Comment 29 for bug 572074

(In reply to comment #18)
> I'm not going to campaign for "new tabs opening next to the current tab" to be
> the *default* behavior of Firefox (though it makes sense as the default for
> related tabs, as is the case now in 3.6+), but it should definitely be a user
> configurable preference, even if only settable in the about:config preferences
> panel.
>
> I personally do think that opening all new tabs next to the current tab
> ultimately makes sense. After all, it's easier to find and click on whichever
> tab you want to open a new one next to, than it is to open a new tab at the end
> then drag that tab to the ideal location, especially if you have tens or even
> hundreds of tabs open (not as uncommon as you might think). However, I think
> the general populace tends to prefer the current behavior of tabs opening at
> the end of the list, and if that is the case, then more users would be
> frustrated by new tabs opening next to the current tab than users who are
> currently frustrated by new tabs opening at the end of the tab bar, even with
> many of us latter folk are coming out of the shadows now that our favorite
> extension, Tabs Open Relative, was somehow killed by Firefox 3.6.2 (if I recall
> correctly) with no further updates by the developer(s) of said extension. Of
> course, if any of them are like myself, they also refuse to use any of the
> heavier extensions like the terrible Tab Mix Plus, or Tab Kit or Tabberwocky.
>
> So as stated, I'm not asking for this requested behavior to be the default
> behavior. All I'm asking for is a simple about:config preference (such as
> browser.tabs.insertNewAfterCurrent) to compliment the existing preference for
> opening links in a new tab next to the current tab
> (browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent).
>
> To satisfy the presumed masses, the pref could default to:
>
> browser.tabs.insertNewAfterCurrent = false
>
> At least that way we tab opening snobs can change it (to true) to suit our
> preferences.
>
> Don't forget that in addition to Ctrl/Cmd+T and the New Tab button, this should
> also be the behavior for new tabs opened via Alt+Enter via the Location Bar, as
> well as bookmarks and search, if preferences have indicated that either of the
> latter be opened in a new tab rather than the currently opened tab. While
> technically each of these could be their own preference (e.g.
> browser.tabs.insertSearchAfterCurrent) I'm thinking that anyone who wants this
> behavior would set each individual preference to true anyway, so that would
> probably be overkill.
>
> I think that's all I have to say about that. Or maybe this is: PLEASE implement
> this in Firefox 4!!

Couldn't have said it better myself!