Context Menu Item to Open Hyperlinks

[Mercury]

I'm trying to throw in my opinion about how Pale Moon would work better for me. I'm being humorous, not hostile.

I know you receive a ton of complaints and entitled demands from users, and that's not pleasant. I thank you for making Pale Moon; I use it because it's the best browser for me. But it could still be better, and I'm just letting you know that OP's suggestion is something that I too would like, and the reasons why. He's not a lone loony; he's asking for something that a real group of users wants to see. If you don't do it, I'll be a little disappointed, but I understand.

[Moonchild]

Open in new window is Shift+Click on a link.
It's the rule of thumb in Pale Moon for things that open: Ctrl for tab, Shift for window. (regular links, history sidebar, and bookmarks sidebar)

[Moonchild]

I'm trying to throw in my opinion about how Pale Moon would work better for me. I'm being humorous, not hostile.

You'll have to excuse me if it comes across to me as hostile. Pointing out something, waiting for me to explain why it's not there, and then go "a-HAH! but in your own program you do it too! Checkmate!". Obviously a design bug that isn't even my doing, and inconsistency that is attributed to me while it was Mozilla's design team deciding this at some point. Sorry if I overreact to what is meant in good humor.

In any case, it's resolved now. There is no more redundant "Open" in the context menu of the sidebars.

As for it being there for selected text that is not a clickable link, it's there because plaintext has no left-click (default) action and it's not actually a hyperlink; being able to open selected text "as a link" is a convenience feature to shortcut having to copy and paste in the address bar -- and has nothing to do with actual clickable links in pages or bookmarks or history.

[Mercury]

In any case, it's resolved now. There is no more redundant "Open" in the context menu of the sidebars.

Um.

Yeah, I wasn't trying to be unfriendly before but what you just did is a dickish move.

Not appreciated.

[Moonchild]

In any case, it's resolved now. There is no more redundant "Open" in the context menu of the sidebars.

Um.
Yeah, I wasn't trying to be unfriendly before but what you just did is a dickish move.
Not appreciated.

Um.
What I did was following up on what was pointed out. having "Open" in those context menus is redundant and that is a design bug.
See my explanation before as to why it shouldn't be there.

It was not removed because of some personal grudge or whatever.
It was removed because having "Open" as the top and default choice in the context menu is wrong, because it already is the default action for clicking it.

EDIT:
To clarify the logic, once more:

• Your main action for an element (link, bookmark, history item, etc) is performed by using your primary button (left-click for mice, tap for touch)
• Alternative actions for an element are performed from the context menu using your secondary button (right-click for mice, tap-hold (or similar) for touch)
• It makes no sense for the list of alternative actions to include the primary action as well, and as default to boot (meaning default primary action = default alternative action).
• This makes "Open" in the context menu non-sensical and should be removed, to be replaced with the most commonly desired alternative action as default. Considering by far most Pale Moon users use tabbed browsing, the new default secondary action is "Open in new tab"

[sIDcORK]

Isn't Middle clicking a link the easiest way to open a link in either a new tab or window? browser.tabs.opentabfor.middleclick to true for a tab and false for a window

[SvenG]

Isn't Middle clicking a link the easiest way to open a link in either a new tab or window?

Depends on the device you are on. On Laptops that can only emulate middle click it can be PITA. Also some mice really have a lousy middle mouse button (which is not necessarily a question of the prize).

[CraigPD]

It was not removed because of some personal grudge or whatever.
It was removed because having "Open" as the top and default choice in the context menu is wrong, because it already is the default action for clicking it.

There's no absolute consistency here and I don't think it was entirely the result of bad design. Please don't over-cerebralize this case, making work where it isn't necessary and use your limited time and resources to tackle more worthy endeavors. Context menus in Bookmarks and History sidebars and Menu bar dropdowns act different than web page hyperlinks. So what!?!

Many times using context menus on these program control elements the additional Open option can be a beneficial alternative to instinctively (mindlessly) left-clicking page hyperlinks. Often it occurs to me when using these context menus that opening something in the same tab may have actually been the preferable action, but if that's not an option one needs to clear context (click away) and return to left click to execute. The fact that Open is (1) emboldened and (2) the top choice brings attention that it was the primary action, sort of a visual training queue, while retaining a greater flexibility of choice - that's the key.

There's nothing causing incapacity here. So my vote is for inertia. And everyone knows "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

[Moonchild]

In the large scheme of things, front-end work is quick and easy to do. It's not "over-cerebralizing", at all, and either way the context menu in both the bookmarks and history sidebar/menu is a context menu on links and elements that are a direct link to a page. The elements are not "nondescript" and the primary action is clear by its very nature and listing, that the left-click action doesn't need any visual clues or clarification.

There might be nothing causing incapacity, but there's also nothing logical about having "Open" there, either, and it requires normal alternative actions to be carefully selected, which reduces comfort (you don't have to move the pointer for the default action, but you do for any other) - especially on touchpads this can be a big hindrance if you always have to move the pointer one selection down because, yes, you did indeed call up the context menu for something OTHER than the primary action. The situation you indicate is when the user changes their mind between right-clicking and wanting to click an option...?

