Posted by Jake on 10/08/05 21:47

In message <1cem8k2d3rbv4$.uticsecpy0hu$.dlg@40tude.net>, Beauregard T.
Shagnasty <a.nony.mous@example.invalid> writes
>Jake wrote:
>
>> In message <1q0g2rj0pmdff.12hqj7nw7o58u.dlg@40tude.net>, Beauregard T.
>> Shagnasty <a.nony.mous@example.invalid> writes
>>>Jake wrote:
>>>
>>>> Clearly, you and I are not going to agree on this one (I suspect).
>>>
>>>I suspect that is a correct statement.
>>>
>> An experiment. Try this:
>>
>> (a) Go here:
>> http://www.openlink.org/newsevents.htm
>>
>> (b) Select the 'Walton Hall Campus Tour' (the image in the centre of the
>> page)
>
>In IE6, I'm taken to a new site/page, with prompts that an ActiveX
>component is trying to execute. I said No.
>
>> (c) When the new page loads, press the 'back' button
>>
>> (d) Where are you now?
>
>In IE6, I am at the same page. Stuck on that page. No way back. I have
>the choice of closing the browser, or picking something else from my
>bookmarks, or going to .. google.com?
>
>In Firefox, I am back at the openlink.org page as expected.
>In Opera, I am back at the openlink.org page as expected.
>
>> You need to use IE6 for this.
>
>Only to illustrate the bad (proprietary) design.
>
>So what is the point? The first site doesn't open the second in a new
>window; it's even worse (but only in IE).
>
>I'm sure we could all post dozens/hundreds/millions of badly designed
>sites...
>
My original point: you have no control over an external site you link
to.

So. If you had linked to this site (in the same window), and the user
(using IE, like 90% of your visitors) had found his/her way to this page
on the site -- what are they going to do?

The back button isn't going to get them anywhere.

If you link to them in a new window, all they have to do is kill the
current window and they're back safe-and-sound on your site.

Now. If the user is relying on a screen-reader to get around, which is
easier?

Regards.

--
Jake (jake@gododdin.demon.co.uk -- just a 'spam trap' mail address)

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