in every browser, even internet explorer. I guess soon transparency, themes and add ons will be a must in every browser, and the circle of browsers taking features continues. I guess the developers maybe (just a possibility) see that they're better off just adapting a nice feature so it's a plus for their browser, and there's nothing in the way of them doing so: if IE can do tabs, then I guess Firefox can do Chrome's features...as long as it doesn't make the whole browser look and feel like Chrome (for example). Then it's just worrying.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tyler Brown on July 29, 2009 at 7:53am: Well actually, due to Opera's interface of having multiple windows contained in one window, it was the first one to have tabs. Although thats besides the point, Mozilla did make them popular (since they were the ones primarily taking the market share.)

Actually, in reality its kind of sad Mozilla is doing anything at this point to have any integration with Aero. For the past year I'd had to use an extension to get the proper aero support. IE naturally was the first one out of the door for proper transparency/Aero support in Vista/7, then Firefox 3 w/ an extension, then Chrome officially.

Honestly though, I hope Mozilla doesn't try to go ahead and imitate the Chrome interface, although I love it, I'd like to see something unique, and maybe at least good Aero integration.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Britto Sam Arthur on July 29, 2009 at 2:47pm: Ah but Opera came along when mIRC was the most popular app of the day and guess what... it had tabs! If I remember right, Opera's tab at first used to be at the bottom exactly like mIRC's. So maybe just like Xerox is forgotten and Apple is remembered as the first GUI based system, Opera's tabs were inspired by mIRC.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ken on July 28, 2009 at 7:47am: I dislike the looks and layouts of:

Safari 4
Google Chrome
Firefox 4

That only leaves me with:

IE8 (no way am I using that)
Opera; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Christina Chaccour on July 29, 2009 at 5:12am: Well I didn't upgrade to firefox 4 yet I am using the older version
But yes u're right safari and Google Chrome are copying each other the new version of Safari has copied the top websites form google(it's when u start a new tab google chrome have given u the most visited websites also safari did it but only changed the name to top sites)
I really don't like firefox! that's why I didn't upgrade it ! But I use it a little
I also think that mos of web browsers have copied everything from each other except the look of the browser and the way u download stuff using it!
I really prefer Internet Explorer for downloads!
and I really think is the best web browser cz it transmit to u everything from the site not like firefox
Firefox take a while to show u motion pictures also google chrome is a little slow for transmitting u the photo
I really use and Like all the web browsers but Firefox is the one that I don't use it a lot ! but I download everything on my PC
cz I am a geek! and I got to try the thing and to give after that my review on it
Safari & Chrome are nowadays totally alike but Chrome is little much faster transmitting the page safari is faster in downloads!

I've recently am using a little Maxthon 2.0 It's great it has a special toolbar for facebook when u log in just one time it will give u all the birthdays the messages that have been sent u the notifictions also I think and a lot of stuff ! and It's good !
I've never tried Opera yet am gonna download it soon cz here in Lebanon no one has heard of it!

However I think that Google Chrome and Safari are the most web browsers that are copying each other I'll give u my review when I upgrade to firefox 4!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tyler Brown on July 29, 2009 at 7:59am: I myself use Chrome on Windows, Safari on OS X, and Firefox on Linux (until Chrome is release,) the one thing Google took from Safari upon its release was its rendering engine, Webkit, which is purely amazing! Best choice for speed, standards support, and web-apps.

I've never liked Maxthon - the interface felt kinda cluttered last time I've used it, themes aren't exactly 100% great, no version for my favorite OS, and it only supports the Trident rendering engine (The biggest turn-off there.); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robert on July 29, 2009 at 5:29am: I thought I was the only one who noticed this. And I don't like it. Every browser used to be original, but now even IE8 is just like Chrome. If you ask me, Chrome is by far the most original when it comes to features, design, and not to mention coding.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by frederik on July 29, 2009 at 6:49am: I really think there are more and more similarities. Not only in look, but also in features. I mean, of course browsers are all meant to do the same so, that's what happens. someone creates a new feature, and as soon as the feature sin't patented anymore, all browsers start to implement it. But the thing that makes firefox the best is it's customisability.; ▶ Reply to This