re: Use compact layout
Hmmmm...I'm using FireFox right now, and I see the "Compact" button in the upper-left corner. Haven't clicked it in years...hey, that's kinda cool! I'd forgotten what it looked like.
You're using the very latest version of FireFox, while I've been ignoring that popup for the last several days. I'll upgrade later and see if it makes any difference, though I doubt that it will. Other than that, I'm not sure what to tell you, except maybe that the "Compact" and "Settings" button in that corner were designed to be unobtrusive...is it possible that you simply missed them?