Dec 17, 2007
Mozilla Labs has released an extension originally authored by Chris Beard that allows for very simple browser customization. Namely, it allows you to choose from different styles to apply to your browser, which essentially replaces the chrome background. It also works in all themes, or should. See below for example.
click to expand
But don’t take my word for it, for I am a terrible screenshotter, here’s one from Chris Beard’s blog:
Why they decided to take this as an official Mozilla Labs is not too clear to me, however they cite the following pillars of the project which is pulled verbatim from their site, viz.:
- themes today are too hard to find, install and use
- graphic designers should be able to style the browser without having to code
- Browsers can be more than just desktop software, they can include online components
- people just want their computer to be a little more fun and personal
All good points, but unless it gains a lot more more options for skinning the theme, it’s not going to be very useful for the end user. In addition, I’m not sure why it’s taken in as a Mozilla Labs project and not stay an extension, but guessed it was due to the developer of the app being an employee of Mozilla.
Edit: Looks like one interesting piece is that the active persona can be changed through the DOM via Javascript (or at least that’s what it sounds like.) Also interesting is
I can also imagine that we could use this to build some sort of badge or icon art that people could put on their blogs or Web pages that indicates their current Persona, and if people click on it they can switch to it.
Dec 9, 2007
Recently, Facebook released a new photo browser that doesn’t require loading and refreshing of a page to go to the next image. (Go to any photo page to try this out.) It’s essentially powered by ajax, almost all of the page, including loading comments (though adding comments is not ajax yet.) It’s somewhat indicative that Facebook isn’t going corporate — yet.
By not loading a new page and replacing current contents of the page using ajax improves user experience. However, with the percentage of pages that are just interacting with photos, Facebook is losing a large amount of ad impressions and thus losing revenue while making ux more enjoyable.
This is similar to Google’s refusal to remove the I’m Feeling Lucky button, which by itself costs Google $110 million a year (listen).
SERGEY BRIN:The reason it’s called “I’m Feeling Lucky,” is of course that’s a pretty damn ambitious goal. I mean to get the exact right one thing without even giving you a list of choices, and so you have to feel a little bit lucky if you’re going to try that with one go.
TOM CHAVEZ: Basically you have $110 million of revenue loss per year associated with that button.
MARISA MAYER: You know Larry and Sergey had the view, and I certainly share it, that it’s possible just to become too dry, too corporate, too much about making money. And you know what I think is really delightful about Google and about the “I’m Feeling Lucky,” is that they remind you that the people here have personality and that they have interests and that there is real people.
Dec 7, 2007
Join us for the Facebook Developer Garage Boston on January 17, 2008! Discuss the Facebook Platform, web dev, monetization and investing, and more here with other Facebook Developers and enthusiasts. There will be people from Facebook here as well.
If you’re a regular to the Facebook Developer Boston events, you’ll know that this is the fourth Facebook event in Boston, and there hasn’t been one in a few months. Let’s make this the best Facebook Developer event yet!
A big thanks to our sponsors, Molecular and Facebook.
Molecular is setting up at the Facebook Developer Garage as one of the meetings of a course for a web development competition at MIT. They are taking suggestions for relevant courses for the beginning stages of Facebook development at the event.
The event will be crowdsourced; your suggestions and presentations will go into the event. Let us know of any suggestions you want, or presentations you want to make. Email fbgarage[at]boston.avecora.com.
The event will be free and open to the public. See the event page and RSVP on Facebook, Going, or Upcoming. Event venue TBD - will announce on the main event page.
