New Tab

[brianberg73]

Since updating to Firefox 41.0b1 the URL I have assigned to a new tab won't open. The tab opens, but not the website even though it's assigned in this manner: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1013039




John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

[WaltS48]

It is no longer assigned in that manner, as that preference has been removed for security reasons starting with the beta version you are using.

1118285 – The browser.newtab.url preference is abused and should be removed

[Daifne]

Moving to Firefox Builds where the test builds are discussed.

[therube]

Wait a minute, what?!

So then how do I set http://forums.mozillazine.org/ to be my "new tab"? .

But really?
So your choices are "tiles" (about:newtab), or they say you can set the tiles page to be blank, so a blank "tiles" page (which is different from about:blank).

So then you're relegated to find/use yet another extension.

And just how does that Pref become "abused"?

> There is still a visible option on the new tab page to set a blank page for new tabs, there is
> no need to set "browser.newtab.url" or to install an add-on if you want a blank page.

Where is that?

> about:newtab's blank-mode is not the same as about:blank, so your reply is an off-topic answer

That's exactly correct, yet they hide that response.

> The purpose of this bug is to prevent the new tab page from being changed against the user's intent.

A worthy cause.
(But they're getting it majorly wrong, IMO.)


Is it any wonder people get frustrated, angry, with FF.
They have a feature, used for years & are happy with.
They're running FF 40 & life is good.
Come FF 41, they update automatically, because whatever changes are in there are GREAT.
The browser restarts, & then the WTF moment ensues.

[brianberg73]

Thanks. I just added the add-on "Custom New Tab". Problem solved.




John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

[ffextensionguru]

Thanks. I just added the add-on "Custom New Tab". Problem solved.

True, but at that same time we shouldn't have to add an add-on to restore the core functionality. We should have to add and add-on to get certain features that should not be part of the core functionality (Pocket, Hello, etc.).

That is all, I'll get off my soapbox now.

[makondo]

New tab was added in Fx13, 3 years ago, and i, for one, never use it and ever since thought it should've been left to an ext. (along with pockets, hellos, etc.).

[ffextensionguru]

New tab was added in Fx13, 3 years ago, and i, for one, never use it and ever since thought it should've been left to an ext. (along with pockets, hellos, etc.).

Ah interesting. Was wondering when it had been introduced. I guess I have to agree about the extension part, should have just left it as blank page and then let the user add an extension if wanted something different. Instead Mozilla set a preference that could be "exploited" then did tiles...

[Drumbrake]

I find this particularly hilarious:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.c ... 118285#c79

the new tab page is still hijackable through a pref - what's prohibiting adware of running their own ad/tile server for about:newtab by overwriting the respective values?

so setting your own home page is now too dangerous (as it was using the keyword.URL parameter with your own custom search string), and using home-made extensions is (will be) forbidden, but then there's a nice hook in the loathed Directory Tiles page for a malware to do what it likes.Nice.

And I don't think, given the way that Directory Tiles work, that it will be as easy as removing the preference for the home page.
But then, they could grab the chance to remove the whole Directory Tiles thing, it will fit in their current line of reasoning.