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Comment by mindcrime | Hacker News Reader

Don’t make links that open new windows or tabs; it’s grossly hostile to the reader.

I don't really agree with this one. From my perspective as a reader, I prefer when links have target="_blank" set, because it means if I forget to (or couldn't be arsed to) ctrl+click or right-click -> open link in new tab, I still don't lose my place on the current page, and can go poke around at the linked content at my leisure.

Maybe I'm weird (OK, obviously I'm weird in some regards) but I prefer to open links as I go, but read the main text-stream first, then go back and read linked articles, posts, citations, etc. If they are conveniently opened in a pile of tabs, it makes my life easier.

Curious how the rest of the HN readership feels about this...

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Obviously @mindcrime find's it useful ;-) However whenever I have done user testing of links opening in new windows it has never helped. At best there's no difference. Very commonly it confuses and does the opposite of what the site designer wanted (that people find it easy to get back to their site).

For example I've see the following happen on ecommerce sites on multiple occasions:

* On site we're testing, tasked to buy a Foo

* Find some external link that opens in a new window

* User views the link, hit's back button - back button fails (it's a new window)

* They then just Google for "Buying Foo" of similar

* Pick a new site - probably amazon or some other familiar name

* Continue with the purchase elsewhere

People understand how to return to your site when they visit another. You hit the back button. Break that behaviour and you make it harder not easier for most people. Especially in mobile & tablet browsers where tabs are often much less visually obvious.

Don't break my browser defaults for your preferences.

If I want it to open in a new window I'll shift+click and if I want a new tab I'll ctrl+click or middle mouse click.

Same here, I pretty much open every link in a tab, but then when I'm ready to leave I want the last link in the same tab. So I prefer they all open in the same tab and I decide when clicking.

Fair enough. What would be nice would be if there was an easier way of making the behavior optional, besides:

A. making the user right-click and select from a context-menu

B. making the user remember (or not) to ctrl+click / middle-click

C. putting the infamous Here Is A Link (open in new tab) parenthetical thing next to the link.

It depends. I usually prefer to stay on the same page. There are use cases however when i am ok with a new window. For example, a help window/pop-up, details on a field while filling out a form (you need it sometimes) etc. Sidenot, the worst thing that I hate: clicking on a link only to find out that the new page now has no menu/link to go back to anything else and rely on the dreaded browser back button.

oh btw, if I prefer a new window, I can always right click and say "Open in new tab" etc.

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