Just one additional note:

FF tells me that it seems unable to: Read static.ads-twitter.com

when the tab/window does not opn.

-- Bert

Hi Bert, if you use right-click > Copy Link and then open a new tab (in a non-private window) and then paste the link, will it open there, or do you get any new error messages?

Does the URL look like what you expected?

Some differences between regular and private windows:

• Private windows have a separate memory-based cookie jar and web content cache
• Private windows do not follow restrictions set in Container extensions
• Some of your add-ons may be set to run in regular windows but NOT private windows (Extensions in Private Browsing)

I'm reading further now...

Alternatively 1. (plain click) on the link --> does not open 2. above + use back arrow (<-) to go back to page with the hyperlink and then use the forward arrow (->) to return to the hyperlinked page and it opens!

When redirects stall on a blank page, the first thing I always suggest is to make sure the redirect block didn't get turned on. Here's how to check that:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

More info on about:config: Configuration Editor for Firefox. The moderators would like us to remind you that changes made through this back door aren't fully supported and aren't guaranteed to continue working in the future. Since we are restoring the default value, I feel comfortable mentioning it.

(2) In the search box in the page, type or paste accessibility.blockautorefresh and pause while the list is filtered

(3) If the preference has a value of true, double-click it to restore the default value of false

Additional info: ... FF advanced setting browser.search.openintab is set to TRUE (but it failed with FALSE also)

That preference only relates to the optional short search bar and not to links in pages. (More info: Add the Search bar to your Firefox toolbar)

Firefox doesn't have a built-in feature to direct ALL links in ALL pages to open in new tabs instead of the same tab, its features are focused around whether sites can pop up separate windows or whether those links targeted at a new window are forced into a new tab in the same window.

jscher2000: Thank you for your replies. However:

1. The link still failed to open when I tried your first suggestion of pasting the link in a new tab. 2. The accessibility.blockautorefresh value was aready false.

I had previously tried emptying the (main)cache and deleting cookies, but that also did not solve the problem. I also disabled the one add-on extension that I have also without effect.

I have further fooled around by *first* opening a private window, loading the URL and *then* following the hyperlink with various actions (rightclicking and trying to open the tab with either 'new tab' or 'new private window'; just left clicking on the hyperlink). Unfortunately, results have been inconsistent -- sometimes the link opens, sometimes not. The only thing that seems to consistently work is my workaround of first leftclicking, then going back to the previous page by left arrow, and then going back with right arrow. Rather annoying and confusing (to me). I apologize for not being able to give you careful enough diagnostic info to figure this out.

Finally, I note that the link opens properly in my Chrome browser. And, to reiterate, this is the only URL on which I have experienced this issue (www.science.org).

Feel free not to reply further; I have an acceptable workaround; I am just curious to know what the heck is happening. But it's not worth losing sleep over...

Bert

Oh, on Science, do you mean you get a new tab and the page loads part of the way: header and footer show, but the article sometimes doesn't appear in between? I'm seeing that on some of their pages but not others.

I can't tell why that sometimes happens, and now Science says I've used up my free articles. So my testing is done.

But if you want to check something, when the page is incomplete, try reloading it: either click the Reload button on the toolbar or press Command+R. Does that help Firefox display everything? You also can try Shift+clicking the button or Command+Shift+R which bypasses the cache and forces a full re-retrieval.

I see a header, but no footer with the blank page. Only for *some* links, as you said.

The reload botton doesn't show and Command-R does nothing.

So thank you for trying to help, but there's no sense in wasting anymore of your time on this, as my workaround, ummm..., works.

Best, Bert

Hi Bert, I'm not sure what you mean by the Reload button not showing. It's nearly always on the main toolbar. While the page is still loading, it will be the X (Stop) button instead. If the page never finishes loading, perhaps that is a clue to the problem. You could click Stop and then Reload. (It would be very annoying if it turns out that Twitter ads were holding it up.)

What security software do you have on your Mac ?

I use a simple workaround to solve the problem. No more help needed.