276117 - Need preference for default browser

Status: NEW

(Thunderbird :: Preferences, enhancement)

Description

[Robert La Ferla]

While you can set a default browser for Windows, it will be useful to also have
a default browser setting from within Thunderbird.  One reason is that when
accessing Microsoft sites, it is usually better to use Internet Explorer and
thus have a default system setting set to IE.  However, for links within e-mail
messages, I would strongly prefer to use Firefox to open them.

Comment 1

[Doron Shikmoni]

In addition to the basic enh req description, it would be great if on top 
of specifying a default browser, there will be some specific FF integration,
similar to what you get in Moz Suite - i.e., "open in a new window" / 
"open in a new tab" etc. in the context menu for a link. 
(being a recent convert from Suite to FF+TB, I gotta say these come 
in extremely handy).

Comment 2

[R E Broadley]

This is also an issue with Thunderbird 1.0.2 on Linux (ubuntu). It runs 
Firefox, when my default browser is set to Konqueror. 

Comment 3

[[e-mail]]

I conquer (sic) consider someone on windows under a lazy/unenlightened BoFH where
the default is IE but one has installed TB and Mozilla/Firefox...

Comment 4

[Gervase Markham [:gerv]]

This is an automated message, with ID "auto-resolve01".

This bug has had no comments for a long time. Statistically, we have found that
bug reports that have not been confirmed by a second user after three months are
highly unlikely to be the source of a fix to the code.

While your input is very important to us, our resources are limited and so we
are asking for your help in focussing our efforts. If you can still reproduce
this problem in the latest version of the product (see below for how to obtain a
copy) or, for feature requests, if it's not present in the latest version and
you still believe we should implement it, please visit the URL of this bug
(given at the top of this mail) and add a comment to that effect, giving more
reproduction information if you have it.

If it is not a problem any longer, you need take no action. If this bug is not
changed in any way in the next two weeks, it will be automatically resolved.
Thank you for your help in this matter.

The latest beta releases can be obtained from:
Firefox:     http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/
Thunderbird: http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/releases/1.5beta1.html
Seamonkey:   http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/

Comment 5

[Doron Shikmoni]

Please do not close. I believe this is important.

Comment 6

[Eyal Rozenberg]

This is especially a problem on Windows non-administrator accounts, in which AFAICT one cannot change the default browser. Since nobody has found this to be a dupe, confirming.

Comment 9

[Antonio Martins]

I am now using Thunderbird 3.0.4, many years after this feature request has been first reported. However, i think this request still makes much sense.

I am using Thunderbird under KDE4, and when i open a link, i just does not open any browser. I know now it is trying to invoke some browser which is not installed (please see http://getsatisfaction.com/mozilla_messaging/topics/links_inthundebird_3_under_suse_11_2_not_working), and the solution is to change "network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http" to true in order for Thunderbird to ask again for a browser to open for http links. Strange, because i have Firefox as my default broswer in KDE4.

Right now, there is no way out, without fiddling with config editor.

If there were a preference to use default browser or select one, it would be much easier for users.

I see there are other reported bugs (marked as duplicates of this one) that presents valid reasons for this to be implemented.

Comment 10

[David E. Ross]

Re Description:  
I have SeaMonkey set in Windows as my default browser.  When I need IE (for example, to download Windows patches), I explicitly launch it.  For ALL other uses, SeaMonkey is my choice; and for links in E-mail and newsgroup messages, that is indeed what I get.  However, see bug #675510.  

Re comment #1:
SeaMonkey still provides the option to open links in a new window or a new tab for links selected external to SeaMonkey (including links selected from Thunderbird).  This option is separate and distinct from options to open links in the current window, a new tab, or a new window for links on Web pages displayed within SeaMonkey.