Your suggestion about the Avant interface

[xiaobing]

Notice：
We will make some changes about the old and new interface on the basis of "not lose configurability".
Here are some screenshots about the new interface. If you have any suggestion/question, please reply here.

1 Compact style with tab bar on top:

2 Compact style with tab bar on bottom：

3 Standard style:

4 Compact style of new interface:

5 standard style of new interface:

status bar is still available.
About the "customize buttons", will be the same as the ones in the current new interface.


What do you think about these changes?
if you have any suggestion/question, please reply this post.

[Nederpietos]

It's fine to me, as long everythings works. I'm still using Avant 2012 build 197 because the taskbar still doesn't work correctly in 2013 build 23, using an old skin if full desktop mode.

[brawnymike]

Of the options presented, I like the last two the least due to what appears to be lack of option to move tab bar to bottom or to have menu bar visible. Frankly, I'm only going to like a layout which allows me those two things.

I assume clicking the large "A" icon will present a dropdown version of the menu in two-column format (as it does now in the new 2013 GUI). If that's a good assumption, wouldn't it save more space to allow the user to opt for either/or (either the large "A" icon or a visible menu bar)? I foresee a possible time when I might actually be accustomed to using the large "A" icon (and, by the way, I think that making the icon large & important is a great idea) for the DropDown Menu and, then, I'd want to be able to no longer show the menu bar. All of the foregoing assumes that the two bars-worth of "real estate" to the right of the large "A" icon is fully customizable; that is, that the space opened up by removing the menu bar will become available for placement of some other bar (such as the address bar or search bar).

[mbrazil]

I have things set up so that my Avant window is always sized to 1360 x 1202. The screenshot below shows all of the toolbars I always have displayed, including the tab bar, which currently has four rows due to the number of open tabs. I also always keep the Sidebar open.

Would I be able to exactly duplicate this arrangement including all the buttons in all the toolbars in the new interface in either standard or compact style?

Note that the lowest toolbar in the screenshot (to the right of the toolbar that's part of the Sidebar) is generated by the gecko engine and is actually within the content pane.

Will there be an option to have the Avant button at the upper left be smaller (the same size as the buttons in the toolbars, or must it be as large as it currently is?

[lolo1]

Hi

I suggest the style number 4 ( for the compact style only), because it's look like a chrome skin, i only suggest to add a bookmarks and autofill button and let's the choice to colorize " close, maximize and minimize" tabs button.

We need to have a "compact dream skin" a classic colours too , tabs must have a classic colours too when they are minimized , transparent or colorized tabs are not confortable at all too use , but they are nice , so please do a "classic colours tabs too for the avant minimize skin...

I suggest to create a skin like this :

http://forum.avantbrowser.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32039

http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?i ... 32skin.png

[mbrazil]

Number 3 and number 5 are the only ones I'd consider using, and only if EVERYTHING in them is as (or more) configurable as the classic skins, like Monai XP. With the classic (old) skins, I can have the Tab Bar anywhere I want it at the top or bottom of the screen. If I can't position individual toolbars above and/or below the Tab Bar when it's in the top portion of the window, I'll have to stick with the old skins.

The bottom line is that the new UI must have ALL the options the old skins have, and it shouldn't take up any more space than old skins do with the same toolbars, buttons, etc. displayed. For me, it's not a matter of what it looks like or how pretty it is -- it all comes down to configurability, the amount of the space the toolbars, etc. use, and the ability to decide which toolbars, toolbar buttons, main menu options, etc. are or are not displayed, and where they're displayed. I use Avant mostly for its configurability, extra features, and the three rendering engines. If any of these goes away, or if the configurability or the extra features are reduced, I'll have to find a different browser.

[lolo1]

Hi

I suggest the style number 4 ( for the compact style only), because it's look like a chrome skin, i only suggest to add a bookmarks and autofill button and let's the choice to colorize " close, maximize and minimize" tabs button.

We need to have a "compact dream skin" a classic colours too , tabs must have a classic colours too when they are minimized , transparent or colorized tabs are not confortable at all too use , but they are nice , so please do a "classic colours tabs too for the avant minimize skin...

I suggest to create a skin like this :

http://forum.avantbrowser.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32039

http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?i ... 32skin.png

I can't edit my last post , so here the pictures ( for replace the http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?i ... 32skin.png link):

[Climhazard]

Lets start by comparing the old UI with the new one

As you can see the big Avant button is even worse than previous smaller button in Avant 2013 current builds, as it takes one more row to display same things as menu bar. If some users don't know how to use smaller button or don't see it, that means they never used one of the popular browsers, in that case, help file update is recommended. However having both big A button and menu bar visible is taking too much space arranged this way. There should be only menu bar or avant button visible. Title text is not really necessary, and other browsers don't use it in their new UI because they don't want to take away half of the screen, which is good if someone is using low resolution or small monitor or medium size 16:9 display to show more content on them. In old UI every option/button was perfectly placed, so it is hard to keep both configurability and space saving (new ui's goal) to work together. I have two suggestions on how it might be possible, feel free to post your opinions about it. I liked lolo1's version of the new UI it was better than this with 2 row avant button, with only one row avant button similar to firefox one and bookmarks/autofills on the side are probably "most clicked" menus from menu bar.


