Google Chrome making a simple change in “backspace” function in the browser

The change is that the “backspace” key was causing your browser to the previous displayed screen. My response was when I read this was, “It does that?”. Which points to the reason that Google is making the change. Hardly anyone used it and it is a confusing function for those of us who primarily do data entry and not just simple browser “browsing”.

I read about this in an article in Naked Security, that went into a light rant about losing that function in the browser. What is the issue?

The problem with [Backspace] is that it has traditionally had two meanings, and two quite different behaviours, in your browser:

• Go back and delete the previous character when you are filling in a field in a form.
• Go back to the previous page if you aren’t filling in a field, even if you’re in a form.

Think how many web warnings you’ve seen in your life saying, DO NOT PRESS YOUR BROWSER’S BACK BUTTON IN CASE YOU ACCIDENTALLY PAY FOR THIS ITEM TWICE, or words to that effect.

I’m not sure this is really a security issue but change always takes us awhile to get used to.