Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Wo archive tread sia. Meɖekuku bia biabia yeye ne ehia kpeɖeŋu.

Why do I need an add-on to set the URL for a new tab?

  • 4 ŋuɖoɖowo
  • 1 masɔmasɔ sia le esi
  • 1 view
  • Nuɖoɖo mlɔetɔ Cemal Ekin

Cemal Ekin
Cemal Ekin
more options

Since Firefox 57 I believe, a new tab opens with a lot of unwanted elements. Although it is possible to turn them off, for some reason Mozilla removed the option to enter the user's preferred URL to open. The recommended solution to this, as I read in some threads, is to install an add on. Why do I need to install an add on to restore a functionality you removed? And, why did you remove it anyway? What harm can a user inflict by being greeted with a familiar page when opening a new tab.

I will repeat the request I have read several times, in more polite words: Please bring back this feature that many users seem to miss. Forcing the user to open an unfamiliar page in a new tab does not make much sense from user experience design perspective and providing this option causes no harm to Firefox.

Chrome is calling! I don't want to switch, but if you impose an "our way, or the highway" attitude on the users you are creating unnecessary ill-will.

Thanks,

Since Firefox 57 I believe, a new tab opens with a lot of unwanted elements. Although it is possible to turn them off, for some reason Mozilla removed the option to enter the user's preferred URL to open. The recommended solution to this, as I read in some threads, is to install an add on. Why do I need to install an add on to restore a functionality you removed? And, why did you remove it anyway? What harm can a user inflict by being greeted with a familiar page when opening a new tab. I will repeat the request I have read several times, in more polite words: Please bring back this feature that many users seem to miss. Forcing the user to open an unfamiliar page in a new tab does not make much sense from user experience design perspective and providing this option causes no harm to Firefox. Chrome is calling! I don't want to switch, but if you impose an "our way, or the highway" attitude on the users you are creating unnecessary ill-will. Thanks,

All Replies (4)

TyDraniu
TyDraniu
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Reasons behind removing it are here: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1118285

Now the platform team is considering adding back the capability to set the New Tab page to a user specified URL.

Check this bugs: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1452144 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1417155

Cemal Ekin
Cemal Ekin Biabia la
more options

Thank you for the quick response and the good news that it may be coming back. That said, is the search hijackers' potential problem on new tabs not the same as the default home page?

I will surely welcome the return of the new tab URL setting and will wait for it instead of using an add on.

TyDraniu
TyDraniu
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

What's wrong with this addon BTW?

Cemal Ekin
Cemal Ekin Biabia la
more options

It is not what's wrong with the addon but what's wrong with Firefox. By this line of thinking, a browser may remove the bookmarking feature, saving the page or an image, etc. and relegate them to addons. I don't have objections to using addons that provide "additional" capabilities that are not expected from a browser. But, I do object using addons for regular browser functionality. And, of course, there is the additional overhead that comes with addons along with potential conflicts among them.

Cemal Ekin trɔe