[Usability] Tabs

[thilo pfennig <tp alternativ net>]

Hi,

what dou think about tabs, especially in web-browsers. I would be 
interested in how people are using these. My experience is that tabs are 
more used by geeks and not so much liked by ordinary people. But maybe I 
am wrong. People seem to love a bookmark-sidebar, although it reduces 
the size of a browser window. Maybe it would be better to have such 
sidebar switched on by hover-ing the left side of a browser?

With tabs I know 3 models how to close them

1. Firefox : always close on the right, one X for every tab. Tabs are 
resized
2. Epiphany: each tab has a X on the right side. Tabs are not resized so 
some are getting hidden.
3. Safari: each tab has a X on the left side. (resizing?)

I personally prefer: each tab has X on right an tabs are being resized. 
Size does not matter if you get the full title displayed while hover the 
mouse over a tab.

The Firefox people think that a X for each tab is much too complicated. 
I don't think so. What do you think? Anybody has done usability studies 
on that?