Question: I was intrigued by this statement by [@DanWilson](http://twitter.com/DanWIlson) on Twitter:

> 
> All Web Developers: Never Ever Ever
>  put anything after the password box
>  and before submit button on a form.
>  Tab MUST go directly to submit.
> 
> 
> 

When I asked for clarification, he added:

> 
> because the UI pattern is Username TAB Password TAB Enter Key.
> 
> 
> 

Can anyone point me to evidence that corroborates or contradicts that claim, even if it's anecdotal?

Answer: 
Egregious breaks in this pattern are when helpful form designers put the Forgot Password link on the tab stop after password and before the submit button. This inevitably results in the page refreshing, a new form loading. Then, when going back, as per good security practices, the password field (which I typed in the first time) is blank.

While I totally respect the aesthetic freedom of designers and developers and I do not want the web to LOOK homogeneous, the behavior of the web should be. 

Dan Wilson
I agree with John. I think that most people press Enter while in the password field (I do), or will click/tap on the Enter button.

However, for the few Windows users that press Tab and then Enter, Dan is right: there shouldn't be anything between the password's edit field and the Enter button.

I singled out Windows users because on the Mac, the default is that pressing Tab takes you to the next edit field or listbox. It will never take you to a button. My apologies to Linux users; I'm not sure about the details there.