Create a new, simplified process for mouse scrolling control, and allow choosing it as a preference.

[SE-Tundra]

Many people have difficulty with how mouse scrolling works in FireFox with the mouse wheel or with autoscrolling. There are several flavors of these problems from what I've seen online, and I continue to have some even after trying hard to fix them over the past year (many days spent on this). From online, the problems dissuade some from continuing to use FireFox, because scrolling is so fundamental to browser use. Scrolling in FireFox is grossly deficient (at least for some, many users) in comparison to other browsers and Windows programs generally.

From looking at mouse options in FireFox and manipulating About:Config settings, it seems to me that the concept for mouse scrolling performance in FireFox is simply too complicated. It is too focused on acceleration or the option to use msdPhyics (mass, spring, damper) preferences.

PROPOSAL:  Code and provide to users the option to use a simple, linear "throttle" system for mouse scrolling, for two kinds of scrolling:

(1)  For Autoscrolling: The rate of scrolling would be dependent on how far the mouse the mouse is moved after the mouse wheel is clicked, and the user could set About:Config preferences for "maximum scrolling rate" (lines or pixels per second) and the "scroll ramping rate" (increase in lines or pixels per second, per mm of mouse movement).  When the mouse wheel is clicked a second time, scrolling would stop instantly. If the mouse movement is reversed, the scrolling rate would instantly go to zero and ramp up depending on how far the mouse is moved in that opposite direction.

(2)  For wheel-roll scrolling:  The rate of scrolling would be dependent on the rate of rolling the wheel. For this kind of scrolling the user could set preferences for the min. & max lines or pixels per roll-click, with a linear ramping rate setting that depends on rate that roll-clicks are made. Scrolling stops when rolling stops. When the roll is reversed, the min. lines (or pixels) per roll-click becomes the initial scroll rate.

COMPARISON:  Each of the above functional features is contrary to the best scroll performance I have been able to achieve on FireFox. My description of the performance is irregular, chaotic and often totally out of control. In all other programs (including other browsers) on my computer, scrolling is perfectly behaved, easy, predictable and (in terms of ramping) fluid.  Improving scrolling is a matter I believe should be a top priority, because scrolling is fundamental to using a browser.

[Jon]

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