A different topic got me thinking, which is the best way to open different things on a site

 

Should external links open in the same window so the users have to click back x amount of times to find the original site?

 

Should thumbnails open in a new window/tab so it has to be closed?

 

What about none standard website things such as pdf's and word documents, its it acceptable to have these open in the same window and possibly confuse a users with the different look that these documents can have. As some of these none web page documents can change the look of a browser window is it not better to open in a new window?

 

 

So there is the poll and opinions and reasons are always good too

Interesting poll.

 

I LOVE tabbed browsing and now that IE7 has finally caught on to it - so the majority of web surfers now have access to tabs - I see no reason not to have most of the things you mentioned opening in a separate window/tab. I especially feel this way about external links - I NEVER have external links open in the same window as my site(s). It just seems like bad business.

 

Thumbnails: I can see positives and negatives for both, so I'm not too sure about that one.

i think everything should open in a new tab/window

for the simple reason why if i post a link to a nother site should they leave my site and possibly forget my site altogether. i want them to stay at my site while they browse another site then close that window and say wow. what else has he got.

Very interesting poll. But I think it should be specified more.

Because incorrect implementation of popup windows prevents the user to open in new tab.

 

In general I just get annoyed when websites tries to force open new windows. I'm perfectly capable of returning to the site I was on or opening a new tab. Don't need someone to hold my hand. If I want to proceed to a link it irritates me if it opens in a new window and I need to go back and close the old one.

 

For other file formats, such as docs and pdfs I mostly find it ok that it opens in a new window/tab. Usually it's larger chunks of reading which I return to after I've finished navigating the site that linked to it.

 

But I'd say the thumb rule should be: Leave it to the user.

very interesting poll - I'm torn as I prefer things to open in a new window using _blank but if you code in XHTML Strict you're not allowed to do that. I loved tabbed browsing and so when I click on a link, I always open it in a new tab...this is one of the reason I still use XHTML transitional as client always want things to open in new browser windows, as Kip says - why should they go somewhere else and forget about your site...it encourages people to navigate away fom your site.

 

so I'm undecided to be honest.

Yes, it would be interesting to see the results of this poll.

Personally I like it when external links/files are opened in a separate window, as to not lose the page i'm actually there to visit.

To me, opening links in new windows is like popup ads = annoying as hell.

 

Also, I think a distinction should be made between opening something in a new window, and opening something in a new tab.

What is the difference...you still lose the back button function.

 

I guess you could say....A new Tab opens inside the browser under the Tabbed Control menu. A new Window will open a new browser window, which is a new task in the task bar. Both of which will lose the function of the back button, both of which will still show the same browser functions. Now the difference between a pop-up window and a new window/tab is that you could lose the function of the browser should the designer wish within that pop-up window...no back button and no controls other then what the designer wishes there to be. So yes there is a major difference between pop-ups and new windows/tabs, but not a major difference between a tab and a new window other then its location.

 

As for my answers as I have just voted

 

thumbnails- I don't care I will middle click and open in new tab as I find that easier to open them in a new tab.

 

External links- from personal experience and opinion, I like these to open in a different window.

 

Other documents not related to web stuff- should never be opened in the same window, as tests (not by me ) have proven that users get confused by pdfs, word doc or anything other none web thing open in the same window. This is due to the majority of these changing how the browser looks so they expect them not to be in the same window as the browser as it doesn't look like the browser window. A lot expect as these once they are finished with such a thing as they are none related to the browser that they should close it and go back to the browser...so if it opens in the same window it is more confusing rather than less confusing.

 

 

Anyway so as you can see I am selfish with external links, but thoughtful with other documents

very interesting poll - I'm torn as I prefer things to open in a new window using _blank but if you code in XHTML Strict you're not allowed to do that. I loved tabbed browsing and so when I click on a link, I always open it in a new tab...this is one of the reason I still use XHTML transitional as client always want things to open in new browser windows, as Kip says - why should they go somewhere else and forget about your site...it encourages people to navigate away fom your site.

 

so I'm undecided to be honest.

 

But what if I want to navigate of the site. But the darn thing won't let me? (or at least make it an extra effort.)

I think that if the content of your site, the visitors will come back. If they forget about you when they click on another link then there's nothing more of interest for them. So why force them to stay?

I'm one of those strange people that likes to make things open in a new window; however not to the extreme. Items such as word/pdf documents should open in a new window because they are applications and they sometimes take a bit of time to load up. If it is opened in a new window, it will allow the visitor to surf for additional content from the same site. External links really varies on what kind but should often open in new window. If its something like w3 links, then it should open in the same window. Images should open in the same window. Often people use images on galleries and it gets really annoying for people to have an extra window just for 1 time they can simply press back on when they open it.

But what if I want to navigate of the site. But the darn thing won't let me? (or at least make it an extra effort.)

I think that if the content of your site, the visitors will come back. If they forget about you when they click on another link then there's nothing more of interest for them. So why force them to stay?

 

Hmm. I don't think I trust Mr. or Ms. Average Web Surfer to know how to open things in different windows and therefore stay on my site too. Maybe they're more evolved than I thought, but I imagine most web surfers not really noticing where they're clicking away from until it's too late.

 

But I think that if you want to leave the site that badly, you'll close the tab/window. Most people understand the little "x" in the upper right corner of their screen.

The way I see it, force open new windows is like disabling the right click because you want to prevent copying.

When I open say a .pdf, I want it to ask me whether I want to open it or save it. My IE is messed up and so I can't view .pdf's from within the browser anyways... That's frustrating.

As a rule of thumb I always open all links in the same tab/window, mainly from the accessibility perspective. Users can open any link (apart from a JS link) in a ne wwindow if they want to so let the user decide.

I dont really matter as each link i right click and open in a new tab.

Usually, the links to other site are set to open to a new window, while internal links are set to open in the same window. This is the only way I can tell an average net whether or not a webpage is still part of the same website or a totally different website (at least, that's the only way I can think of). I do not like the idea of adding that little arrow thing that they use in wikipedia.

 

In my blog that contains web design tutorials, sample webpages opens in a new window.

 

At first, I was undecided in the case of non-htm file such as doc and pdf, but reading your posts here, perhaps I should also make them open in a new window.

 

As for thumbnails. There is this ajax script that enables you to see the larger image at the center of the window while blurring/darkening the rest of the webpage. You can see how it works in my online store http://neko.greten.info. My only problem with this script is that the separate css file (used only for this trick, not for the webpage) fails the W3C test.

I like it opening in a new window, because it is really annoying when you accidentally X out of the window, thinking is was a new window.

 

But for opening images, lightboxes are the way to go.

It's a tough one to call, but all the usability evidence suggests that new windows are bad. They take control away form the user and confuse them, particularly if they loose track of how many windows are open - much more confusing than just clicking back.

 

The only exception is PDFs or external documents: these should always open in a new window. Natural user behaviour once they've finished with the document is to close the window, which frustrates them if the need to open a new one and navigate back to the website.

 

This isn't all my opinion. Jakob Nielsen has done lots of research on this. Also I've been involved in lots of user testing where these things have been evidenced with real-world people.

I prefer stuff to open in new windows, especially if it's an external link from a site - because you leave the original site to check the link. However, it is only a right click away if that's your preference.

I rather have my things open in new windows its easier