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Some say open a new window for all external links (and .pdf downloads) and try to reduce the size of that new window. I know how to create a specific sized pop-up but in the case of :
target="_blank" ....how can I control the new window size?
I've also read that the "target" element is not supported by HTML 4.1 or XHTML so...is this a bad idea? I have not encountered this problem
I was think of opening the external links in a frameset, with the bottom frame having a link back to the originating (parent) site. Good/Bad idea?
Thanks very much!
There is no way to control the size of a window opened with a target attribute - it takes the javascript window.open() method to do that. See message #4 in this thread in our Javascript Forum [webmasterworld.com].
The frameset approach is also workable, as long as the external site doesn't use a "frame busting" javascript, so it's good to test for this. If you are using a strict DTD, note that you need to switch to a frameset DTD to build a frame. It's more than the target attribute that is not allowed - it's everything "frames" which includes the target attribute. Valid DTD List [w3.org]
And finally, I am more and more turning away from a "keep them on the site" approach to external links. On the web, no audience is ever a captive audience anyway.
I find myself irritated when sites assume that I cannot find them again if I want to (who doesn't know where the back button is?) or open a new window myself when I need one. The way to retain visitors is to have a good website, not to control the visitor's browser.
I've seen no downside in the metrics for sites where external links simply open in the same window. And I now feel it is a courtesy to do things that way. It's one area where assuming that visitors "have a brain" seems to work.
So you ask "good idea/bad idea" about framesets - I vote "weak idea" and also labor intensive and a bit dated. If you must do something in this "visitor retention" realm, then use javascript and open a new window that way.
I wouldn't be opening a new window either but since it's a subjective issue, I won't try to win this battle with my client who requested it.
I've seen no downside in the metrics for sites where external links simply open in the same window. And I now feel it is a courtesy to do things that way.
I've read enough posts on this board to know that I am in the minority on this issue. But I find it discourteous when I am given sufficient warning that a link is external and then it opens in the same browser window I'm already reading. (I'm reading! Don't take away the page I'm reading).
I like my sites aligned horizontally across the tabs not vertically in the Back list.
Generally it is assumed that all pages should open in the same browser window by default. My personal preferred default is that external sites should open in new tabs / windows. I wish browsers such as Firefox would give me this option as an overriding default.
But a lot of people feel otherwise. I've actually been criticised by a user for opening a help page in a new window. My thinking was for the user to be have both the problem page and the hep page open together, so as to be able to jump back and forth between windows.
But the one email I've ever received commenting on this was one in which a user complained that he couldn't use the back button to return from the help page to where he really wanted to be. "Fortunately," he commented, "the original page was still open."
I came to the conclusion that, like me, all users want to be in control. It's just that they might want to be in control in a different way to me.
The idea of having an option in your browser preferences is a good one. I'd vote for that.
Three options:
a) Always go with the author's navigation
b) Always open external links in the same window
c) Always open external links in a new window / tab
That way the user gets links to behave as the user wants... and everyone is happy.
Other than that, our CMS opens all external links in a new window.
