7 Responses

1. nigel

   April 2nd, 2005 at 2:31 am

   1

   Everything I’ve read on usability has slammed opening links in new windows as it effectively breaks the back button. While in some instances I agree with this theory there are times when it is useful to open things in new windows but at the end of the day if a user wants to open something in a new window they will probably pick ‘Open in new window’ or ‘Open in new tab’ from their context menus. If it could be set in WP by the user then that would be cool because they can choose what they prefer instead of having it forced upon them.

2. John

   April 2nd, 2005 at 8:06 am

   2

   From a site owners perspective it’s nice to have external links open in a new window and internal links open in the same window. But, I think you’re right that proper usability is outside links use the same window.

3. pixies.ca » Blog Archive » May The Force Not Be With You

   April 2nd, 2005 at 11:14 am

   3

   [...] og photos about contact May The Force Not Be With You Blogging Pro posted a link to a tutorial on how to make WordPress open i [...]

4. Ajay - On the Road called Life!

   April 3rd, 2005 at 12:20 am

   4

   Wordpress Hack: Opening Links in New Windows

   Having read the tutorial by 21st Century Paladin on Opening Links in New Windows, I dug up an old post of mine in which I had editted the quicktags.js file so that I can insert links via the Quicktags buttons.
   I have just modified the hack a little s…

5. Ajay DSouza

   April 3rd, 2005 at 12:22 am

   5

   This is very much a website owners perspective. I prefer opening links to external pages in a new window for the simple reason it takes the user away from my site and for the more amateur readers, it becomes easier to just close another window than click the back button, especially they have several windows open in the first place.

   BTW, I have written a similar hack which requires the editting of only quicktags.js file and provides better flexibility in adding the target attribute.
   Please check it out here.

6. the Other michael

   April 3rd, 2005 at 9:44 am

   6

   From a web USER’s perspective, I HATE it when a website hijacks my browser and tells me where to open what.

   I consider the browser opening a link in a new window roughly the equivalent of a pop-up ad.

   Not quite, but d**n irritating.

   But, this is a techinical post, isn’t it. Like teaching somebody how to crack safes. As such, I heartily approve.

   But when I see a website utilising this, I’m not going back….

7. Zama

   April 3rd, 2005 at 1:34 pm

   7

   I agree with Nigel and Michael — as soon as I see a site do this, I don’t come back. It’s simply rude and inconsiderate.

   And I say this from a web site operator’s perspective. None of my sites open links in new windows. Why? If my site is providing value, people will use the Back button to come back to the site. I think a lot of folks who foist new browser windows on people do so because their sites don’t offer enough value to keep people coming back of their own accord.