Backspace shortcut should be disabled by default
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Back in 2016, Google removed the backspace key as the "back" shortcut key in Chrome. They did this because too many people were losing work because the backspace key made them navigate back instead of delete text in the browser.
In Vivaldi, the backspace key is still the back navigation shortcut, and I just lost 1 hour of focused work because of it. I'm sure many other people had a similar thing happen to them.
By searching through these forums, I found out how to disable this behavior. Now I'll have to remember to do the same thing on all my other machines, and when I eventually reinstall Vivaldi.
Anyways, I (and Google) believe this shouldn't be the default behavior of a browser, so I'm asking that the team consider removing this problematic shortcut from the default config.
modedit Moved to Feature Requests
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Well, I don't care much what Google thinks, but it's a good idea
I've always used Alt-Leftarrow or just Z for back. The default in Vivaldi for Back History is I believe Ctrl-Leftarrow, but maybe Backspace is there by default as well.
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@joeschmo Although I have removed this shortcut, I don't think there is a strong enough reason to remove this default shortcut. It is still the default in the latest version of Firefox, and I suspect that many users will be annoyed/confused/upset by the change.
Since it is very easy to remove this shortcut, anyone who does not like it can remove it.
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Although I don't use it often, for me this is expected behaviour (at least when single-key shortcuts are enabled).
I think the better request would be to have vivaldi remember contents that were entered into forms (instead of resubmitting requests on reload), and until this is the case, use a text editor instead for writing longer texts in the browser.
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If not completely removed, it should at least be treated as a single-key shortcut.
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@jumpsq New request?
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@potmeklecbohdan Sure, go for it. I'll upvote
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@jumpsq Someone has already had this idea! https://forum.vivaldi.net/topic/27951/web-form-recovery-manager
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@Pesala said in Backspace shortcut should be disabled by default:
Since it is very easy to remove this shortcut, anyone who does not like it can remove it.
It's not that easy. I went into settings and searched for "backspace" and nothing came up. It was only through searching these forums (something the average user wouldn't do) that I found the procedure. Sure, it's in a logical place, but for someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time learning about their browser and its settings (most people), it's actually very hard to find.
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@joeschmo said in Backspace shortcut should be disabled by default:
I went into settings and searched for "backspace" and nothing came up.
No such problem here.
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@Pesala That's strange, it didn't show up for me when I did it.
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Personally I have always used the Backspasce Key for Navigation (for the past 28 years, possibly more as I can't recall how Lynx worked).
Just because google has decided to remove this as a default behaviour does not make it the right way to go especially as all my other browsers use this same Backspace as Navigation as Default behaviour.If this is to be the way going forward, it should remain a Vivaldi option, like it is now, for those that use a workflow that includes Backspace Navigation.
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@greybeard The feature request is to remove the default shortcut. Anyone could easily add it back again, but I don't see any benefit in removing this default — it will only annoy users like yourself who use it regularly or those migrating from Firefox, where it is also the default shortcut for History Back.
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@Pesala said in Backspace shortcut should be disabled by default:
I don't see any benefit in removing this default
Agreed but with the size of the g's market share more people will get used to it and e someday all browsers may mimic chrome.
As long as there remains an option to override the default, whatever it is, I will be happy. -
@Pesala said in Backspace shortcut should be disabled by default:
Anyone could easily add it back again,
Are you sure about this? I tried it, and at least in the GUI I was not able to add "Backspace" as a key. I did not have a look at them, but I suppose the config files are rather straight forward?!
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@jumpsq said in Backspace shortcut should be disabled by default:
I tried it, and at least in the GUI I was not able to add "Backspace" as a key.
A good point. Backspace is used by the Settings dialogue to delete commands.
I have reported this as a bug.
(VB-62030) Unable to Assign Backspace as a Command Shortcut
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@potmeklecbohdan - I agree. Other replies have made reasonable arguments for not removing it by default, but not treating backspace as a single-key shortcut makes no sense, as it is obviously a single key.
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@rhussong While backspace is not a modifier key, I don’t think the argument is logical. Following your logic function keys shouldn’t work either. The point is only character keys are being influenced by the one key shortcut setting and I think that makes some sense.
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I'm just coming over to Vivaldi from using Firefox as my main browser for many years.
I accidentally had my cursor outside an editable field and hit backspace.
I was rather surprised to find myself on the Login page for this forum (the previous page in this tab of my browser.)
I approve of not having backspace ever mean to go back a page, at least not as the default.
It's not what immigrant Firefox users will expect, and apparently (from the comments above) it's not what immigrant Chrome users will expect (so I'd wager the same for immigrant Edge users).
That probably covers 99+% of newly minted Vivaldi immigrants <grin>. Backspace ever meaning back-page is the wrong default for them.
