It would be nice if the links shown in folks posts would open in a new tab instead of the current window. I often look around in web sites people post as examples (nice way to get ideas and learn) and backstepping to get back to the board is a bit of a pain. I know I can Control-click the link to select a new tab but I usually forget.
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It would be nice if the links shown in folks posts would open in a new tab
instead of the current window. I often look around in web sites people
post as examples (nice way to get ideas and learn) and backstepping to get
back to the board is a bit of a pain. I know I can Control-click the link
to select a new tab but I usually forget.
No, it would not be nice. Taking away user choice is never nice.
Currently, you have the choice to view links in the same window, in a new
window, in a new tab in the same window… it’s totally your choice. Browser
manufacturers support a variety of preferences and key commands so that you
can also choose how to moderate your internet experience. From there it’s
just developing your individual browser habits. Painful, yes – but in a
good way, and not painful like having a website developer force everyone
into the same user experience.
This particular topic is part of something called Web Standards. Web
Standards are nothing new, but rather they are an established aspect of web
design. Basically, Web Standards assert that while web design is a creative
and technical effort, it is also an ethical one. This is no small thing
given the web is all about reputation.
Here are some starter links on this quite expansive subject for anyone even
remotely interested in ethical design:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/07/01/should-links-open-in-new-windows/
http://www.webcredible.com/blog-reports/web-usability/new-browser-windows.shtml
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/the-top-ten-web-design-mistakes-of-1999/
<!-- 1999!!! -->
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/top-10-mistakes-web-design/ <!-- still on
the list for 2011 -->
http://uxmovement.com/navigation/why-external-links-should-open-in-new-tabs/
http://www.trilithium.com/johan/2005/03/target-blank/
http://robertnyman.com/2006/02/13/how-evil-is-the-target-attribute/
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/open-new-windows-for-pdfs/
** Note: I am not a moderator of this forum. In fact, I did not think this
forum had moderators, but I could be wrong. I’m more like that guy who, if
you’re sitting on his barstool, gives you the stink-eye until you quietly
slip off and move down a bit. Yeah, that’s me. **
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I know I can Control-click the link to select a new tab but I usually forget.
I agree with Ernie - it doesn’t take much to Remember!
D
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Interesting, I’ll read those links.
I always thought it would be “standard” to open a link that’s not part of the site in a new tab/window. That way the visitor is always still on their original page when they just click the link closed.
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I always thought it would be “standard” to open a link that’s not part of
the site in a new tab/window. That way the visitor is always still on
their original page when they just click the link closed.
That’s what the “back” button and Browser History are for 
Confession: I myself am an avid tabbed browser window user - usually with
two browsers going at once. I also use a bookmarking app for collecting
articles to read later. I say this to be clear that I understand the desire
for the internet to work on my behalf - it’s just that responsibility
should be mine as a user, and not mine as a developer.
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I kind of agree in designing sites the last thing I want potential clients to do is to leave the site entirely and go off somewhere else via external linking - regardless of a back button or history. So if it’s not an internal link I’ll use target_blank to invoke external links in new windows as needed.
That said - On FWT it’s pretty easy to two finger tap my magic track pad and open links in a new tab/window when I know I want to keep the existing one open. It’s not hard to remember that links here (even profile links) all are “in place” links and after a time it becomes second nature to work with it.
Keep in mind, this is also a mailing list - so the design considerations may be different.
I always thought it would be “standard” to open a link that’s not part of the site in a new tab/window. That way the visitor is always still on their original page when they just click the link closed.
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There has been an excellent topic about this on css-tricks which is trying to cover most of the point of views.
I’d like to grab one of them:
“A Good Reason: The user is working on something on the page, that might be lost if the current page changed.”
I agree: CMD-click, done. It’s in my hands - so far so good.
As being one who struggles with both: the english language in order to write proper, helpful and understandable comments and correctly figuring out the gist or problem of a list, I need the face-to-face working:
Examining (a page or more) vs. writing it down line by line, back forth and so on.
So if it is 99% of all cases I hit cmd-click, it’ll be a good thing to change in general to target _blank, isn’t it?
We’re Mac users, able to deal with tabs. Just a thought.
Cheers
Thomas
Read the full article (if it is of interest):
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Thanks for the responses everyone.
Big Erns, I read many of the links you gave and found them very interesting. The point about user confusion, and the back button “not working” in the new tab, is a valid point. I have seen that happen.
I love how on forums you can ask a simple question and end up learning about issues you didn’t even know existed. Thanks
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There are three or four people who can use the “ban-hammer” here, but mostly we rely on the good nature of the finest collection of polite people on the ‘net. And I have been on that 'net since 1994, and I don’t hand out this superlative very often.
Walter
On Nov 6, 2014, at 11:57 AM, Ernie Simpson email@hidden wrote:
Note: I am not a moderator of this forum. In fact, I did not think this
forum had moderators, but I could be wrong.
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