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14 March 2010

Firefox PSA: They changed the way your tabs work. →[More:]

I just switched to the new Firefox (3.6). It now opens new tabs in the next window over, rather than at the end. If you don't want it to do this, you have to go to "about:config" and toggle "browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent" to false.

post by: Eideteker at: 22:32 | 22 comments

That behavior is one of the things I hate about Chrome, sort of pissed that Firefox felt the need to copy that. At least it's an easy fix on FF, you have to install a plugin on Chrome to change tab behavior.

posted by octothorpe 14 March | 23:18

Gosh, thank's for posting that. I couldn't figure out what I'd done wrong (nothing, actually, except update FF) and it was starting to really annoy me.

posted by ninazer0 15 March | 00:01

They probably should have kept it the old way because of the way people are used to it working, but I like the new behavior a lot actually. I keeps the different things I'm working on in different parts of the tab bar.

The tabs are one of the things I adore about chrome, especially the way that as you close tabs that are on a full tab bar they stay the same size so you can close multiple tabs without moving your mouse. That, along with the tab dragging and reordering, is all super smooth. If Firefox was going to make a big change like this they should have gone all the way.

posted by The Devil Tesla 15 March | 01:36

I like that in chrome. Opera does it like ff.

posted by Obscure Reference 15 March | 02:21

I am just getting used to it, but it is exactly as I always thought it should be.

posted by Meatbomb 15 March | 03:31

FF/Mouse Functionation: Clicking a link (or bookmark) with your scroll-wheel will open the link in a new tab.

Also, Thanks for positing the fix. Eide.

posted by MonkeyButter 15 March | 04:19

I like the new way. Always liked that about chrome.

posted by dg 15 March | 06:38

Thanks, I was wondering what in the heck was going on.

posted by Marxchivist 15 March | 09:22

And here I thought it was just me....

posted by warbaby 15 March | 09:27

I haven't installed the new version yet. Not having seen it, can someone explain what "in the next window over, rather than at the end" means? I'm having a hard time picturing it.

posted by mudpuppie 15 March | 10:53

What mudpuppie said. What does "the next window over" mean? What if you only have one window open?

posted by iconomy 15 March | 11:01

Maybe it means the new tab positions itself directly to the right of the tab/window you have open, instead of at the end of the row of tabs?

I demand to know this!

posted by iconomy 15 March | 11:03

What does "the next window over" mean?

Not next window over, next tab over. If you have multiple tabs open running left to fight...

posted by DarkForest 15 March | 11:04

I never leave my tabs alone long enough to fight, but thanks...that's what I thought ;)

posted by iconomy 15 March | 11:25

oooooooooo thanks for the open a new tab by clicking the scroll wheel . that will come in handy

when i first swithced over to 3.6, i found the new tabbing annoying, but after a while I got t used to it and its no longer a prob

posted by rollick 15 March | 11:34

I blamed TabMixPlus.

I'm sorry, TabMixPlus. I hope you will forgive me.

posted by Joe Beese 15 March | 11:42

I had to go back to the old version because FF 3.6 kept crashing.

Ha! As I was typing this the little reminder that 3.6 is available popped up. I think I'll hang on to 3.5.8 for as long as possible.

posted by essexjan 15 March | 12:14

Whoa, that's awesome. Thanks!
Btw, do you know of a trick to bring to the hourglass wait cursor back?

posted by moonshine 15 March | 15:02

I got 3.6 and it's not doing this. Huh. Why not? I feel left out or something. But I'm irritated anyway because in a minute of insanity I clicked on a stupid theme for my browser and now it is driving me crazy.

posted by mygothlaundry 15 March | 17:38

I'm about 51%/49% in favor of the new way. That is, it does keep things together, but it takes getting used to, and I'm not sure I needed them kept together anyway.

posted by dhartung 15 March | 17:59

I like the new way! But I keep switching back and forth between two computers, one with the new Firefox and one with the old, so I keep looking for tabs in all the wrong places.

posted by tangerine 15 March | 22:42

when i first swithced over to 3.6, i found the new tabbing annoying, but after a while I got t used to it and its no longer a prob

Same here.

posted by deborah 16 March | 01:10

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