But it requires configuring a plugin in the browser. And every single browser has a possibility to show a webpage of your choice, or a blank page, on every new tab (?)

Edit: wait what browsers don't do this anymore? I can set my firefox to show the page I want for a new window but for a new tab I just get to choose between the default and blank. When did this break? I'm sure this worked last time I tried (which was probably pre 2000)

I'm not sure whether it was the desire of browser manufacturers to claim it as prime ad space, or a longstanding problem with exploitative third party apps resetting the homepage, but they've all phased it out.

wait homepage is something you see on every new tab, isn't it?

Depends on your browser. Safari for example never shows you the 'homepage' unless you specifically navigate to it.

That's not true. You can set a new tab to open on your homepage. It's in the general tab of the preferences (the very first tab you see). "New tabs open with" {favorites, top sites, homepage, empty page, same page}.

That’s what I said - unless you specifically set it up to navigate to home on a new tab.

Pedantically, specifically navigating to a page (e.g. by clicking the home button) is different from specifically setting it up so it automatically navigates for you.

In this context that difference (config option vs manual action for each new tab) is important.

Nope, for Chrome you have to use an extension, and Firefox needs an extension or some about:config changes.

Firefox > Preferences > New Windows and Tabs

"Choose what you want to see when you open your homepage, new windows, and tabs"

You then have the choice of what the default is for new windows (and 'homepage' which I assume means clicks on the Home icon in the toolbar, which I always remove...) and for what appears in new tabs. No about:config needed!

You can set the new tab page url with the ADMX templates and set the homepage button to be the newTab page - https://getadmx.com/?Category=Chrome&Policy=Google.Policies....

When did that change for chrome? I remember being able to set a url for new tabs right in settings.