Comments on: How many tabs do people use? (Now with real data!) http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/ programming, usability, and interaction design Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:29:58 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Vic http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-75189 Vic Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:14:54 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-75189 <p>Just want to contribute to this, I have average 10tabs within 1 window. I try to keep it around 10 so that they are still on the tab bar and not in a drop down list. On average I have around 15tabs open, but this can grow to 90tabs when I'm doing research.</p> <p>oh, and I am a Safari user on OS X snow leopard :)</p> Just want to contribute to this, I have average 10tabs within 1 window. I try to keep it around 10 so that they are still on the tab bar and not in a drop down list. On average I have around 15tabs open, but this can grow to 90tabs when I’m doing research.

oh, and I am a Safari user on OS X snow leopard :)

]]> By: Charlie Martin http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-75038 Charlie Martin Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:34:13 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-75038 <p>I'm one of those users like your #14 — right now I have 5 windows open, with between 5–13 tabs each — and I've got to say that I'd use even more if the damn browsers didn't grow increasingly slow an unstable. I've developed workflows for this, by opening a succession of tabs and then closing them in order as I read the pieces I want, but I wonder how much of this result is being driven by degradation of the experience with large numbers of tabs.</p> I’m one of those users like your #14 — right now I have 5 windows open, with between 5–13 tabs each — and I’ve got to say that I’d use even more if the damn browsers didn’t grow increasingly slow an unstable. I’ve developed workflows for this, by opening a succession of tabs and then closing them in order as I read the pieces I want, but I wonder how much of this result is being driven by degradation of the experience with large numbers of tabs.

]]> By: Patrick http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-75037 Patrick Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:27:43 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-75037 <p>Yes, the main reason that I chose Firefox was its extensibility. However, although IE has much more market share than Firefox, many IE users are still on IE 6, which doesn't support tabs.</p> Yes, the main reason that I chose Firefox was its extensibility. However, although IE has much more market share than Firefox, many IE users are still on IE 6, which doesn’t support tabs.

]]> By: Emile http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-75036 Emile Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:43:55 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-75036 <p>Maybe I missed it, but I do not see where motivated Firefox browser as your browser for your study? I would assume it's due to its open and extensible nature, but was there any other reason?</p> <p>P.S. I am a heavy multi-browser, multi-tab user.</p> Maybe I missed it, but I do not see where motivated Firefox browser as your browser for your study? I would assume it’s due to its open and extensible nature, but was there any other reason?

P.S. I am a heavy multi-browser, multi-tab user.

]]> By: Johan Strandell http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-74975 Johan Strandell Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:57:34 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-74975 <p>Is the median and max number of tabs calculated per window or for all windows that the user has open?</p> <p>For instance, in this browser window I only have 2 tabs open at the moment, but in all windows there's at least 25 in total.</p> <p>I think that's another dimension to take into account: you can be a fairly heavy tab user, while not going above 5-6 tabs per window.</p> <p>But very interesting study, regardless!</p> Is the median and max number of tabs calculated per window or for all windows that the user has open?

For instance, in this browser window I only have 2 tabs open at the moment, but in all windows there’s at least 25 in total.

I think that’s another dimension to take into account: you can be a fairly heavy tab user, while not going above 5-6 tabs per window.

But very interesting study, regardless!

]]> By: TabPower http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-74862 TabPower Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:02:40 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-74862 <p>Currently there are 207 Tabs open... am I crazy?</p> Currently there are 207 Tabs open… am I crazy?

]]> By: Jing http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-73585 Jing Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:20:00 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-73585 <p>Awesome study, I've been wishing forever for some data on tab usage!</p> <p>Some things that would be really interesting to see as followup studies (not holding my breath for it though ^_~): - patterns in viewing tabs (like, opening many tabs in one go then viewing each, or viewing each as they open) - correlation between the method of opening tabs (click vs. keyboard) and the concurrent number of tabs open? - frequency of tab management actions such as moving, closing in batches, opening in new windows, etc.</p> Awesome study, I’ve been wishing forever for some data on tab usage!

Some things that would be really interesting to see as followup studies (not holding my breath for it though ^_~): - patterns in viewing tabs (like, opening many tabs in one go then viewing each, or viewing each as they open) - correlation between the method of opening tabs (click vs. keyboard) and the concurrent number of tabs open? - frequency of tab management actions such as moving, closing in batches, opening in new windows, etc.

]]> By: Eric Nakagawa http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-31461 Eric Nakagawa Wed, 06 May 2009 08:17:31 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-31461 <p>I have 66 tabs opened. I laugh at your data!</p> <p>Actually, I find myself in this never-ending struggle to manage my opened tabs. Delicious helped for a bit... but the # always creeps up the longer I work on a project. Sometimes memory corruption and complete loss of tabbed data and history is a godsend.</p> I have 66 tabs opened. I laugh at your data!

Actually, I find myself in this never-ending struggle to manage my opened tabs. Delicious helped for a bit… but the # always creeps up the longer I work on a project. Sometimes memory corruption and complete loss of tabbed data and history is a godsend.

]]> By: Patrick http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-31389 Patrick Tue, 05 May 2009 15:22:08 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-31389 <p>@Lisa S: Actually, about 3/4 of my participants were female. I thought it might be interesting to look at the differences between men and women, but it's a pretty small sample size, and there would be too many confounding factors.</p> <p>@Screwtape: I did ask all my users what extension they had installed. The only tab-related extensions that anyone had were Tabs Open Relative, and Tab Aging. Those might affect tab usage somewhat, but probably very little, especially compared to something like Tree Style Tabs.</p> @Lisa S: Actually, about 3/4 of my participants were female. I thought it might be interesting to look at the differences between men and women, but it’s a pretty small sample size, and there would be too many confounding factors.

@Screwtape: I did ask all my users what extension they had installed. The only tab-related extensions that anyone had were Tabs Open Relative, and Tab Aging. Those might affect tab usage somewhat, but probably very little, especially compared to something like Tree Style Tabs.

]]> By: Screwtape http://dubroy.com/blog/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/comment-page-1/#comment-31252 Screwtape Mon, 04 May 2009 10:13:16 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2009/04/13/how-many-tabs-do-people-use-now-with-real-data/#comment-31252 <p>Were the results controlled for tab-browsing add-ons? As a heavy tab user, I've got the "Tree Style Tab" add-on installed which (amongst other things) lists the tabs down the side of the browser instead of across the top. You might only fit nine or ten tabs across the screen without scrolling, but you can fit perhaps two-dozen stacked vertically.</p> Were the results controlled for tab-browsing add-ons? As a heavy tab user, I’ve got the “Tree Style Tab” add-on installed which (amongst other things) lists the tabs down the side of the browser instead of across the top. You might only fit nine or ten tabs across the screen without scrolling, but you can fit perhaps two-dozen stacked vertically.

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