Closed Bug 270117 Opened 20 years ago Closed 20 years ago

An option to open urlbar, searchbar, bookmarks, history, javascript popup link and DDE call in new tabs through left clicking

Categories

(Firefox :: Tabbed Browser, defect)

Product:
Firefox
Component:
Tabbed Browser
Platform:
x86
Windows ME
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

()

Status:
RESOLVED WONTFIX

People

(Reporter: mozillabugs.3.maxchee, Assigned: bugs)

References

Details

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win 9x 4.90; en-US; rv:1.7.5) Gecko/20041107 Firefox/1.0
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win 9x 4.90; en-US; rv:1.7.5) Gecko/20041107 Firefox/1.0

I am suggesting that we should implement an option in the options dialogue to
allow users to choose two modes of tabbed browsing: Traditional tabbed browsing
and Tabbed browsing.

Traditional browsing mode is basically how firefox handles tabs right now (the
default setting). It will always open urlbar, searchbar, links, bookmarks and
history in the present window and js popup link, DDE calls to open in new
windows. Users must explicitly instruct the browser to open in new tabs through
ctrl+click, middleclick or the context menu.

Tabbed browsing mode basically opens everything in background tabs by default
(through left clicking). It will open urlbar, searchbar, bookmarks, history,
javascript popup link and DDE call in new tabs in the background. However, if
the user wish to, they can still open new windows/tabs through shift+click,
ctrl+n, ctrl+t and ctrl+click.

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:





There are three reasons why I am suggesting this change. This first one is the
present way firefox handles tabs is simply inconvenient. A lot of computers
(esp. old computers and apple computers) do not have middle buttons, so they
have to resort to ctrl+click, which requires pressing keys on the keyboard and
that is inconvenient. Middleclicking is not that comfortable either, since most
users don't use middleclicking on a regular basis (at least not in windows).

The second reason is that a lot of alternative browsers (esp. IE shells such as
Maxthon and Avant) had already implemented this option (although their options
are more fine grained and are probably too complex for novice users). From what
I read on their forums, their users are very happy about this particular option.
I have also read many users' complaints on the mozillazine forums about how they
need to scan through forums and sites just to make tabbed browsing partially
working the way they intend it to work (One can always dismiss those users as
the few vocal ones or even trolls, but maybe it's time to have a serious look at
this issue). This must have meant that I am not the only user who is complaining
about tabbed browsing.

The last reason (and the most important reason) to implement this change is that
from what I have read on the Internee, it often takes a novice user weeks to
discover the tabbed browsing function (if they ever discover it, that is. I
believe there are many people out there who are confused about all the fuss
behind tabbed browsing since they can never find it!). Even then, they would
most often discover the inconvenient way to open a tab (ie. ctrl+t, through the
menu or the context menu). This basically means that to those users, opening a
tab in firefox is no more convenient than opening a window in IE. However, if we
employ the tabbed browsing mode I have described, then no one will have troubles
discovering tabbed browsing. This is also one of those addictive features
(features the users can't live without), since it is so much more convenient
than shift+click or ctrl+click.

Lastly, you might ask: what about those users who want to open their bookmarks
in a new window, their history in the present tab and urlbar in a new tab in the
background? My answer is although I don't suggest that we implement fine grained
options in the options windows, we should always consider implementing more fine
grained controlss in the prefs just to keep the advanced users happy.

Note: This is a refile of the previous tabbed browsing bugs filed by me, since
the devs have complained that my bugs are not fine grained. So please do not
mark this as a duplicate and just delete my previous postings.
Most of what you want can be done using existing extensions like TBP, miniT,
Click2Tab and so on. If the bundled extensions installer code ever appears then
users will have the option of installing groups of extensions alongside the
browser in the install dialog.
TBP does not work for me and miniT does not offer the functions described. 
Click2Tab does some of the functions described, although it doesn't open new 
tabs for the go menu. More importantly, extensions are for implementing semi-
rarely used functions (ie. stumbleupon bar), not something that's been 
requested over and over on the mozillazine forum. In my opinion, this function 
is popular enough to be incorporated into the core. Besides, remember that many 
novice users can't even find the function.
(In reply to comment #2)
> TBP does not work for me

E-mail me then.

> More importantly, extensions are for implementing semi-
> rarely used functions (ie. stumbleupon bar), not something that's been 
> requested over and over on the mozillazine forum. 

Just because the requests in the MozillaZine forum are repeated does not mean
that the majority of users actually want such a feature. MZ != Firefox users.

> In my opinion, this function is popular enough to be incorporated into the 
> core. Besides, remember that many novice users can't even find the function.

That's your opinion.
It is true that MZ!=Firefox, however, you must note that the majority of the
novice users cannot find tabbed browsing (no, this is not from MZ, it is rather
an observation from blogs, user reviews, opinions on forums of other browsers,
media reviews etc.): the feature is too well hidden for them.

Therefore, we need to push the feature to the masses and once they are able to
experience the power of tabbed browsing, they are locked in to using it (or at
least they will stop using IE). Now there are several ways to push out this
feature: we can write guides, put it in help files, describe it on the firefox
download page etc., or we can make it the default behaviour, which what I am
suggesting here. I am sure you are aware that most novice users don't take time
to read manuals or guides, not even the detailed descriptions on the download
page (esp. since most users would download it from download.com). This means
that we would need to make it the default behaviour just so the users would be
able to find the feature.

You also suggested that we could also bundle the tabbed browsing extensions
inside the installer. While I agree that would be the ideal way to solve the
problem, this also adds more work to the firefox devs, since they have to make
sure the extensions actually work and are not in conflict of each other and with
the opening of Mozilla Update, they have ruled out the possibility of bundled
extensions.
Having an option to open every single new page/link/bookmark in a new tab is
simply NOT going to happen, and I don't think its desirable at all.  I can't see
that being really useful in browsing through a site, and it would completely
break any sort of threaded navigation behaviour (i.e. the Back/Forward buttons
would be useless).  This is basically "act like a tabbed document reader instead
of a threaded navigation browser" which really doesn't fit with what we're building.

Maybe as an extension, but there is zero chance that this type of thing is going
to be implemented in the core browser.  Its a radically different concept than a
traditional browser and is more apt to cause user confusion.  I could see a
subset of users liking this, but its a lot of code for a fringe setting.

WONTFIX.
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 20 years ago
Resolution: --- → WONTFIX
*** Bug 250664 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 269339 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
*** Bug 328580 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
(In reply to Mike Connor [:mconnor] from comment #5)
> Having an option to open every single new page/link/bookmark in a new tab is
> simply NOT going to happen, and I don't think its desirable at all.  I can't
> see
> that being really useful in browsing through a site, and it would completely
> break any sort of threaded navigation behaviour (i.e. the Back/Forward
> buttons
> would be useless).  This is basically "act like a tabbed document reader
> instead
> of a threaded navigation browser" which really doesn't fit with what we're
> building.
> 
> Maybe as an extension, but there is zero chance that this type of thing is
> going
> to be implemented in the core browser.  Its a radically different concept
> than a
> traditional browser and is more apt to cause user confusion.  I could see a
> subset of users liking this, but its a lot of code for a fringe setting.
> 
> WONTFIX.

I vote for an option.
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