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To move to the next tab in most browsers, you use ctrl+⇥.

Then, to close it, you have to reach over to ⌘+W.

I don't like switching modifier keys like that; I'd prefer to just use ctrl for both.
Is there a way to change the shortcuts so that both shortcuts use the control key? It would be great to switch this globally, but otherwise a solution for Firefox would be fine too.

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This is not a site for rants. I've edited your question to remove the rant part. In the future, please focus on the question and not the rant. Thanks for your cooperation. – Nathan Greenstein♦ Jul 10 '11 at 23:30
@Nathan: sorry if it sounded like a rant, but I thought saying that's it's illogical and un-ergonomical is pretty objective. Doesn't matter anyways. Edit: reread it, and maybe I overused "horrible" :D Sorry. – houbysoft Jul 10 '11 at 23:46
I don't see how you can think the control key is more ergonomic than the command key. I need to move my thumb 1 cm to press control, and all my fingers are still available to press the letter in the way I normally would. Combos like ctl-A and ctl-Tab require me to shift my hand. – mckeed Aug 12 '11 at 16:25
@dazmax: I am only talking about this specific situation. You move to a tab with control-tab. To close it using control-W, you move only one finger over to the W from Tab. If you have to use command, you need to move one finger over to the W and the other over to the command key. Moving two fingers is less ergonomic than moving one. – houbysoft Aug 12 '11 at 21:39

5 Answers

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This is not an exact answer to your question, but you can also use ⌘+1, ⌘+2 etc for visiting each tab, as well as ⇧+⌘+] or ⇧+⌘+[ to go to the previous/next tab.

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Hmm, I guess that's a good alternative. As it looks I can't do exactly what I want I'll accept this. Thanks. – houbysoft Aug 10 '11 at 8:53
up vote 3 down vote

This is the definitive answer. Here are two official FireFox add-ons (plugins) that let you modify or define your own keyboard commands and shortcuts.

Key config

My Keyboard Navigator

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1  
I'm curious why you opened a bounty on a question that you answered (twice). – mckeed Aug 12 '11 at 16:57
Because I'm a newbie here and I just wanted to test and see how the bounty system works! – Wheat Williams Aug 12 '11 at 17:35
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If you go in to System Preferences, you can then choose "Keyboard & Mouse" where you will be able to re-wire shortcuts. I'm writing this from my iPhone, so I can't give you detailed instructions, but googling "mac change keyboard shortcuts" gave me lots of guides describing how to do it, among which this one from Apple: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2490#l4

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I belive in Firefox you can use ⌥+⌘+←/→ to view the open tabs.

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To change a keyboard shortcut that appears in an OS X application's menu:

System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Application Shortcuts

Click the plus, and type the name of the command exactly as it appears in the menu, and choose a shortcut. (e.g. "Close Tab" and ⌘+W)

I would recommend, however, using the OS X standard for changing tabs, ⌘+⇧+[/], since you don't have to take your hands off home-row typing position. I believe it works for Firefox and most other tabbed applications.

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