
Firefox To Drop http:// and Single Trailing Slashes In The Address Bar - twapi
http://browserfame.com/41/firefox-hide-http-address-bar
======
gnoupi
"The basic purpose of hiding the common prefix, <http://>, is to make URLs
more visible. This will also help users to easily identify the website they
are dealing with. Although, the URL prefix for encrypted pages (<https://>)
will be displayed as usual to avoid confusion."

How is showing the prefix in one case and not the other avoiding confusion?

If they want to get rid of it, they should get rid of it fully, like the
others, and use a recognizable icon for the modes, but not show it and hid it
depending on the case. That's the base of confusion, no?

~~~
rorrr
Chrome works that way, shows <https://>, hides <http://>. It's absolutely
fine. The less stuff you have to look at, the more efficient you are.

~~~
gnoupi
Ok, but why would you have to see https, then? Wouldn't a lock icon be enough?

If the idea is to drop the prefix because it's redundant and useless to most,
then it's same for https. All what matters to the end user is that he is on a
secure connection, I think.

~~~
landhar
If I had to guess, I would say that the idea behind this is to force the
clueless user that doesn't know anything about the internet to write the
<https://> when he is given a link that starts that way. Since there is no
guaranty whatsoever that a website will redirect you to a secure connection
without the user asking for it.

I'm not saying it makes perfect sense, just that I wouldn't be surprised if
that's the idea behind it.

------
jesstaa
Chrome did this and it's problematic. When a user copies a url they are either
required to add the <http://> themselves, or firefox could do what chrome did
and automatically add the <http://> to the url when you copy it. This is a
problem if you just want to copy the domain name and now you have to remove
the added <http://>

There is no advantage to this kind of change.

~~~
Tichy
I haven't typed the <http://> in Firefox for ages, seems they already add it
automatically.

~~~
Despite
He's talking about when you select the URL to copy it to another application,
say an email or instant message. At that time you need the <http://> so the
other app knows it's an URL. Which means you're putting something in the
clipboard which is not visible in the user's selection. Which is weird and
bad.

~~~
Tichy
Most apps seem to recognise URLs without http by now, though.

------
dazzer
Isn't dropping trailing slashes a bit dangerous? They have different semantic
meanings.

~~~
jmathai
Agree. Slashes typically mean a directory separator but they're really a
character like any other. Having separate pages at /foo and /foo/ is
completely legitimate.

Sometimes it seems like we're desperate for innovation. Someone remind me why
are we tampering with how the urls are displayed. Is there some major benefit
I'm missing out on and why is this type of thing "news"?

~~~
patio11
_Someone remind me why are we tampering with how the urls are displayed. Is
there some major benefit I'm missing out on and why is this type of thing
"news"?_

1) Normal users do not understand URLs, at all.

2) It is in Google's direct financial interest to extend overwhelming control
of navigation on the Internet into complete domination, by discouraging
navigation by end users and teaching them that the right way to navigate is to
use AOL Keywords 2.0 at their friendly local multinational advertising
company.

Why would Firefox do this? I don't know. Maybe they have Chrome envy.

Want a conspiracy theory? Firefox receives essentially 100% of their funding
-- to the tune of over a hundred million bucks -- from Google kicking back
advertising revenue in return for being the default search engine in FF. If a
for-profit corporation made a decision in the interests of their sole client
whose happiness was worth 9 figures a year, what would you conclude about the
motivation for that decision?

~~~
pasbesoin
I believe point 2) has not been emphasized enough.

------
ams6110
Why show the address bar at all? Most users don't care about URLs, and they
don't type them in, they have google as their home page and they navigate the
internet via searches.

------
pasbesoin
I wrote a longer response, but I'll summarize it to "this blows".

