On the whole, I'm very much in the 'user decide' camp. However, there is some argument for opening PDFs and other 'not-normally-browser-native' media types in new windows (citing the confusing ways in which plug ins behave).
Personally, I like everything to download and be opened by a native application (especially PDFs!), but for coping with the default behaviour of opening the in-browser plug-in, I /might/ give consideration to new windows. The best option I can think of a 1am is to clearly offer a second 'open in new window' link, probably inserted onload using script. That way, the user can choose how to open it and if they pick the 'open' link that sits next to an 'open in new window' link, they are given some hint that the document will open in the SAME window, and thus get around some of the back button/close button confusion mentioned above. The other 'new window' situation I can think of relates to some 'web applications'. For example, on the site I maintain, we have a Reseller Locator that was designed with minimal header and footer to reduce clutter. Although a legacy app (so it might not be designed this way if we did it again) in this case it aids the usability of the application to have the reduced interface. However, this then removes a lot site navigation, so it makes more sense to open it in a new window. The critical, REALLY REALLY important thing I draw attention to when you have a system that (for whatever reason) is better suited to a new window: *make it as obvious as you can*. 1) Add the new window behaviour to the link using script *after* load. Have it open in the same, default window using a standard hyperlink without script, so as not to lock out customised browser configurations or scriptless fringe browsers. 2) Define a default size for the app! Obviously allow it to be resizeable, but if a new browser window appears that has exactly the same dimensions as the 'primary' window it was spawned from, the user is quite unlikely to twig that this is a different window at all. They'll be confused when they can't click 'back' to return to the original page. If, however, you give the child window a different (ideally smaller) size, then it will stand out from the main browser and the user won't be as confused when wanting to return to the first page. Still bad practice, I think, but those two rules are absolutely non-negotiable for me when making the best of an imperfect situation! Ben http://ben-ward.co.uk ****************************************************** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list & getting help ******************************************************
