NO, I would not like to open the link in a new tab

July 22, 2006 10:07 AM

Can I get rid of the "open in new tab" option on the right-click menu in firefox?

I hate opening things in a new tab. I don't use tabs, tabs don't work for me. That's just how it is. So I basically NEVER want to open a link in a new tab.

"Open in new tab" is right next to "Open in new window" on the right-click menu in Firefox, so I'm constantly accidentally opening something in a new tab. I would like this option completely removed from the menu, if possible. I guess if it were removed, "Bookmark this link" would then be the new accidental target, so if you could tell me how to add a blank slot to that menu that would be cool too.

Thanks!

posted by pornucopia to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

Sorry, don't have an answer to your question--I'm sure it can be done as many extensions add an entry to the right-click menu so it must be editable, although it may involve creating your own extension which may be out of your league--but my question is why don't you use tabs?

If you just can't deal with more than 1 webpage at once, I can get with that, but I hope and pray your response isn't that you open up all different pages in new windows?! *gasp*
posted by jckll at 10:11 AM on July 22, 2006

Best answer: Use shift-click to open a link in a new window, it'll save you from yourself and hitting "open in new tab" won't be an issue anymore.

I'm almost totally certain you could edit the XUL and remove the open in new tab option, but shift-clicking works on both firefox and IE and would work on other people's machines too.
posted by crunchyk9 at 10:13 AM on July 22, 2006

Response by poster: crunchyk9: sweet! So simple, so elegant.
posted by pornucopia at 10:23 AM on July 22, 2006

Best answer: Tab Killer
posted by sanko at 10:29 AM on July 22, 2006

Best answer: Also, the Menu Editor extension. Once it's installed go to Tools>Extensions and go to the Options for it.
posted by Pryde at 12:26 PM on July 22, 2006

If you just can't deal with more than 1 webpage at once, I can get with that, but I hope and pray your response isn't that you open up all different pages in new windows?! *gasp*"

Can't stand tabs. They're a relatively new thing, and I have been using multiple windows for years. If tabs make you happy, good on you. :)

Besides, when I was trying to use them, as the best-thing-since-sliced-bread, I kept accidentally shutting the wrong tabs. Too much of a pain. It reminded me of XP's 'group together' thing so you don't have so many things open on the task bar. I like being able to see exactly what I have open on the task bar. One man's meat, I suppose.
posted by Meep! Eek! at 2:36 PM on July 22, 2006

Is there in general a simple response to the common question: How to edit right-click menus?
posted by Rash at 8:06 PM on July 22, 2006

Rash--the extension I linked to above helps with that.
posted by Pryde at 12:03 AM on July 23, 2006

Not to be annoying and keep harping on the fact that you won't use tabs (if you don't like 'em, don't use 'em), but Firefox 2.0 is going to / does include (in the beta) an Undo Close Tab feature - which has previously existed in session manager type extensions - that works remarkably well.
Also, so I'm not being completely unhelpful, here's an extension that can undo closed windows, among other things.
posted by notnamed at 7:20 AM on July 23, 2006

Pryde - I mean, not just in Firefox. The right-click menu I most want to edit is the "Start" button's.
posted by Rash at 8:46 AM on July 23, 2006

doubling what Pryde said:

menu editor is the cure for what ails you.
posted by Davaal at 9:48 AM on July 23, 2006

Rash: There's nothing common about right-click menus that would let you edit them all from one thing. AFAIK, you can't change the start menu's.
posted by mendel at 10:49 AM on July 23, 2006