The home button in the Firefox web browser – and actually in every web browser – opens the default homepage of the web browser when it is clicked. Most users do not need that functionality because of better alternatives that are provided by the browsers. It is for example possible to add the homepage to the visible bookmarks, use a keyboard shortcut to open that website or to enter part of it in the address bar.
The developer of Usable Home Button for Firefox must have had similar thoughts. The add-on changes the standard behavior of the home button in Firefox so that it always leads to the root level of the active website. This can be quite handy as it is not always a given that a webmaster has included a link back to the root page of the website on the website.
Firefox users who are interested in this functionality can download the Usable Home Button add-on for Firefox at the official Firefox website. The add-on is compatible with all versions of Firefox 2 and 3. Firefox 3.6 and later users will experience a bug that shows the disabled home button (when on the root level of the website) as it if is enabled. That’s a bug in Firefox 3.6 and later according to the developer and probably nothing to worry about.
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Interesting use for sure. Can also remove the home button altogether if needed.
Useful? Maybe so…
Neccessary? No.
Why? Because FF Extension Locationbar² provides the same functionality, however more comprehensively, and doesn’t waste vertical space for a button on the bar.
And what about using a bookmarklet instead of an addon? i just made this with a piece of JS (for test functionality copy&paste into your browser address bar):
http://pastebin.com/fd4b4b5a
@RG: To remove home button, simply click (in top menu) View->Toolbars->Customize
Then simply drag the Home button out of the toolbar and into the newly opened window containing other icons.
Close and taddam!
I like my Home button just the way it is.
Besides you can use the Uppity addon to do what you are talking about.
Also here is a bookmarklet for that too.
javascript:location.pathname%20=%20%22%22;%20void%200
The Locationbar^2 (can’t do a superscript in the editor) addon creates a “breadcrumb trail” in the location bar…similar functionality, but even more useful.
I actually USE my home button, standard functionality and all.
Why bloat the browser with an extension when a bookmarklet does the job? If you want to report on an interesting extension try Piro’s ContextMenu Extension ( http://piro.sakura.ne.jp/xul/ctxextensions/index.html.en ). Tons of smarts that can come handy. Runs on my machine since Firefox 1.0 or so without problems (despite list of bugs). Very configurable, includes, eg. Launchy’s functionality, just easier configurable.