Middle Click, Bernie Zimmermann

Posted on May 01, 2005 11:59 PM in Browsers

Warning: This blog entry was written two or more years ago. Therefore, it may contain broken links, out-dated or misleading content, or information that is just plain wrong. Please read on with caution.

If you're a Firefox user and you don't use middle-clicking moderately or even heavily, you're missing out on a great thing. I am here to enlighten you.

Moving to Firefox from Internet Explorer, one of the first things that you must get used to is opening new pages in tabs and not in new windows (unless absolutely necessary). When I still used Internet Explorer as my primary browser, I frequently found myself going to File, New, Window from the menu and opening up entirely new browser windows in order to view multiple pages at once. Those who have seen the light now know that all this does is clutter up your desktop and cut down on productivity.

It wasn't long after using Firefox that I learned about CTRL-T, the keyboard shortcut that opens a new tab. I still use that key combo pretty regularly, but not as much as I used to. Nowadays I typically use it when I want to go to a page for which there is no link on the current page I am viewing (nor in my bookmarks or my bookmark toolbar). Why am I using CTRL-T less and less? Because I have become one with the ways of the middle-click.

The first step is to denounce all fear of the middle-click. Right now, go up to the Home icon on your navigation bar and click the middle mouse button. Wow. No kittens were harmed, and you just opened up your home page in a new tab with a single click of your mouse. Granted, it takes a little while to get used to clicking on a button that is most often used for scrolling, but the learning curve flattens out real fast.

Now let's move on to something more useful. See this link? Middle-click on it. Good, you haven't left me yet. You're still reading this because there's still some more to learn, but you've got a new tab queued up and ready to read when you're done. Or you can cheat like I do and go read that tab. When you're done, close the tab and you'll probably end up right back here. Cool, huh?

The main thing to remember about middle-clicking is that you can do it on just about anything that normally takes you to a web page. Even experienced middle-clickers like myself learn new tricks all the time. For instance, tonight I did a Google search and found a link that I liked. I didn't want to go back to the previous page at the risk of losing the current page, but I did want to go back to the result list and see if I could find other similar pages. I decided to be daring and middle-clicked on the Back button on my navigation bar. Whoa! I was able to keep the current page and open the previous search results in a new tab! Talk about being productive!

The moral of the story is, middle-clicking is a godsend for those of us who frequently refer to multiple sites when blogging, or those of us who like to follow links from place to place and find our way back at some point. Don't be the Hansel and Gretel of web browsing...when in doubt, middle-click!

Update: As Ryan pointed out in comments, some people out there aren't quite fortunate enough to have a middle mouse button to click on. Well, fear not, as there is another little known trick for achieving the same effect. Try holding down the CTRL button when you click on a link, a bookmark, a navigation button, etc. You'll experience the very same splendor (well, close anyway) that those of us middle-clickers do.

Comments

Ryan on May 02, 2005 at 12:09 AM:

I used to middle click more in Firefox, but here on my laptop, I am absent of a middle button, so I've really gotten out of the habit. But now, Bernie, you make me wish I had a middle button again. I never knew how cool it could be - especially that middle clicking the back button. Wow!

Middle Click

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