# Firefox 2.0 tabs question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-2-0-tabs-question/404064>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 14, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-2-0-tabs-question/404064 "2007-05-14T17:36:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-2-0-tabs-question/404064/1 "2007-05-14T17:36:28Z")

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I just upgraded from Firefox 1.5 to 2.0 and I’m trying to figure out how to get the new version to act like the old one did.

When I click on an external link in SDMB, it used to open in a new window, which I could close and be back to the thread I was reading.

Now, it opens the link in a new tab, instead of a new window. I know lots of you prefer tabbed browsing, and I know there are advantages, but I am a creature of habit and have never been able to get used to the tabs. Too often I click on the X in the corner and close everything instead of just the one tab I wanted to close. (Yes, I know it can warn me, but I’d rather not deal with tabs).

In the Options for Firefox I have it set to “New pages should be opened in: A new window” but this does not seem to work.

Is there another setting somewhere that I need to change?

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-2-0-tabs-question/404064/2 "2007-05-14T17:54:21Z")

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Go get this FF extension —\> [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1122](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1122)

It’s so much better than the native tab functions of FF.

When installed, come back here and we’ll go through it.

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-2-0-tabs-question/404064/3 "2007-05-14T18:00:12Z")

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Type **about:config** in your address box, hit return and look at the values for **browser.link.open\_newwindow** and **browser.link.open\_external**. They shoiuld be the same, [but sometimes aren’t.](https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/firefox/+bug/75758)  
Valid values may be found [here](http://symbii.com/stories.php?sid=543&tid=30).  
[Here’s a general description](http://lifehacker.com/software/firefox-2/geek-to-live-top-firefox-2-config-tweaks-209941.php) of **about:config** , with some useful tweaks.

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**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-2-0-tabs-question/404064/4 "2007-05-14T18:07:19Z")

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Thanks, **Duckster**. I downloaded the extension, and played with the options, now it seems to be working the way I like.

Thanks also, **Squink** for the pointers on about:config.