[thelist] To _blank or not to _blank

[aardvark]

> From: "Daniel Medley" <dm at lgcy.com>
>
> I'm curious, what is the consensus, if there is one, concerning
> opening a new window with links to off-site content? I've heard that
> it is not a good design method, generally speaking, however I know
> that I personally prefer it when I browse sites. I will almost always
> left click a link and then open the link in a new window so that I
> don't have to hit my back button to come back to my original
> destination. Based on this preference I'm making a site that uses
> _blank on all my off-site links on the opening page only (there are
> several).

rudy will ravenously reply that opening new windows is evil... i will
agree, but i do it anyway...

however, it depends on your audience...

my average client *loves* links that open in new windows, because
they feel people never leave their site... they are partially right...
and they're the client... so they get links that open in new
windows...

on some techie-oriented sites on which i'm working hav a different
audience -- the IE shift-clickers... those users will always surf in
new windows on their own, because it's easier to assume the
developer hasn't done that, and they prefer a new window for every
link (i'm one of those)...

for them, targets are moot... so i leave 'em out... and not just
because they're moot, but because that way the user can decide
because the user *knows how* to decide...

rudy?