The cloud application shortcut key conundrum

One of the more annoying things about using the new, all singing, all dancing web interface on Apple’s MobileMe email service is the hijacking of my much used Firefox shortcut ^N (create a new browser window.)

When using a browser, I expect ^N to create me a new browser window, which it duly does most of the time. When inside the MobileMe email web application, ^N creates a new email message window. To say the least this is a little bit annoying because I have to start thinking about context when I want a new browser window. Not ideal.

The problem is only going to get worse. More and more applications are going to be web based, operations used frequently are going to require shortcut keys.

How can the requirement for shortcut keys in web applications be reconciled with Mac or Windows application shortcut keys?

It is hard to see exactly how the problem can be resolved, because I would need to tell the web application or the browser to which application my shortcut was intended. That would defeat the object of shortcuts.

Perhaps the solution is for browsers to prevent web applications from hijacking their shortcut keys.