This comment is copied from my entry in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/exo/+bug/1427144
I also had this problem, not only with links in Thunderbird but also in Libreoffice documents, which both opened Firefox at my chosen homepage, not the link URL. I have always changed my Preferred Application setting in XFCE Settings-manager to firefox rather than Debian Sensible Browser which is the default, and this never before caused any problem. With the upgrade to FF36 this seems to have broken. Changing the Preferred Application back to Debian Sensible Browser seems to have fixed this and links are again opening in Firefox to the URL of the clicked link. I have not tested George Shuklin's solution above yet, but will investigate later. (# NB This comment relates to the bug I mention above, not this one so the solution from George is there, not here.) I have responded to a Ubuntuforum post with this and previous workarounds for this problem See http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2267439 I am using Xubuntu 14.04.2 64bit. uname -a output:- Linux XubuntuTrusty 3.13.0-46-generic #76-Ubuntu SMP Thu Feb 26 18:52:13 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to emacs24 in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1425972 Title: Firefox no longer supports -remote parameter Status in exo: Fix Released Status in One Hundred Papercuts: Confirmed Status in emacs24 package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Status in exo package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: When I click a link from an email it does not work any more. Instead of opening the link in a new tab, Firefox opens a new empty window and does not follow the link. If I change the default browser for my desktop from Firefox to Chrome, then Chrome can open the link fine. I have started seeing this today since firefox was upgraded from v35 to 36. My email client is Mozilla thunderbird at the latest stable version. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10 Package: firefox 36.0+build2-0ubuntu0.14.10.4 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-31.41-generic 3.16.7-ckt5 Uname: Linux 3.16.0-31-generic x86_64 AddonCompatCheckDisabled: False ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8.2 Architecture: amd64 AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC0: dpottage 3729 F.... pulseaudio BuildID: 20150224133805 Channel: Unavailable CurrentDesktop: XFCE Date: Thu Feb 26 14:30:41 2015 ForcedLayersAccel: False IfupdownConfig: # interfaces(5) file used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8) auto lo iface lo inet loopback IncompatibleExtensions: English (South Africa) Language Pack - langpack-en...@firefox.mozilla.org English (GB) Language Pack - langpack-en...@firefox.mozilla.org Français Language Pack - langpack...@firefox.mozilla.org Deutsch (DE) Language Pack - langpack...@firefox.mozilla.org Default - {972ce4c6-7e08-4474-a285-3208198ce6fd} InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-07-02 (604 days ago) InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130423.1) IpRoute: default via 192.168.1.254 dev eth0 proto static 192.168.1.0/24 dev eth0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.1.131 metric 1 MostRecentCrashID: bp-86a16931-63d2-435e-8324-421212140304 Plugins: Shockwave Flash - /usr/lib/flashplugin-installer/libflashplayer.so LibreOffice Plug-in - /usr/lib/libreoffice/program/libnpsoplugin.so (browser-plugin-libreoffice) Java(TM) Plug-in 11.25.2 - /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so PrefSources: prefs.js Profiles: Profile0 (Default) - LastVersion=36.0/20150224133805 (In use) RelatedPackageVersions: browser-plugin-libreoffice 1:4.3.3-0ubuntu1 RfKill: 0: phy0: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: yes Hard blocked: no RunningIncompatibleAddons: True SourcePackage: firefox SubmittedCrashIDs: bp-86a16931-63d2-435e-8324-421212140304 UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to utopic on 2014-10-29 (119 days ago) dmi.bios.date: 11/23/2012 dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.bios.version: A08 dmi.board.name: 0XR1GT dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.board.version: A00 dmi.chassis.type: 3 dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA08:bd11/23/2012:svnDellInc.:pnVostro270:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0XR1GT:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct3:cvr: dmi.product.name: Vostro 270 dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/exo/+bug/1425972/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp