[thelist] Target=_blank or back button?

[Chris W. Parker]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Mason [mailto:evolt at accessibleinter.net]
>
> At 12:34 PM 06/20/2002, you wrote:
> > > Theories, thoughts, suggestions... on when it's appropriate
> > > to open a link in a new browser window vs. simply using the
> > > back button? Thanks!
> > > Janet
> >
> >when you are linking outside of your site.
>
> Unless, perhaps, if your site's purpose is a directory of sites.
>
>  From an accessibility standpoint, _blank is undesirable
> unless the user is
> warned that a new window is going to be spawned.
>
> http://bobby.cast.org/bobby/html/en/gls/g112.html
>
> http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505/#tech-avoid-pop-ups

true and not true. i agree with the warning part. for instance Dell.com
has a little icon next to links indicating it is going to create a new
window.

although i don't totally agree with the directory site thing you pointed
out.

GOOD: on a site like http://www.google.com/ where you might not ever
come back to the originating site (that site being google of course.)

BAD: on a site like http://www.linkdup.com/ where you are just browsing
different sites, quite possibly not looking for anything in particular.
in this case i appreciate them opening new windows so that when i'm done
traversing the opened site i can quickly close it (with Ctrl-W in IE)
and instantly be back to browsing for another site to look at. if they
did not open a new window i could possibly have to click back 5 to 10
times before i finally got back to http://www.linkdup.com/ . this is
unacceptable... for me at least.


chris.