I don't think it's a problem confined to Safari -- it also happens on Firefox, for example.

As for a reason why it disappeared, I suppose there are multiple answers. The obvious one to me is that the people who maintain/design/program GardenWeb probably and seemingly went out of their way to remove this functionality, but I think what you are actually asking (I am too) is *why* they did that. I used the "contact us" web form to send them a message, so far no answer.

Like you, I used to be able to click on a dozen or so links which would each load in their own tabs -- not only it's faster to do that, because the threads load in the background while you read something else, but now you can have a dozen or so tabs to come back to and read when you have a couple of minutes in between tasks.

Now that's gone -- I wonder why they want such tight control on what we do with the clicks/threads/tabs? Previous behavior would let people who want to be able to read only one thread at a time do that just fine, you'd click a link, you'd go to the thread, then go back to the index page by using the "go back" feature in the browser. Everyone else was free to load each thread in new tabs/windows at will if they wanted to.

Anyway, I found out that if we disable Javascript, we can get the old (standard) behavior back. At the very top of the page you'll get a "warning" message stating that "Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display" -- I don't know if they are being sarcastic and/or ironic, but no, not only you don't need Javascript, but the appearance of the displayed page is almost *exactly* the same *except* that the ads disappear.

I hate to say this, because, honestly, they need the ads to keep the website running, but at this point, I'd say turning off Javascript (even if I have to turn it off when I come here, load the pages and then turn it back on for other sites) is an improvement.

I'm hoping they see the light and go back to the standard way to program websites like everyone else, and also that they start doing tasteful, unobtrusive ads like most of the web. If this tight control on clicks is to force us to watch more ads like the Pantene fiasco and/or the ad with the bugs crawling all over the place, they'll end up losing more users, just like in the past.

And since I'm venting anyway, I also hate those stupid double-underlined words that insist on showing crappy ads when you hover the mouse near them. Whose idea was that? Lots of websites use that so-called "service" and my first thought every time one of those pop up is never "wow, what an interesting thing, I must buy it right now!" but instead "geez, what a stupid idea, I'll never buy that product/service if I can possibly avoid it!", so yeah, I guess no matter how dumb an idea is, even if it chases customers away, people will still find websites to pay good money to them to use the service. All they have to say is "you'll get a fraction of a penny per ad impression" and no one even asks "will that send my users scrambling to find some competitor website and leave us?" -- bummer.

Sorry for the outburst, does anyone want this soapbox?

Cheers!

I'm out of town and on my Dad's laptop and assumed the tab problem had to do with his computer. If it fixes it and helps with those HUGE annoying ads - miss the days when the text column was 7/8 of the page - I'll disable Javascript at home.

And Pcpr, you're not the only one ticked off by those stupid double underlines. At GW I've gotten in the habit of dragging my arrow key down the left margin so I don't hit either an ad or one of the underlines.

Oh, I had the same problem, and was confused. Thanks to pcpr for clearing that up. I linked a page that tells you an easy way to disable Javascript.

Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: How to disable Javascript in Safari

It's good to know it's not just me. This was a horrible choice, and I'm sorry they made it. It is now far less efficient to use the site to try to help someone else, or to learn something for myself. I'm not interested in using GW if I have to turn anything off to do so.

Thanks to all who shared their wealth of knowledge with me. Best of luck to all.

One other idea is to do a "right-click," then choose "Open Link in New Tab." On a Mac laptop, you can do a "right-click" by holding the "control" key as you click. It is slightly more work than the old way, but you do not have to disable javascript.

EAM, I hope you reconsider. You gave so much help to me, for which I am grateful.

You do know you can still right-click (control-click if your mouse is set up for one button) a topic and do it that way?

This post was edited by writersblock on Sat, Jul 20, 13 at 14:26

I appreciate the input from all of you, and thanks Angie. Somehow, command is giving me a new tab today, so functionality may be back. If so, I'll stick around.

I just have a very low tolerance for irritation, especially when it creeps into a space that I'm supposed to enjoy. I'm exhausted building cabs and trying to move them into place alone. Or maybe I'm just tired of being alone. Either way I'm putting the brakes on the kitchen reno for a while when I get this wall completed. I have to focus on work for a bit, then I need a vacation.

I take it back. Command (or apple key) doesn't work to give me a new tab, even though the function line at the bottom of the page says "open ... in a tab behind this window" so it still doesn't work on my laptop (no mouse) on this site. Pity. I'm surprised more people aren't bothered by this.

I'll miss the input - although I'm sure I'll check in when I encounter difficulties with the reno - and Angie, feel free to email me when you get back to the bs!

The tabs have been working fine for me, and I suspect you might not be getting more answers because it could be something with your computer's configuration that most people don't have?

I did however have really weird music playing on the gardenweb site on my windows laptop only (not my ipad) for the past couple of weeks ... with no way to turn it off. Weird. Had to turn off the volume on my laptop to use the site. Seems to have stopped playing the music today, finally.

I'm still getting tabs on my iPad. If I hold my finger on something instead of just clicking I get the right click menu, and the "open in new tab" works.

lost ya at "I'm a mac person..."

EAM44--try the control key and click on your Mac. You get the dropdown menu to choose between a new window and a new tab, but that's better than nothing.

If that's not working, there might be something else, in addition to GW going on.

Set your trackpad to accept a two-finger click as a right click (under System Preferences>Trackpad>check the box at 'secondary click' under 'two fingers').

Now you can select 'Open Link in New Tab' when you click on a link using two fingers ("right click" it).

whew. I thought it was just me. I figured that somehow somewhere I did something to screw it up. I did start to do the double finger thingy and open link in new tab. So, it bugged me, but since I thought it was my fault, I just adapted!

Now that I know I wasn't the cause, I want it back the way it was.

camlan this works - thanks so much!!!! circus, I have an ibook G4 with a clicker and a trackpad that doesn't recognize a two-fingered touch, but it was a good idea - thanks. Fmr - kind of you to stop by.

williamsem, perhaps it's an OS issue that a relatively new ipad doesn't experience. bee I'm glad you were able to solve it on your own. Still one wonders why the problem is exclusive to GW...

Thanks all. I can deal with hitting the "ctrl" key instead of the apple key only on GW.

I use Windows and noticed since sometime late last week whenever I click to collapse the 'What's New' links I get a 'page cannot be found', I have to hit the Back arrow to get the GW page I was on again. They must have changed something that's affecting Windows as well as Macs here.