Incorrect backspace key in the Default installation of firefox

[Martin Beltov]

In the default installation of Mozilla Firefox the backspace key does not work, unlike in other operating systems, where it is used for the "go back one page" action.
To fix this the user needs to go to firefox's internal settings by typing in the adress bar about:config
from there change the variable browser.backspace_action to value 0

[raghu (raghukiran-gmail)]

Thanks for reporting this bug.

Could you please post the output of the following:

1. lsb_release -rd
2. apt-cache policy firefox

I confirmed this problem, the Ubuntu release and firefox version are below:

raghu@raghu-desktop:/home$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 9.04
Release: 9.04
raghu@raghu-desktop:/home$ apt-cache policy firefox
firefox:
  Installed: 3.0.10+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1
  Candidate: 3.0.10+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 3.0.10+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/main Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.0.8+nobinonly-0ubuntu3 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Packages

Raghu

[Martin Beltov (mbeltov)]

zeus@demobox:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 9.04
Release: 9.04
zeus@demobox:~$ apt-cache policy firefox
firefox:
  Installed: 3.0.10+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1
  Candidate: 3.0.10+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 3.0.10+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 0
        500 http://bg.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/main Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.0.8+nobinonly-0ubuntu3 0
        500 http://bg.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Packages

I get the same result

[raghu (raghukiran-gmail)]

This part of the code in the latest release of firefox defines it, I am going to change the bug status, as it is not really a bug and only a default behaviour.

Check this link for more details regarding this choice:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Browser.backspace_action

In file $PATH_TO_INSTALLATION/mozilla/browser/app/profile/firefox.js

BEGIN(CODE)

// Backspace and Shift+Backspace behavior
// 0 goes Back/Forward
// 1 act like PgUp/PgDown
// 2 and other values, nothing
#ifdef UNIX_BUT_NOT_MAC
pref("browser.backspace_action", 2);
#else
pref("browser.backspace_action", 0);
#endif

END(CODE)

[raghu (raghukiran-gmail)]

It is not a bug, only an optional setting which defaults to no action in Linux systems. For the choice regarding this, please check this link - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Browser.backspace_action

[Martin Beltov (mbeltov)]

Thank you for clearing this up.