With the current plugin click-to-play placeholder you have to read the text to know it's click-to-play. Adding a play icon (triangle pointing right) would give a simpler at a glance understanding of what's going on. I suggest simply taking what is there now, making the Lego brick plugin icon significantly bigger, and sticking a play icon in the middle. It's just a minor change, but I think it could be a nice improvement.

screenshot with suggested "Play" button, along with a "Play All" check box This "Play" button appear same as the one on <VIDEO> element control.

screenshot with current ugly plug-in place holder

URL for screen shot http://pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain/games/hungryhungryherbivore.html

We've gone back and forth in the past when talking about this. I agree the current UI (attachment 616430 [details]) isn't what we want, though. Specifically, if we make it look like the click-to-play HTML5 video controls, that's good because it's familiar / consistent UI. But it's also not-so-good in that it blurs the lines between HTML5 and plugins. It's sorta a lost cause, but then again when we're using this UI as a security mechanism for outdated+vulnerable plugins, it would be a shame for HTML5 video to pickup those emotions too just because the UI looks similar. UX will save us! ;)

We'll have to be careful about the metaphor that is used here, because not all plugin usages have a simple connotation of 'playing'. For example, a Java-based calculator might look odd with a large play button in its place. A few metaphors that I have been thinking of: - Lightswitch - Question mark inside of the plugin block - Electrical plug inside of the plugin block (similar to this: http://www.sonalksis.com/images/buttons/activate_download_roll.png)

what about an effective click-to icon (example http://www.netgear.com/images/Icon%20-%20Power%20OnOff%20Button18-3597.gif)

A play icon might not fit perfectly for starting an embeded Java program, but it does make some sense that would be understandable by the user. Play means "start" in such an instance. Even we're calling it click-to-"play". A play icon is the first thing that comes to mind, and the alternate suggestions in comment 5 and 6 aren't used commonly and are all a bit of over-thinking things, honestly. A lightswitch (if a user can recognize what it is) doesn't imply starting something, it implies a toggle option and is used as such in other places. A question mark implies a question, which this is, but still means the user needs to read the text to see what's being asked. Electrical plugs imply power management in most usage. The finger icon does imply the need to click on a touchscreen, but not why, and is not ideal for desktop users. A play button is easily recognizable as a button to click to start something, and video and games are by far the most common plugins that will be loaded by clicking a placeholder anyway. Note that Biju is suggesting a full big video-like play button. My suggestion in comment 0 was to merely add a play button to the plugin icon already in use and make things a little bigger.

I agree both that a plugin icon (lego piece, I guess) and a play icon combined (a play icon inside a plugin icon shape?) is probably a metaphor that would work best.

The reason why I first asked for this at bug 711552 comment 67 is because webpages looks non-attractive with current click to play UI. see.. http://manoramaonline.com/ http://www.mathrubhumi.com/ http://www.nytimes.com/ http://www.ajc.com/ When we enable click-to-play, page should still appear pleasant to read. on iPhone Flash is not available, but when we surf web with iPhone pages are still pleasant to read. (In reply to Dave Garrett from comment #7) > Note that Biju is suggesting a full big video-like play button. My > suggestion in comment 0 was to merely add a play button to the plugin icon > already in use and make things a little bigger. Problem with LEGO icons in Firefox is nobody I know get it that 1. it is an image of LEGO block 2. it mean a plugin. Even though we all know LEGO, the Firefox LEGO image in broken-plugin never looked like LEGO to me and my friends, I have to explain it others about that after I read it some were. Now, LEGO is not a popular brand in every country. Growing up in India I never played with LEGO or I saw it at any of my friends place. I had building blocks from some other company, and it had totally different shape. So get rid of LEDO icon completely. (In reply to Jared Wein [:jaws] from comment #5) > We'll have to be careful about the metaphor that is used here, because not See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjwLcmqZTKU dont worry too much about the metaphor, people will figure it out, as long as you present something which appear to be "can be pushed" and appear simple. Even though "3D" icon appear cool, still it is always complex to understand, try to get something which looks good even in "2D". (said the, you may give slight "3D" effect to get coolness) A triangle "|>" shaped play button got associated with playing movie or music only because electronics company used them in walkmans, music players and VCRs to indicate "GO", "START" etc. And it is only a shortened arrow symbol, arrow (pointer) we use all the time every where for meaning "GO", like sign on the road, an event site, air-port etc. So I feel we should use PLAY icon for this.

(In reply to Biju from comment #9) Your argument against the current plugin icon makes sense, but it's already used in quite a few other places inside Firefox. Even if it's not perfect some people will understand it and I'd think using it for consistency makes sense. Having a Lego brick shape around a play icon instead of a circle shouldn't detract from its understandability.

(In reply to Dave Garrett from comment #10) > sense. Having a Lego brick shape around a play icon instead of a circle > shouldn't detract from its understandability. Then make the Lego brick Pretty. Alternately for plugin across every where at mozilla.org and Firefox I feel a "Gear" make sense. So it can be a Play Arrow inside a Gear, for plugin click-to-play. sample of a gear image http://icons.iconarchive.com/icons/deleket/soft-scraps/256/Gear-icon.png And instead of the center circle in it put a Triangle "Play" image

I'd say this must be RESOLVED WONTFIX if you don't want a million "I haz to click play twice to play YouTube vidz" bugs.

(In reply to alex_mayorga from comment #12) > I'd say this must be RESOLVED WONTFIX if you don't want a million "I haz to > click play twice to play YouTube vidz" bugs. Um... what does changing the icon have to do with an increased number of clicks? This would be an argument against turning click-to-play on by default, though it is being designed to remember when a user doesn't want to use it for certain sites.

This patch uses a crudely made play icon that I created. We'll need a new graphic for this, but my guess is that it will be somewhat close to what I made in Paint.net. (I actually tried this time ;) ).

Stephen, I tried making an icon for once. The diagonal edges of the play button are too jagged and I couldn't get the shadow to match the rest of the icon though ;)

(In reply to Jared Wein [:jaws] from comment #15) > Created attachment 619986 [details] > Screenshot of crudely made icon Can we make background of icon (ie, the plugin content area) transparent. At present it is gray and make web page ugly looking

Didn't shorlander just make a "nice" icon for this? I could swear he posted it on IRC one day... (quite possibly in response to this ;)

(In reply to Justin Dolske [:Dolske] from comment #17) > Didn't shorlander just make a "nice" icon for this? I could swear he posted > it on IRC one day... (quite possibly in response to this ;) I did make an icon.

Updated patch with icon from Stephen.

Comment on attachment 621750 [details] [diff] [review] Patch for bug [Approval Request Comment] Regression caused by (bug #): bug 711552 User impact if declined: Missing plugin icon is used instead of click-to-play icon. This feature is preffed off for Fx14, but it would be a nice-to-have patch on Fx14 since this feature has been getting a lot of press. Testing completed (on m-c, etc.): locally, landed on mozilla-inbound Risk to taking this patch (and alternatives if risky): none expected String changes made by this patch: none

I can see the new icon on Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64; rv:15.0) Gecko/15.0 Firefox/15.0a1 ID:20120509030514 Not that it'd make any difference, but I don't like it and think it is confusing. activate ≠ play

Comment on attachment 621750 [details] [diff] [review] Patch for bug [Triage Comment] Approved with the same rationale as https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=743421#c13.