My suggestions:


First suggestion

Avant button completely removed from the left side so tabs have more space to work with menu bar on the right. Menu bar functions as normal menu bar until the tabs reach it. The reason for this is that users with large monitors (for example 24" like mine and bigger screens and resolutions) will have enough room for both tabs and menu bar while still having more room on height to show more page content. When you have many tabs opened for the sake of showing more tab information, menu bar shrinks to only first letter and still functions with submenus when user clicks on them (full name of menu showed on click/hover over). Old navigation bar (from old skins) returned for the reasons specified in first picture. Avant button is moved to the right of navigation bar where it doesn't affect space available for tabs and menu bar. This is similar position for main button as in google chrome (chromium) browser.


Second suggestion

Same avant button and tabs position, same good old navigation bar. Menu bar is untouched again until the tabs reach it (1). After the tabs reach it it shrinks itself in the small gear icon (2). If the user wants to quick-reach the old style menus while having too many tabs opened user can hover the gear to instantly expand the shrinked menus and after that hover over any menu to instantly display its chosen submenu(3). Bolded "instantly" because for some reason in avant 2013 submenus no longer show instantly on mouse hover, thus limiting user speed in browsing them.

[Tinman57]

Can't you have the standard style with status bar and tabs on bottom, like with the compact style #2? Kind of like with the Windows Traditional skin....

[AXEMAN]

WOW it would seem everyone would jump ship. It's like i have said i can understand what is being done but when i joined avant long ago it worked great even with hide ip programs i really believe things should be simple as they were long ago i had no problems when i started useing avant.

[Tinman57]

WOW it would seem everyone would jump ship. It's like i have said i can understand what is being done but when i joined avant long ago it worked great even with hide ip programs i really believe things should be simple as they were long ago i had no problems when i started useing avant.

Well, everyone kept putting in request for future versions and the next thing you know you have a very complicated/overloaded browser. Guess it's the price you pay for bells and whistles...

[Climhazard]

That's what usually happens when you change something that doesn't need changing. =D>

[xiaobing]

I can't edit my last post , so here the pictures ( for replace the http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?i ... 32skin.png link):

Thank for your suggestion, we will consider it.

[xiaobing]

Will there be an option to have the Avant button at the upper left be smaller (the same size as the buttons in the toolbars, or must it be as large as it currently is?

About the avant icon on upper left,how do you think the suggestion of lolo1?

[xiaobing]

Well, everyone kept putting in request for future versions and the next thing you know you have a very complicated/overloaded browser. Guess it's the price you pay for bells and whistles...

This is just what I'm worried about.

[mbrazil]

About the avant icon on upper left,how do you think the suggestion of lolo1?

The pictures are no longer there, so I have no idea what his/her suggestion is.

[mbrazil]

Well, everyone kept putting in request for future versions and the next thing you know you have a very complicated/overloaded browser. Guess it's the price you pay for bells and whistles...

Not to mention adding a whole new UI instead of fixing the many bugs in the existing browser.

[creep]

I did try the new interface when it was initially released but only for a few minutes.

My "old" profile was still in place and I tried to straighten out a few things with the new interface. I quickly realised that I did not like it and went back to my "old" interface (which itself now needed re-straightening, as the profile had changed).

Anyhow, I have been using Avant for years because I liked the way it worked ie the interface and the functionality. If you change the interface then there is a chance I will no longer like it. I didn't see any reason to "improve it worse".

Not only that, two days ago I downloaded a fresh install for a friend who had never heard of Avant. Unfortunately, it installed with the new interface. If I was not there, he would have just uninstalled it immediately.

I switched to the old interface and set it up the same as mine - and he loves it. If Avant is to spread, I believe you need to present new users with something a bit more welcoming than a blank screen ...


I don't think anyone can argue that a welcoming screen is better than an unwelcoming screen, but am I missing something about the new interface ? Is there some compelling reason to use it ? I will not change for the sake of it - it has to be an improvement. Uglier, and harder to use, is not an improvement.

Please feel free to tell me what I am missing

My current screen is attached - note that the Roboform toolbar is NOT wanted - it's just that Roboform does not work properly unless it is visible since Avant 2012 was released ...

[brawnymike]

About the avant icon on upper left,how do you think the suggestion of lolo1?

The pictures are no longer there, so I have no idea what his/her suggestion is.

lolo's suggestion was to have an Avant icon button at top-left that was only one bar tall, but wide enough to contain both the logo & the words "Avant Browser." I think it's a good idea, in that the button is slightly harder to miss than one containing just the logo. However, I'd like it if there were something about it to make it more distinguishable from a tab for a page on Avant Browser's site.

[Climhazard]

About the avant icon on upper left,how do you think the suggestion of lolo1?

The pictures are no longer there, so I have no idea what his/her suggestion is.

lolo's suggestion was to have an Avant icon button at top-left that was only one bar tall, but wide enough to contain both the logo & the words "Avant Browser." I think it's a good idea, in that the button is slightly harder to miss than one containing just the logo. However, I'd like it if there were something about it to make it more distinguishable from a tab for a page on Avant Browser's site.

In other words, same layout as in Firefox and Opera, which maybe isn't a bad choice, but should be kept as a secondary UI. New users don't want to see uglier and bugged down version of FF/Opera UI the first time they install the browser...