1383147 - Offer to load redirects to unknown protocols with an external application, instead of showing an error page.

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Firefox :: File Handling, defect, P3)

Description

[Thomas Wisniewski]

The given URL attempts to redirect to a page with an unknown protocol, tg://resolve?domain=fymblog. This causes Firefox to change the tab's content to the "address wasn't understood" error page.

In Chrome and Edge, the user is instead asked if they would like to open the link in another application, and the user can cancel and still remain on the page rather than being redirected. This seems like it's a better UX for redirects to unknown protocols, as the original page may have content the user would like to read (as in this case).

Comment 1

[:Paolo Amadini]

This looks similar to bug 1382323, although it's not necessarily the same cause. What operating system are you using?

Comment 2

[Thomas Wisniewski]

I was using Linux at the time, but I just tried in OSX and Windows 10, and they're both doing the same thing (redirecting me to the "The address wasn't understood" page). I checked, and Firefox was also doing this in version 53 and even 42, so I think it's old behavior.

Comment 3

[:Paolo Amadini]

Thank you Thomas for the information here and in bug 1382323. While this bug is not a regression, I agree it would be good to have parity of behavior with Chrome and Edge.

The code responsible for this might be in the network layer, but I'm leaving the bug in File Handling for now.

Comment 4

[:Gijs (he/him)]

This wfm right now. I think this bug got fixed in a dupe. Can you doublecheck?

Comment 5

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

Clear a needinfo that is pending on an inactive user.

Inactive users most likely will not respond; if the missing information is essential and cannot be collected another way, the bug maybe should be closed as INCOMPLETE.

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