THE VADER PROJECT
24 Apr
Archive | April, 2009
Yr2000: The Tangerine Pop Browser | Yr2009: Personas on Firefox
14 Apr
The Tangerine POP Browser Circa 2000:
via uppers.org
A few lifetimes ago, when I concerned myself with all things sub-culture (and especially mod sub-culture) related, I used this especially loud and flashy browser skin called Tangerine Pop that ran on NeoPlanet (remember THAT?). According to a respected proto-hipster source of the times, the newsgroup “modslist”, …this is as close as you could get to a 60’s-looking browser. And, full disclaimer, I have to admit I felt a certain level of “hip” using it, however slow it was, at the time.
Well, speed forward through the ridiculous amount of changes that have happened to the web over the last 10 years and here we are back again at – browser skins? I’ve just realized that Firefox has released a new feature set called “Personas”, which are basically extensions of “Themes” which they’ve had for quite a while.
If you’re wondering if these are a bit like the new themes that Google has published for its start pages, they are indeed.
One open source plus side however, is that anyone can submit a new theme to the gallery.
But what I’m wondering, is at this point, on the web, is this really what our browsers need to be doing?
Do I really need or want a skin (or “persona”) with robots, kittens, or nature photos that almost makes the browser interface unusable?
It’s a tough argument, because I know that most users (including my current ones on the site that I work for) absolutely love having themes, and want every rope and pulley be available to customize. The problem is, once you open that door, it’s all downstream from there (at least as far as I can tell).
So – how can you possibly retain design control of your product or site when your users have customized and themed it beyond the point of no return? Should we offer themes or the ability to design your own theme at all?
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