Comments on: Looking at links point _blank http://benmacgowan.co.uk/2009/08/18/looking-at-links-point-_blank/ Web Developer with an unhealthy love for HTML, CSS & jQuery Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:21:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Ben http://benmacgowan.co.uk/2009/08/18/looking-at-links-point-_blank/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Ben Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:17:03 +0000 http://benmacgowan.co.uk/?p=280#comment-59 Amelie: But how does adding a rel attribute to a link help the user? It doesn't affect what happens when you hover over, and click the link. And even if the target attribute is deprecated, which is news to me, why does so many internet technologies (WYSIWYG editors) still utilise it? Jem: I would be interested in reading some usability studies on this, if you have any links please do let me know, but from my point of view this works best for the user. Though this might be contradiction what I said in the post - surely they only get confused because they do not understand the browser technology they are using? Amelie: But how does adding a rel attribute to a link help the user? It doesn’t affect what happens when you hover over, and click the link.
And even if the target attribute is deprecated, which is news to me, why does so many internet technologies (WYSIWYG editors) still utilise it?

Jem: I would be interested in reading some usability studies on this, if you have any links please do let me know, but from my point of view this works best for the user. Though this might be contradiction what I said in the post – surely they only get confused because they do not understand the browser technology they are using?

]]> By: Jem http://benmacgowan.co.uk/2009/08/18/looking-at-links-point-_blank/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Jem Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:25:30 +0000 http://benmacgowan.co.uk/?p=280#comment-58 Usability studies disagree with you, too. Users don't recognise that a new window has been opened and they're on a new website, they just get confused as to why they can't go "back" to the page that looked different. Usability studies disagree with you, too. Users don’t recognise that a new window has been opened and they’re on a new website, they just get confused as to why they can’t go “back” to the page that looked different.

]]> By: Amelie http://benmacgowan.co.uk/2009/08/18/looking-at-links-point-_blank/comment-page-1/#comment-57 Amelie Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:42:55 +0000 http://benmacgowan.co.uk/?p=280#comment-57 I disagree with this... I don't think it is up to the site owner to tell me how links should open on my computer. I want to choose whether to open them in a new window, new tab or the same window - you can use the rel attribute to signify an external link for a usability/accessibility point of view. I don't use the target attribute at all - it's deprecated in most of the strict doctypes anyway ;) I disagree with this… I don’t think it is up to the site owner to tell me how links should open on my computer. I want to choose whether to open them in a new window, new tab or the same window – you can use the rel attribute to signify an external link for a usability/accessibility point of view. I don’t use the target attribute at all – it’s deprecated in most of the strict doctypes anyway ;)

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