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by unicornporn 2379 days ago
> All extensions in this field are very limited by all major browsers' security policies which prohibit, for example, user-defined keybindings on a blank tab

This is the correct answer. Attempts like these futile.

You can not properly control the UI while a page is loading which makes the UX godawful. Try closing a tab or switch while the current tab is loading. Sometimes it works, other times not. With legacy VimFX you coulf also access all buttons in the browser UI toolbar.

Was a VimFX user and the switch to WebExtensions was the greatest step back in browsing I've ever experienced. Tried to remedy this by running legacy extensions in Pale Moon. But that's not a way forward as these alt browsers are not secure. Actually, I'm toying with the idea of sandboxing alt browsers to be able to browse fast with my fingers on the keyboard again.

3 comments

I am btw still maintaining VimFx[1], and you can run it in current versions of Firefox with a shim[2].

[1]: https://github.com/akhodakivskiy/vimfx/releases [2]: https://github.com/girst/legacyfox

Ha, you're here! I ran your updated versions in WaterFox for awhile. Was very happy and it worked perfectly. Thanks! I believe I read something back then about WaterFox eventually also phasing out XPCOM extensions.

Did not know about the shim. Will give it a try. You just gave me some new hope. Thanks again!

I'm running Pentadactyl in Waterfox[0], which is a fork of the last good Firefox incorporating security updates from new Firefox. I can't vouch for how secure this really is in practice--perhaps the whole plan is a fool's errand--but it certainly works fine.

[0] https://www.waterfox.net/

> Try closing a tab or switch while the current tab is loading.

Simple: use the default shortcuts for this. The normal shortcuts coming with the browser out of the box are always available. Yes, they are not as nice to use as vim-bindings, but they are working.

"Doctor, my arm hurts when I do X"

"Then don't do X"