If you Ctrl-Shift-T after you close the tab, it comes back, with form fields as they were. Maybe it's not too late! Try it now!

Also - if you set "When Firefox Starts" to "Show my windows and tabs from last time" under Tools > Options > Main, then ... well ... it, uh, shows your windows and tabs from last time when Firefox starts. Forms filled in here, too.

Firefox R0x0rz.

Hey, cool...it worked! Even an hour after I accidentally closed the tab, ctrl-shift-t restored it.

Plus, I think I'm regrowing hair on the top of my head! It's a miracle!!

Seriously, that's a great tip...I'm going to update the post in case others don't know about it.

I have the Session Manager plug-in installed on my laptop version of Firefox, which extends the flexibility of that "When Firefox Starts..." preference. I guess I need to install it on my desktop version as well.

Thanks again, Brian!

Cool. News you...I mean me...I mean we...can use. Thanks for the tip Brian. I'm tucking that one away for a rainy day.

Heh. I closed the tab this permalink page was in, clicked Ctrl-Shift-T, and back came the tab and post, just as described. Nifty way to get back to Eric when he's inadvertently tabbed-away.

Rob, I guess I'm disappointed that you don't keep a permanent window open to the Gazette! ;-)

I discovered a variation of this feature when our ancient laptop decided to have a seizure right in the middle of a lengthy comment I was composing for someone's blog. I tried everything but ultimately, mournfully, admitted defeat and rebooted.

Gone, gone, gone... but wait! Ten minutes later, when the computer had rebooted, I fired up Firefox 2.0 and was amazed. A message box came up, informing me that Firefox had been shut down in a non-standard way, and would I perchance care to pick up where I left off? Yes, please. And sure enough, there was my comment-in-progress, just waiting to be finished and sent.

I ended up deciding that the comment wasn't nearly as entertaining as I'd first imagined and deleted it without sending, but that's really not the point.

No, actually, that's exactly the point -- as long as we're discussing Firefox's sophistication -- as you stumbled across a little known feature, the Jiminey Cricket Popup™. Firefox's AI algorithms monitor your comments and can choose to effect a shutdown of the program in the event it detects something ill-advised. After giving you time to re-consider (during the reboot process), it will allow you to proceed (although you may also experience the Virtual Disappointed Head Shake and Tsk Dialog® if you choose to ignore its advice).

[Hmm. Wonder why it didn't kick in for this comment, which isn't nearly as entertaining as I'd first imagined.]