801812 - Use Shift+F10 for context menu on Mac

Status: UNCONFIRMED

(Firefox :: Disability Access, defect)

Description

[Carolyn MacLeod]

Please see old bug 357540, or ancient bug Bug 81727.
At the time, Ctrl+Space was chosen as the Firefox keyboard shortcut to bring up a context menu on Mac, because - at the time - Shift+F10 (the standard context menu shortcut on both Windows and Linux) was mapped to the Exposé command on Mac.

Today I would like to try to convince you to use Shift+F10 to bring up the context menu in Firefox on a Mac, instead of Ctrl+Space.  :)

The most obvious reason for doing this is that it would create a seamless experience for users across platforms, and across applications.
Another more subtle reason is that this would free up "Ctrl+Space" for other purposes. (At present, we cannot use Ctrl+Space in our javascript in a cross-platform way because Firefox on Mac took that keybinding).

Shift+F10 is used on other major platforms, and many other Mac apps bind Shift+F10 to the context menu. I am not sure, but I don't see any other app except Firefox on Mac that binds Ctrl+Space to the context menu.
MS Office products, Eclipse and NetBeans use Shift+F10 on the Mac.

Exposé was moved to the F3 key around 2004.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expos%C3%A9_(Mac_OS_X)
And it has been replaced in Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) by Mission Control.

On current Macs, Shift+F10 is unbound.

On older Macs, Shift+F10 can be used by rebinding "slow motion exposé" to something else, like ctrl+shift+F10.
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20061211122216478
http://wiki.netbeans.org/FaqPopupFromKeyboardOnMac

So, for Mac users who are used to Shift+F10 because it's the standard on other platforms, they have already worked around the exposé problem long ago.
For Mac newbies, they will probably have a newer Mac and it won't be an issue.

Safari and Chrome use VoiceOver's ctrl+option+shift+M when VoiceOver is running (according to the dijit.Menu doc: http://dojotoolkit.org/reference-guide/dijit/Menu.html)

Yes, I agree that Apple has "reserved" F10: http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/AppleHIGuidelines/KeyboardShortcuts/KeyboardShortcuts.html
But given the number of people and apps that already bind Shift+F10 to the context menu, Apple is not going to be able to use "Shift+F10" for anything but the context menu.

The only con that I can see is that Mac Firefox keyboard users would have to learn to use Shift+F10 instead of Ctrl+Space.
If the change is well-advertised, then I think the re-learning can happen with minimal pain.

Comment 1

[Stefan [:stefanh]]

Shift+F10 seems to be the same as F10 (mutes/unmutes sound) for me (10.8.2, Swedish). That said, Ctrl+Shift brings up Spotlight...

Comment 2

[Carolyn MacLeod]

> Shift+F10 seems to be the same as F10 (mutes/unmutes sound)
On Mac the first 12 function keys are dual-purpose. To switch between using them as brightness/audio controls, and using them as the original multi-purpose Function keys (F1-F12), you need to type the "fn" key as well, i.e. Shift+fn+F10.

You can switch the default behavior by going to System Preferences - Keyboard - Keyboard, and selecting "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys". (Then, you type standard shortcuts like Shift+F10 directly, and type the "fn" key to get the brightness and audio playback keys).

> Ctrl+Shift brings up Spotlight...
The default keyboard shortcut for Spotlight is Command+Space (or Option-Command-Space for the Spotlight window). Perhaps you have changed the default binding for Spotlight. You might want to change it back, because it could be limiting to have only modifier keys as a shortcut. (i.e. Ctrl+Shift+<key> bindings cannot be used).

Comment 3

[MarjaE]

Sticky Keys doesn't work with the fn key, so function keys aren't accessible on the Mac and shouldn't be default shortcuts on the Mac version of Firefox.

Comment 4

[oilumiun12]

I use Mac and am used to Shift+F10 as it is standard on other platforms, I solved the display problem a long time ago.
fnaf