Closed Bug 271583 Opened 20 years ago Closed 19 years ago

change default for browser.link.open_external to something that doesn't replace existing content

Categories

(Firefox :: Settings UI, defect)

x86
Windows XP
defect
Not set
critical

Tracking

()

RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 275430

People

(Reporter: netdragon, Assigned: bugzilla)

Details

(Keywords: dataloss, helpwanted)

When you open a page in Explorer, or an application opens an http request in
Firefox, because Firefox is set as default browser, it should be opened in a new
tab. This is especially important if you have a page open that blocks caching of
the page. Sometimes pages open without our request, such as when opening a
shareware application like Mozilla. Opening it in an existing tab can result in
dataloss.

How reproducible:
1) Open a bank's page, and start typing some junk in forms (or any page that
blocks caching such as currently
http://www.toomuchsexy.org/index/weblog/comments/logitefch_and_kvm/ )
2) Double click an html page
3) Be like, "oh shoot! where'd my page go?"
4) Hit back
5) Be like, "oh no! I lost all my data!"

Also, this is speculation, but there might also be privacy issues if spyware or
a shareware program opens a page in an existing tab, and can now scan, through
javascript, your page history and silently submit it in a form.
Sorry, that URL was wrong... Use this one:
http://www.toomuchsexy.org/index/weblog/comments/logitech_and_kvm/

If the page is ever fixed such that you don't lose form entries, I believe
hotmail does the same thing.
Do you use the feature: Options > Advanced > Tabbed Browsing > Open links in a
new tab in most recent window ?
yeah, as lame as this is for pages to do, we should default to something that
won't nuke data if sites are lame like this.
Assignee: bsmedberg → firefox
Component: Startup and Profile System → Preferences
QA Contact: bsmedberg → mconnor
Summary: When opening an HTML file in Explorer, or handling application HTTP request, open it in a new tab (or new window) → change default for browser.link.open_external to something that doesn't replace existing content
Oliver: That preference should be set to new tab by default.

Off-topic: I also realized that when you have it set on to open in the current
window, and Mozilla is minimized, it doesn't flash the button in the Windows
taskbar (filed bug 271906)
Duping forward since that bug has a patch and further discussion.

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 275430 ***
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 19 years ago
Resolution: --- → DUPLICATE
sorry for bugspam, long-overdue mass reassign of ancient QA contact bugs,
filter on "beltznerLovesGoats" to get rid of this mass change
QA Contact: mconnor → preferences
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