I use it all the time and have for years. Just seems like a weird feature to lock behind about.config and say it’s not supported while they still support things like Pocket.

  • Simon Müller@sopuli.xyz
    301·
    13 days ago

    It is essentially just extra maintenance of a feature in Firefox that (statistically) not many people use

    As such, it’s marked as “unsupported” to make clear that if any issues arise, Mozilla won’t help you with those issues.

    • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net
      262·
      13 days ago

      Not many people use it because it is hidden away and not default.

      Firefox in compact mode is about as compact as Chromium, so no issue here.

        • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net
          5·
          12 days ago

          True, a lot of things are too inaccessible so that people even think they dont exist. Like the task manager or profiles.

        • adarza@lemmy.caEnglish
          5·
          13 days ago

          it used to be visible as an option in ‘customize toolbar’. it was deprecated and deemed ‘unsupported’ way back around v89, but at least they kept it available as a ‘hidden’ setting.

          i use it on every pc i have firefox installed on (which is, well, all of them that aren’t ‘terminal only’).

          • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
            2·
            13 days ago

            Yeah, I remember it being there too. I really can’t stand the default UI of any browser, everything is just so… big and bright. I use dark theme and compact mode where possible.

      • Simon Müller@sopuli.xyz
        41·
        12 days ago

        It’s hidden away behind a flag now because it hasn’t been actively used for years on end.

        Not the other way around.

        • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net
          4·
          12 days ago

          Hm, yes but active usage doesnt mean it was not used?

          I never thought of doing that and for sure didnt see that button in the bottom left.

          Thats like removing profiles because nobody used them, while they are hidden away behind an about:. The solution is add a button, see if it is used and then decide.

          Especially as the compact mode saves a lot of screen space and is likely no maintenance effort at all.

          • Simon Müller@sopuli.xyz
            1·
            11 days ago

            yes but active usage doesnt mean it was not used?

            If their criteria was “at least 1 person uses it at all, sometimes” then it would not have been removed 🤔

            likely no maintenance effort at all.

            The maintenance comes less from the code and more from making sure that every single menu added or changed in any way continues to behave correctly in three different sizes with themes and everything.

            • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net
              1·
              11 days ago

              Firefox extremely reduced theming.

              And as I said, nobody knows this exists because it is not promoted well, and now even hidden.

  • kbal@fedia.io
    212·
    13 days ago

    The people who make it their business to go through Firefox looking for features to remove almost got it, but the public outcry against its complete removal seems to have deterred them for now.

  • grimaferve@fedia.io
    12·
    13 days ago

    I remember when compact was hidden - apparently this was a change driven by telemetry. It was possible that there’s an overlap between those who use compact and those who turned off telemetry. I wouldn’t be surprised if something similar also occurs with Pocket being left on too.

    If compact breaks in a future update, it’ll probably be removed altogether. At that point, best option would be userchrome customisation.

    IIRC, this change was made ahead of the impending UI overhaul. This combined with the Windows 11 getting bigger touch-friendly UI elements understandably didn’t sit well with many people.

  • thingsiplay@beehaw.org
    6·
    13 days ago

    Try following:

    • Find the directory of your Firefox profile folder in the filesystem.
    • In there, create a directory “chrome”, if its not already.
    • In that “chrome” directory, create a file “userChrome.css”, if its not already.
    • Add following code to the “userChrome.css” file:
    .tabbrowser-tab {
  max-height: var(--tab-min-height) !important;
}
    • Restart Firefox and look if its better for you.
  • Hal-5700X@sh.itjust.works
    6·
    12 days ago

    It may break a future update…maybe 🤷‍♂️

    In about:config look up userChrome.CompactContextMenu-Enabled and set it to true to enable the setting. When enable Compact (not supported) under Density option in Customize Toolbar panel.

  • YⓄ乙 @aussie.zoneEnglish
    3·
    12 days ago

    They should def. get rid of the start up animation . wasting my 3 microsecond is not cool

    • Ephera@lemmy.ml
      8·
      13 days ago

      In about:config, you can set the flag browser.compactmode.show to true.

      Then if you right-click on the toolbar and select “Customize Toolbar…”, there’s a dropdown “Density”, which now contains an entry “Compact (not supported)”.

      This compact mode was part of the previous Firefox design (Photon) and was declared unsupported with the latest redesign (Acorn), presumably because one central design element of Acorn is the tall tabs, which can show text hints under the tab title, like “PLAYING” to indicate that this tab is playing audio, or “MUTE TAB” if you then hover over the favicon/speaker icon.

      • thingsiplay@beehaw.org
        3·
        13 days ago

        Oh that thing. Yeah I had set the compact mode though other ways, with the “userChrome.css” file, where I have better control with more possibilities. I was just not sure what he was referring to, as the opposing example with “Pocket” confused me. (Also tagging @boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net for the reply, so I don’t need to spam for every reply. Hope that’s the correct approach.)

    • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net
      4·
      13 days ago

      Search for “compact” in about:config

      Then on the “edit toolbar” page, bottom left, a new “UI density” appears and you can choose it.

  • Ephera@lemmy.ml
    44·
    13 days ago

    Because it involves maintenance work and does not necessarily generate income…?

    • thingsiplay@beehaw.org
      8·
      13 days ago

      So does almost any other feature. How is a feature generate income? I mean we could strip out almost any feature with that argument.

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
        3·
        13 days ago

        Well, they referenced Pocket. That is a service Mozilla operates to diversify their income.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
      4·
      13 days ago

      Firefox doesn’t generate income, except maybe the Pocket feature. It really shouldn’t need that much maintenance, just check it before doing big UI redesigns. Most releases probably don’t impact it.

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
        1·
        12 days ago

        Well, arguably it is broken since the last redesign. You need non-compact tabs to fit additional tab infos in there, e.g. that a tab is playing audio or using your camera.

          • Ephera@lemmy.ml
            2·
            12 days ago

            Hmm, for audio playing, they do then show a speaker icon in place of the favicon, if that’s what you’re seeing. In the non-compact tabs, it also says “PLAYING” underneath the tab title, though. And I believe, it also shows a similar text for when the microphone or camera is in use, and they don’t have icons for those…