Comment 35 for bug 481541

Alright Ben it seems an important shift in tab functionality has blindsided us.
Given that we can't add more UI now even if we wanted to, in fact we can't even
change wording, the question on my mind is what should a user expect from a
prefs dialog that asks the question

[ ] Select new tabs opened from links

Is our user expecting this setting to affect these tabs mentioned just 1 cm up
in the same dialog

[ ] Force links that open new windows to open in:
    ( ) a new tab

or is our user expecting this pref to affect tabs opened by middle-clicking; a
hidden pref in Firefox? Hmmmm.

It seems to me that we should shift the generically named
browser.tabs.loadInBackground pref over to left-click and external-URL duty and
invent a new hidden pref for dealing with the (now) less visible middle-click
tabs. All you gotta do then to make the external-URL default the way you want it
is remove the Firefox override.

>The load in background from external applications option is somewhat useless I
>imagine to most people.

Not so, though I have no good idea of what "most" is. The linux crowd especially
seems to resent focus theft. See for example bug 172962 comment 89 point 3 and
bug 262978. Personally I agree with the former and the latter, though to my eye
appears to argue just the opposite, is actually asking that the window remain in
the background (see bug 262978 comment 3).

This is complicated by the fact that the external URL and diverted left-click
tabs aren't quite the same thing, but we've never considered giving them
separate focus prefs.

--

As an aside perhaps it's time to mention I've already heard one user complain:
"I set links to open in new tabs but it's inconsistent. Sometimes I get a new
tab, sometimes it opens in the same window." So there's a third link expectation
group out there. In order from oldest to newest:

1) Do whatever the webpage says. Open a new window, replace my current
   page, knock yourself out.
2) Generally replace my current page but whatever you do, don't give me
   another window, even if that's what the website wants.
3) Leave my current page alone.

#3 seems impractical for long-term use. But unable to see the page source and
not wanting to either, how is a common user supposed to know what to expect when
clicking a link? I can understand the claim of inconsistency.