Bug 86643 <http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=86643> has been
opened (Autocomplete Dropdown is Included in Tab Order) and I have been
arguing against removing the ability to tab to autocomplete entries for
urls there. *Note that this is for URL's, not names in message
composition windows.*
Before things get out of hand, I wanted to take this to the newsgroups
and see what others think. The bug basically argues (as far as I
understand) that once the autocomplete dropdown pops us when you start
typing an url, hitting tab will ignore it and go to page elements or
whatever. In order to choose an entry, you would have to use the arrow
keys on your keyboard.
I am arguing against that, and here are my reasons as posted in the bug:
First: (A)In order to get to autocomplete entries, one would have to
remove his/her hands from the standard typing position on the keyboard
to reach the arrows. For good typists, it would be faster and just as
easy to type the rest of the entry. Right now, it's tab, enter, and
you're there, but this bug would remove that ease of use.
First: (B)The autocomplete dropdown has built in searches. If you want
to search for a phrase, you can just type in a phrase and hit tab to
search. You'd loose this too if this "bug" were "fixed".
Second: Internet explorer 6 has the behavior that mozilla currently has.
that is, autocomplete is in the tab order.
Third: Autocomplete only pops up if you started typing an url. why
would you start typing an url and THEN decide to tab to other page
elements? It is more likely that you would want to select an
autocomplete url once you start typing than it is that you would want to
go to page elements. We should take care of the more likely case.
Fourth: If for some reason you don't want to tab through autocomplete
entries once you've started typing, you can hit escape (which is very
close to tab and you don't have to move your hands from the keyboard)
and the autocomplete will go away and you can tab through your other
page elements. This is what internet explorer 6 does also.
Please post your opinions on this.
