Forum Discussion
Tab behaviour enhancements
A couple of tab behaviour enhancement suggestions: Add option to use most recent order when switching tabs with ctrl+tab Add option to always switch to new tabs when they are created These are m...
Lets say you have 10 tabs open. You read a page Y, open a link from it as next tab Z. Now jump back to the original tab Y - this is your 1st run. Read it again - now what? Where do you want to go for your 2nd run? Always to its parent tab X? I more often go back to tab Z, or close Z and Y. Logic varies, becomes more diverse, hard to fit in rigid order. Better choice seems to be a Tab List you pick your next tab from, beyond the last 2.
What I'd expect from Edge team - make it possible to develop a more flexible MRU extension. How big is the demand - just look at similar addons install stats.
The problem here is scope. We have a nail, and we're asking for a hammer to deal with it. You're essentially coming in and saying, "but the hammer can't cut my 2x4 so what's the point of a hammer".
The point of MRU tab switching is that you have a workflow where you're constantly switching back and forth between a few tabs. Like you're entering a bunch of data in a form and you're frequently switching between one tab which contains the source data and another tab which contains the form fields you're filling out.
The question of what to do once you're finished with this workflow (where you're switching back and forth between two tabs) is completely separate. MRU tab switching order on CTRL+Tab is not meant to address that situation at all so it's not really relevant in this thread.
Additionally, the questions you're asking are already handled by other shortcuts. CTRL+<a number from 1-9> already exists to switch to a certain tab. CTRL+PGUp & CTRL+PGDown already exists to cycle through the tabs in display order. So if your question is "How would you handle the situation where the user no longer wants to switch between tabs in MRU" the simple answer is that they would use one of the other shortcuts to switch tabs in whatever manner they prefer.
I came here looking to see if anyone had requested this feature yet... And I stumbled into the most asinine argument about it. Like it's been mentioned, people are asking for it because high-productivity environments already have this feature. Stop arguing about the what-ifs, just look at the functionality of systems that already have it , whether it be other browsers or other Microsoft software.
Jeez people, it's not rocket science, it's not even risky. It's just matching what the other browsers already have.Even more frustrating than the absence of this essential functionality is reading people having such inane arguments against it. Seriously people, not having this in the browser is just dumb.
Just wanted to add, since nobody has directly addressed it yet, there is a reason people don't want stuff like this to be handled by plugins (unless it was an MS developed plugin). For a plugin to control tab switching, that plugin would defacto have access to your entire browsing history.
This is probably not comforting to many users seeing as how grow market share -> sell to web marketing agency is emerging as the dominant business strategy for plugin makers looking to cash in on their plugins.
Here's an example of why people don't want core browser functionality, and more importantly core browser functionality will full access, to be a plugin;
But the question is, why is this the default? The OS already works a certain way. The other apps on the platform work that same way. Even the user's phone works this way. How is it simpler for the user to have their browser work a completely different way for no reason at all?
As said I agree with you about MRU, and see your needs as extensions developer. But I'm a huge proponent of basic simplicity as the means to attract more users of various backgrounds, which translates into better funding for the browser team, and as a result allows to implement more user requests in a thoughtful manner.
If someone needs this option, they should be smart enough to pick it in Settings. I can refer you to the opposite spectrum: some demanded to put pages they like as Start menu or Taskbar shortcuts, thus mixing up browser with OS. This is the bottom line user you have to account for. š¢
Why do you think its preferable for CTRL+Tab to cycle in a manner that
A) you can already do with CTRL+PgDN
B) is different than every other application, including the OS itself
I think that's the issue most of us have. We don't see the logic in this. We don't see the logic in having the browser work differently than the rest of the OS. And when I say rest of the OS, I'm not just referring to Windows; MacOS and every popular Linux shell also use MRU. Hell, even iOS and Android use MRU in their app switching, both their card interfaces reorder themselves in MRU order every time you switch an app and using the quick change gestures honors this after a second
- I'm not disagreeing with you, maybe that is needed. All I'm saying is that is out of scope in this discussion. This is simply - what happens when you press CTRL+TAB. Should it cycle through tabs the exact same way CTRL+PgDn already does, or should it switch in MRU order the way basically every application and the OS itself does?
Like you're entering a bunch of data in a form and you're frequently switching between one tab which contains the source data and another tab which contains the form fields you're filling out.
The question of what to do once you're finished with this workflow (where you're switching back and forth between two tabs) is completely separate.I think you guys are absolutely right, was just teasing a bit to have better justification for the team. I enjoyed this feature with Opera. š I assume Edge team waits for coming Chromium Tab Groups to show up before they start thinking about tab settings.
I believe what's really needed is a Tab Control section in Settings now missing. Accounting for Tab Groups coming to Chrome, and the need to control not only tab switching, but also tab tree, grouping, closure and opening order, this is a must have section namely in Settings, and not in Flags, since Tabs handling is major and the most prominent browser feature, regularly used by everyone.
