A number of the corporations I've work for have the best practice of presenting a page in the same window which notifies the user that they are about to leave the "coproration name" web site with links that give the user the choice of continuing on to an external website or returning to the page they clicked on the external link from. Many of them also add a disclaimer on this page that lets the user know that the website they are going to content is not controlled by them and therefore they can't "gaurantee" the content. If they choose to go on, the external site is opened in the same window to avoid confusion of windows lost behind, or not knowing what has happened.
After careful thought I have instituted this process during many other contracts since it allows the user to make a decision. Since they are links, not buttons the user can also opt to open the external link in a separate window and return to the the page the external link was on. Though I do not urge clients to use the "disclaimer" since they're already announcing it's not their website. This is done whether the external link is integrated into text or on a "links" page, since it's not reasonable to assume that all web users understand that a links page generally means external links. Susan Grossman On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 10:43:30 +1000, Lachlan Hardy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Apparently I too browse in a very similar manner to Wayne, I open just > about every link in a new tab. Back when I used IE, I opened them in a > new window (Shift+Click was a wonderful thing, now it's Ctrl+Click) > > However, I totally disapprove of opening links in a new window for one > reason only: > > If the link opens a new tab/window and I DON'T want one, how do I > correct that easily? > > If the link doesn't open a new tab/window and I want one I can easily > modify my actions to make it happen via keyboard shortcuts or the > context menu. Cutting and pasting URLs = pain in the bum = annoyed user > > The only way to get by these days is to assume that the user knows what > they want and how to get it, and at least provide a consistent > experience for the users who don't know those things > > Someone previously mentioned those with learning disabilities becoming > confused by new windows unexpectedly opening. This also applies to the > non-IT savvy amongst us, of whom there are many. A consistent > user-experience is absolutely necessary in order to allow these people > to cope with the bewilderment they experience simply by being on a > computer, let alone the web > > The argument that users will learn to cope doesn't hold water with me. > Some users will, but there will always be some who won't. I work with > one guy regularly who is quite smart and very knowledgeable in his own > field but for the last ten years I've been trying to teach him how to > save to a disk and he still doesn't get it. He is obviously an extreme > case, but I work with many others with only slightly better IT > capabilities. Anything which reduces confusion for these folks and > increases consistency is a good thing! > > Cheers, > Lachlan > > > ****************************************************** > The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ > > See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm > for some hints on posting to the list & getting help > ****************************************************** > > -- Susan R. Grossman [EMAIL PROTECTED] ****************************************************** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list & getting help ******************************************************
