[thelist] Click here

[Chris Evans]

I would think that Nielsen or another usability expert would have some info
on good linking practices, but I can't seem to find any info on links and
usability.  Any usability experts out there have any good sources?


Chris Evans
chris at fuseware.com
http://www.fuseware.com


-----Original Message-----
From: thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org
[mailto:thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of
Rudy_Limeback at maritimelife.ca
Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2000 4:05 PM
To: thelist at lists.evolt.org
Subject: RE: [thelist] Click here


> Am I the only one who thinks the words "click here" on a web
> site are redundant and stupid?

hi chris

nope, you are not alone (tm)

> I think we should link the appropriate related word,
> but they insist on "click here".

most intranet content producers in my company use "click here", but
fortunately, i think i'm winning the battle, because i'm the guy who posts
all the documents to the intranet, dozens of them a week, and i routinely
and ruthlessly always remove this gruesome phrase and make a link out of
the appropriate text, which is always the TITLE or H1 of the target
document


> I can't find any links or resources talking about the proper way to
link, though.

   Probably the #1 rule is that you should not use "Click here"
   to point to a document. Keep in mind that not everyone can
   "click" (e.g., some people are using non-graphic browsers)
   and also consider that you or someone else might ever print
   out the document and on paper, "click here" just seems silly :-)
   Therefore, it is best if the text of the link actually has something
   to do with the content. It also makes bookmarks/hotlinks
   work much better.
                  HTML Bad Style Page
                  http://www.earth.com/bad-style/

the point about bookmarks is rather subtle, because if you (not you chris,
i mean web developers who use "click here") think your users are so stupid
that they have to be told "click here" then there's not much chance
they're gonna right-click to add the bookmark, are they?  but if they did,
they'd get a bunch of bookmarks all called "click here"


alessandro:
> Here's what *really* drives me insane! The words "Click Here"
> when they are NOT links. ( as in 'Click here to go see our
> new pictures' //and pictures is the link).

yeah, that bites

send them a little note and tell them to change it to

  click <u>over there</u> to see our <a href=foo.htm>new pictures</a>


rudy
r937.com

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