Posted by Jake on 12/31/05 13:08

In message <Xns973D5853DA6ADjkorpelacstutfi@193.229.4.246>, Jukka K.
Korpela <jkorpela@cs.tut.fi> writes
>Jake <jake@gododdin.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>>On the one hand, people should have the choice as to whether or not to
>>>open a new window, and this defeats that choice (usually invisibly). A
>>>new window can disorient people, defeat the back button, and use
>>>(perhaps scarce) system resources.
>>
>> Sure. It's a major problem for people with less than 15 minutes exposure
>> to the Web.
>
>Correct. And for the great majority of other people, too. You seem to imply
>otherwise, though, thereby exposing your rather deep ignorance of the issue.
>
>> If it really was an issue, then browser manufacturers would provide a
>> setting to override the spawning of a new window -- forcing the target
>> to be the existing window.
>
>They do. Didn't you know this? Well, neither do many other people. And that's
>really part of the problem.
>
>>>On my site I have used it (I believe) judiciously, mainly opening new
>>>windows into "foreign" sites and using the default (use the same
>>>window) for most in-site links.
>>
>> Fine.
>
>Not fine. It's a symptom of the disease of trying to "keep the user on my
>site", thereby quite often _making_ the user leave the site, rather than
>preventing that.
>
>> Just warn your users that links to eternal sites open in a new browser
>> window.
>
>That would break the fundamental rule "never bother the user with
>technicalities". Besides, all communication fails, except by accident,
>so many people will waste their time reading the warnings, yet failing to
>understand what they try to say. And when your page is printed, the warning
>will look rather stupid, won't it?
>
>> I notice that a number of authors are now starting to append an icon to
>> a link that opens in a new window, with both 'alt' and 'title' text on
>> the <img> informing the user of the fact.
>
>That's a further distraction, requiring users to get familiar with such
>idiosyncratic symbolism. (Authors naturally apply the NIH principle, using
>each their own "icons" for the purpose.)
>
I'd like to help you out here ... but life's just too short .... ;-)

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

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