I Think we Should Call Browser "Tab Groups" Cabinets

Posted 2025-08-01 @ 09:15PM PST

Hi y'all, short one but i want this one to be more "formally" documented, so I could share it more easily.
I feel like the name for what we currently call "tab groups" could and should absolutely become known as cabinets.
There are three core reasons for this:

1) The crux of this. Tab Groups contain Tabs, which, of course are named after the tabs you encounter in an office job. These tabs, I believe, are most fittingly correlated to folder tabs, rather than just tabs on loose pages. This is because a website is (generally) made up of multiple webpages, meaning in most cases a website is most akin to is a folder. As such, this would mean a Tab on a browser is a tab generally affixed to a folder, and where do you put lots of folders? That's right, in a filing cabinet! Drop the filing for simplicity's sake and to avoid confusion with local filesystems (fitting for most users case) and we just get "cabinets". Thus, a cabinet consists of tabs, which are generally essentially "webfolders" consisting of multiple webpages. As for those websites that are just one webpage: let's be honest, every filing cabinet ends up with a section of just random loose papers.
2) This is theoretically more consistent with the naming scheme of (particularly older, yes) software design. I believe this would be generally equally or more understandable and just a little more fun.
3) It has the word "net" in it. Which I suppose could imply there is some kind of "cabi" that exists independently of a net. But that should be a minor issue given that the fact it contains "net" in it is a minor upside it at worst balances out.

Of course, there are some possible downsides I foresee; namely, there is the possibility of XKCD 927'ing this which would be a bummer. However I believe this is ultimately minor given its just one small function of a browser's purpose these days. And of course there would be early miscommunications.

However, all in all I believe that any downsides would be minor and the upsides slightly less minor! It just seems like a fun and simple way to keep these old naming schemes in style. So, why not join in and start calling your Wikiepdia tab group a Wikipedia cabinet!
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