693165 - Using the back button on the mouse should close the tab opened by a link with target="_blank" or a JavaScript popup

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Firefox :: Tabbed Browser, enhancement)

Description

[Martin F.]

Using the back button on the mouse should close the tab opened by a link with target="_blank" or a JavaScript popup, at least when the user didn’t navigate to other pages in the new tab.

Reasons:
1. Makes use of the target attribute less annoying for the browser user. As a experienced user, I don’t want to have a new tab opened just because the author thinks I wouldn’t know how to get back to the previous page—with the proposed behaviour there will still be a new tab but it wouldn’t bother me as I can get back to the previous page as easily as with regular links.
2. More consistent user experience: target _blank is often used for displaying larger versions of an image. With the proposed behaviour the user gets back to the page regardless of the target attribute.
3. No need to move the mouse to the close button

Comment 1

[Martin F.]

4. It matches the Firefox behaviour on Android

Comment 2

[Jeff Griffiths (:canuckistani) (:⚡︎)]

No plans to do this.