375459 - Easier keyboard shortcuts needed for navigating backwards and forwards in history, esp. for non-English keyboard layouts

Status: NEW

(Firefox :: Keyboard Navigation, defect)

Description

[Henrik Skupin [:whimboo][⌚️UTC+1]]

Keyboard navigation is quiet a bit different on Mac as I realized by switching from Windows/Linux. It takes a while until I was familar with it. But there is one thing which should be reconsidered: the given command keys for going back and forward in the history aren't the best for keyboard layouts other then english. The menu history shows following command keys:

Backward:     + [
Forward:      + ]

While users with an english keyboard layout can reach it with two keys, users from Germany have to use 3 keys:

Backward:     + alt + 5
Forward:      + alt + 6

Dunno anything about other countries.

I know that there are also other command keys available like:

Backward:     + Left
Forward:      + Right

Why this combination cannot be used as first representation inside the history menu? The accessibility is much better even over different keyboard layouts. These keys are all-over the same and don't change and no-one will refract his fingers.

Comment 1

[Henrik Skupin [:whimboo][⌚️UTC+1]]

Sorry for the confusion. The first key, which will be shown as '?' for non OS X systems, is the cmd key.

Comment 2

[Jesse Ruderman]

The problem with Cmd+Left and Cmd+Right (as well as Delete and Shift+Delete) is that they have a different meaning when a textbox has focus.

Comment 3

[Henrik Skupin [:whimboo][⌚️UTC+1]]

You are right, i forgot the input fields. Having a look at Safari shows me that it uses the keys Cmd+Ö and Cmd+Ä for the german localisation. Both keys are directly located at the right side of the 'L' key and can be reached with pressing two keys. Is it possible to define other command keys for localised versions?

One dream I have is that every browser should use the same shortcuts for navigation functions. But this is another point and has to be discussed somewhere else.

Comment 4

[Axel Hecht [:Pike]]

To me, this is an issue of OS integration and intl, not l10n. That is, it would be best if we could pick the commandkeys in dependency of keyboard layout, not in terms of language. Using ö and ä in particular would leave that feature non-accessible on English keyboard layouts with a German build.

And yes, our implementation doesn't allow that even from the XUL side right now.

Comment 6

[Dmitrii 'Mamut' Dimandt]

> the given command keys for going back
and forward in the history aren't the best for keyboard layouts other then
english.

this bug is directly related to bug 69230 and cannot be solved until someone fixes 69230

That is, it will be automatically solved when 69230 is solved