I'll be more than happy to cast this up for a vote, if you people insist, but it has to be one way or another, then - either have the primary action everywhere as the top listing in the context menu, or nowhere, because otherwise it's just not consistent.

[Mercury]

Look, this shouldn't be personal, I know that, but... I pointed out something I liked, and the developer's response was to remove it. No matter the justification, that stings, you know?

Anyway:

I like the idea of having the default action be the first in the menu, and bolded. It really seems like the right way and has been the standard since around the Win95 days. Maybe it's just inertia and I've gotten used to it. With new touchy interfaces and MS changing their design guidelines, it may not be current way of doing things. "Open" is still the first option in context menus in IE11 (which I'm sure a snarky few will take as evidence to not do it that way), so I don't really know.

It's not worth getting into a war over, in any case.

Moonchild, do what you truly believe will benefit your users most. I will continue to use Pale Moon for the foreseeable future.

Off-topic:
I still want a proper "Open Link in Background Window" option though... the extension kinda works but does things in a clearly awkward way (using event listeners for when the window gets focus and removing them on a timer) that doesn't always work. There is no keyboard shortcut for this action.

[squarefractal]

I would also like to see the "Open" item in the context menu for hyperlinks. But if that can't/won't be done, I would suggest keeping the bookmarks context menu the way it was. Removing UI elements just for "UI consistency" reeks of Mozilla, you know.

[Mercury]

I was reminded today of another reason to have the option to open a link in the current window, though it muddles the idea of "default action" a bit.

Many sites have links that open in a new window/tab by default (by using target="_blank"). In some cases, one might wish to open the link in the current window, even if the page author was targeting a new window instead. A context menu option is perfect for that.

You can also do this by click-and-dragging the link into the address bar, but that's a more complicated operation.

[Moonchild]

Removing UI elements just for "UI consistency" reeks of Mozilla, you know.

Not everything Mozilla does is bad. And you're talking about a whole different class of "UI Consistency here" (in-app consistency versus cross-platform unification).

Many sites have links that open in a new window/tab by default (by using target="_blank"). In some cases, one might wish to open the link in the current window, even if the page author was targeting a new window instead. A context menu option is perfect for that.

It's an interesting notion, but not really related to this issue. "Open in current tab" could be an additional (new) feature to be added that completely ignores the target - although I'm not sure if it belongs in the browser core, if so. There's no real way for a user to know the target is different (apart from "from memory") meaning "when to use this feature" -- and it should certainly not be the default action.
Changed my mind, since it works in context to just make the Open Link the Current Tab.

Back on-topic: I can see both sides of the argument here, which is largely logic versus habit.
if you guys feel so strongly about having the default action also being in the context menu, then I'll reverse it and see about making it consistent the other way, even if it makes very little sense to me.

[Moonchild]

There.

UI consistent, choice added, OK even if you change your mind mid-click

OpenLinkadded.png

[SvenG]

Maybe you should name it Open Link in This/Current/Active Tab, just to make it perfectly clear.

[Moonchild]

Maybe you should name it Open Link in This/Current/Active Tab, just to make it perfectly clear.

Translate x90
Unfortunately I'm still lacking a proper setup to do localization right now. Which is a PITA because people offering this are very expensive, and the open source alternatives (like the 1 or 2 in existence) won't run on any of my VPSes because I use CentOS.

Behavior will be for the current tab, even if e.g. a _blank target is specified.

EDIT: I'll change it in English anyway - other languages will just have to "know" until a full QA run can be done on the language packs.

EDIT2: hate to disappoint people who would love to see it at the top, but to not break current workflows I will move the option down in the menu. It'll still be there, but not default (since it's a different function than left-clicking) nor at the top. You will still have the hotkey/shortcut for it, though (O).

EDIT3:

OpenLinkadded2.png

[squarefractal]

Off-topic:

the open source alternatives (like the 1 or 2 in existence) won't run on any of my VPSes because I use CentOS

Would you mention which tool you're using? I will try making a build for you if there aren't any packages or precompiled binaries already available on the internet.
(Assuming that they are not just developed for Windows only.)

[Moonchild]

Off-topic:

the open source alternatives (like the 1 or 2 in existence) won't run on any of my VPSes because I use CentOS

Would you mention which tool you're using? I will try making a build for you if there aren't any packages or precompiled binaries already available on the internet.
(Assuming that they are not just developed for Windows only.)

Currently I'm not using any tool since I'm still trying to find a way to do localization properly.
I was hoping to be able to use Pootle since it has native support for Mozilla localization formats, and has a client tool as well (Virtaal) that people could use. but, I've been unable to get it to run on my VPSes. Getting a dedicated instance just for l10n is currently not within my budget.

[CraigPD]

There.
UI consistent, choice added, OK even if you change your mind mid-click

Zacly!

EDIT2: hate to disappoint people who would love to see it at the top, but to not break current workflows I will move the option down in the menu. It'll still be there, but not default (since it's a different function than left-clicking) nor at the top. You will still have the hotkey/shortcut for it, though (O).

No problema. It's all about CHOICE