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Re: Reason For Links Opening In New Window

for

From: ben morrison
Date: Jan 5, 2007 5:20AM

On 1/5/07, Kallie Swanepoel < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hi All
>
> Are there any special reason why one should want to have a link opening
> in a new window, using the
>
> Target="blank"
>
> attribute?
>
> That is:
>
> Opening the new page, and minimizing the previous one.

Hi Kallie,

Its good practice/polite to start a new conversation/email, anyway in
answer to your question there isn't a special reason to open a new
window and in fact is bad practice.

If a user wants to open the link in a new window they have the choice
to do so. It breaks the back button for users that aren't aware that a
new window has opened.

If you *must* use target="blank" then its best to advise the user.

<a href="newSite.html" target="_blank">go to this site (will open in a
new window)</a>

Generally i would avoid it unless the client specifically requests it,
then use a technique similar to the above.

regards, ben.