Some Web sites use JavaScript to disable the right-mouse button in people’s browsers. Their excuse is that they don’t want anybody to view their source code or download images via the context menu. Their goal may be understandable, but this kind of “hijacking” of somebody’s browser is regrettable. I’m one of those people who thinks that the user should always<\/i> have the last word when it comes to what their browser shows. (Even if, by so doing, they don’t display that page the way as it was intended – so be it, that’s their choice.)<\/p>\n
Bugzilla bug 86193<\/a> has been open for a while now on this issue.<\/p>\n Another thing that’s become noteworthy (from the browser side of things this time) is “bookmarklets”. These are essentially bookmarks, but they call JavaScript code, which means that you don’t leave the Web site you’re on but, rather, activate or inactivate some kind of function. For instance, you can go to a Web site with some annoying Flash animation – then “go to” a bookmarklet which (temporarily) disables the animation on that page. One of the best resources for bookmarklets is this<\/a> site created by Jesse Ruderman.<\/p>\n I just found out that he’s created a bookmarklet that will re-enable the context menu if it’s been disabled by some site. So, give it a try. Grab the “Restore Context Menu”<\/a> bookmarklet (appropriately enough, right-click on the link and select “Bookmark This Page”). Then try going to this<\/a> site that disables the context menu, and right-click. Rather than the normal menu you get an alert box telling you the context menu’s been disabled. Now, while still at that site, load the bookmark you just saved and try right-clicking again. Presto! It’s even easier if you assign it a keyword. I’ve used “!”, so that’s all I need to enter as my URL if I want to put things back in context…<\/p>\n