From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

I mean the one to the right that has displayed a user-controlled list of
search engines that appear right below the search box, initially
populated iirc by wikipedia, Amazanon and google maps, plus maybe Bing
and translate.

I have two computers one one of them now doesn't display tht list until
I click on th right end of the box and then i have to find and click on
the one i want. It's one or two extra clicks for no good reason.

The downstairs computer still acts properly but there was a box wanting
me to update FF. If I do that will this computer be screwed up too?
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From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

On 4/1/26 11:48 AM, micky wrote:

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

I mean the one to the right that has displayed a user-controlled list of search engines that appear right below the search box, initially
populated iirc by wikipedia, Amazanon and google maps, plus maybe Bing
and translate.

I have two computers one one of them now doesn't display tht list until
I click on th right end of the box and then i have to find and click on
the one i want. It's one or two extra clicks for no good reason.

The downstairs computer still acts properly but there was a box wanting
me to update FF. If I do that will this computer be screwed up too?

A picture would be better than 1000 words.
--
Linux Mint 22.3, Mozilla Thunderbird 140.9.0esr, Mozilla Firefox 149.0
Alan K.
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From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

On Wed, 1 Apr 2026 13:38:43 -0400, "Alan K." <alan@invalid.com> wrote:

On 4/1/26 11:48 AM, micky wrote:

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

I mean the one to the right that has displayed a user-controlled list of
search engines that appear right below the search box, initially
populated iirc by wikipedia, Amazanon and google maps, plus maybe Bing
and translate.

I have two computers one one of them now doesn't display tht list until
I click on th right end of the box and then i have to find and click on
the one i want. It's one or two extra clicks for no good reason.

The downstairs computer still acts properly but there was a box wanting
me to update FF. If I do that will this computer be screwed up too?

A picture would be better than 1000 words.

He's grumbling about the regular set-up of a small pulldown menu for
wherever a user has their 'search' function located.
'Search' will default to whatever engine has been chosen. The
pulldown (with a single click) offers several others, but not the
complete list as in Tools > Settings > Search.
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:48:16 -0400, micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

The best feature that set Firefox apart from Chrome, Edge, etc. is (that
is, was) the secondary Search field one got by using Customize Tool Bar
and moving the Search field to the tool bar. I could so very easily
choose which search engine**, but v149 has made every choice require
switching to the mouse and an extra THREE CLICKS. And I see no
advantage to this new system, and no conflict that it has solved.

Before, I would type into that field and an array of search engines**
opened up . I used the tab key, one time for the first one, or 2 or 3
times, for the second or third one etc, and pressed Enter. NOW I have
to reach for the mouse, click on the down arrow next to the G (to see
that list), find and click on my choice, and click on the right-pointing
arrow in the search box, just to do the same thing. Changing from
keyboard to mouse and 3 separate clicks. It takes 10 times as long.

This was the one feature that set FF above the others.

**Firefox provided a list but one could add more: like Wikip, Youtube,
ebay, Amazon, Google Play, Google Maps, Translate, Bing, M-W dictionary, DuckDuck Go, Perplexity

I think people who use the alternate search box, who have updated to
version 149, will see what I mean.

I mean the one to the right that has displayed a user-controlled list of >search engines that appear right below the search box, initially
populated iirc by wikipedia, Amazanon and google maps, plus maybe Bing
and translate.

I have two computers one one of them now doesn't display tht list until
I click on th right end of the box and then i have to find and click on
the one i want. It's one or two extra clicks for no good reason.

The downstairs computer still acts properly but there was a box wanting
me to update FF. If I do that will this computer be screwed up too?

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Wed, 1 Apr 2026 13:38:43 -0400, "Alan
K." <alan@invalid.com> wrote:

On 4/1/26 11:48 AM, micky wrote:

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

I mean the one to the right that has displayed a user-controlled list of
search engines that appear right below the search box, initially
populated iirc by wikipedia, Amazanon and google maps, plus maybe Bing
and translate.

I have two computers one one of them now doesn't display tht list until
I click on th right end of the box and then i have to find and click on
the one i want. It's one or two extra clicks for no good reason.

The downstairs computer still acts properly but there was a box wanting
me to update FF. If I do that will this computer be screwed up too?

A picture would be better than 1000 words.

Sorry. I'm really not good at posting pictures, but I'm posting a
longer description of the problem that should be much more clear.
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

micky wrote:

Before, I would type into that field and an array of search engines**
opened up . I used the tab key, one time for the first one, or 2 or 3
times, for the second or third one etc, and pressed Enter. NOW I have
to reach for the mouse, click on the down arrow next to the G (to see
that list), find and click on my choice, and click on the right-pointing arrow in the search box, just to do the same thing. Changing from
keyboard to mouse and 3 separate clicks. It takes 10 times as long.

This was the one feature that set FF above the others.

You can still do /similar/ keyboard navigation.

Assuming you are focussed in the search field, type your search term(s),
then press shft-tab to switch to the droplist of search engines, press
space to drop it down, and use initial letter to select your required
search engine and hit enter.

or you can still create bookmarks with keywords, so you can e.g. type
"wp xyz" to search on wikipedia or "eb xyz" to search on ebay.

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

On Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:23:18 -0400, micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com>
wrote:

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:48:16 -0400, micky ><NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

Out of semi-interest, do you ever go looking for info? <https://www.askvg.com/how-to-restore-old-classic-search-bar-in-mozilla-firefox-149-and-later/>
Note the about:config advice for:
<browser.search.widget.new>
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:08:22 -0700, Nobody <jock@soccer.com> wrote:

On Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:23:18 -0400, micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com>
wrote:

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:48:16 -0400, micky >><NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

Out of semi-interest, do you ever go looking for info?

Yes and no, depending on how you look at it.

I found the release notes for v149, found its feedback link, and
complained there, and got a reply from TechHorse who said "GordonG [My
nom de gmail], with the new search bar you can use alt+down presses
instead of the previous tab presses. Or alt+down followed by the first
letter of the desired search engine. In a future release this will be
enough to activate the search straightaway, but for now you'll also need
to press enter afterwards."

And I started working on going back to v148, which I thought was my only recourse.

And I posted here, which was phrased as a complaint but you, Alan, and
Andy read it as also a request for info. And indeed you have solved my problem. Thank you so much. It did not occur to me that FF would have
a solution and not tell us about it, like in the Release notes.

They seem now to have the same problem as MS does, having solutions for problems but not telling users. Depending on us** to individually go
searching for a solution. **Most of whom won't.

<https://www.askvg.com/how-to-restore-old-classic-search-bar-in-mozilla-firefox-149-and-later/>

Note the about:config advice for:

<browser.search.widget.new>

This works great, and so easy I won't have to write it down for when I
go to the upstairs computer. Thanks again.
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Fri, 3 Apr 2026 19:46:17 +0100, Andy
Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

micky wrote:

Before, I would type into that field and an array of search engines**
opened up . I used the tab key, one time for the first one, or 2 or 3
times, for the second or third one etc, and pressed Enter. NOW I have
to reach for the mouse, click on the down arrow next to the G (to see
that list), find and click on my choice, and click on the right-pointing
arrow in the search box, just to do the same thing. Changing from
keyboard to mouse and 3 separate clicks. It takes 10 times as long.

This was the one feature that set FF above the others.

You can still do /similar/ keyboard navigation.

Assuming you are focussed in the search field, type your search term(s), >then press shft-tab to switch to the droplist of search engines, press
space to drop it down, and use initial letter to select your required
search engine and hit enter.

or you can still create bookmarks with keywords, so you can e.g. type
"wp xyz" to search on wikipedia or "eb xyz" to search on ebay.

Thanks, Andy. This worked well to allow me to stay with the keyboard,
not have to use the mouse, but it wasn't enough. This has not been a
matter of principle for me, but it's more a matter of comfort. Like
some positions for sleeping are comfortatble and some are not, and if
one isn't comfortable he changes position, buys a new mattress, or just
wakes up unhappy. See my reply to Nobody. BTW, I gave you and Nobody
credit in my reply in the mozilla forum.
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From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

But now I read that the "developers" are planning to remove this
preference.

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2012951

So they plan to mess us up permanently, even though they themselves know
that there are lots of people on, ahem, Reddit, complaining about this.


In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:33:38 -0400, micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:08:22 -0700, Nobody ><jock@soccer.com> wrote:

On Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:23:18 -0400, micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com>
wrote:

In alt.comp.software.firefox, on Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:48:16 -0400, micky >>><NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

Did Firefox screw up the alternate search box?

Out of semi-interest, do you ever go looking for info?

Yes and no, depending on how you look at it.

I found the release notes for v149, found its feedback link, and
complained there, and got a reply from TechHorse who said "GordonG [My
nom de gmail], with the new search bar you can use alt+down presses
instead of the previous tab presses. Or alt+down followed by the first
letter of the desired search engine. In a future release this will be
enough to activate the search straightaway, but for now you'll also need
to press enter afterwards."

And I started working on going back to v148, which I thought was my only >recourse.

And I posted here, which was phrased as a complaint but you, Alan, and
Andy read it as also a request for info. And indeed you have solved my >problem. Thank you so much. It did not occur to me that FF would have
a solution and not tell us about it, like in the Release notes.

They seem now to have the same problem as MS does, having solutions for >problems but not telling users. Depending on us** to individually go >searching for a solution. **Most of whom won't.

<https://www.askvg.com/how-to-restore-old-classic-search-bar-in-mozilla-firefox-149-and-later/>

Note the about:config advice for:

<browser.search.widget.new>

This works great, and so easy I won't have to write it down for when I
go to the upstairs computer. Thanks again.

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.seamonk

micky wrote:

got a reply from TechHorse who said "GordonG [My
nom de gmail], with the new search bar you can use alt+down presses
instead of the previous tab presses. Or alt+down followed by the first
letter of the desired search engine.

That's a little easier to access than my shift-tab followed by space to
access the droplist of search engines ... worth knowing.

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2