However it IS annoying if you don’t have tabs enabled.

Maybe we need a “target=_newtab” attribute for links? But in the meantime, would there be a way of detecting whether tabs are enabled and having separate behaviours? You could detect browser version (less than or equal to ie6 etc) but that doesn’t get around the fact that you can switch off tabs in ie7 and firefox…

i find that whilst the content from the initial site might be good, enough to go back again, it might not be as relevant as the journey that going to other sites can often lead to, for whatever it is that you are looking for at that particular moment. this means you could end up navigating people away from the site.

it used to be less manageable to have loads of windows opening on the taskbar, but tabs in browsers rectify that.

i’m one of those who tends to have the main focal site open, where i started out, and then builds up the picture with opened tabs to other sites, which themselves can be developed if necessary. new opened links can often have some useful information, but are also in some way tangential, so having them open in new windows gives them a sort of secondary feel to where you started off.

it really depends on the content of the site at the start though, and how much of a ‘parent’ type site it is; with something like google, it is a natural start point due to its nature, not an end in itself, so opening in the same window makes sense.

Now, I get really miffed if links open in a new window without telling me - I use tabbed browsing and open all links in a new tab (by hand) - but crucially all within the same window. I’m already drowing under far too many open windows from using far too many apps at once, I want to keep all my browsing in the same window thank you very much.

However I wholeheartedly agree that the moral of the story is to tell users what the links do - no annoying surprises for the user!

This to me is the biggest issue; I don’t think people (generally) are annoyed by links opening in a new window/tab any more. How many people have more than one tab/window open now? I have 3, but it can be up to 8 or 9 on a usual day.

My attitude as a consumer has changed where I want to be the one to make a decision on whether I leave a site or not. For me, opening in the same window has changed from ‘polite/best practice’ to ‘most annoying’. New tabs are no longer intrusive (to me).

But opening links in a new window _without warning_ is the real problem - I’ve seen plenty of videos from usability tests where this has proved a problem to the participant.

I do a lot of research and often find it annoying when there is something you need a reference for and it doesn’t open in a new window causing you to lose your place within the original page. Granted i know about the right click option but i don’t always remember.

Therefore, although i am hesitant to suggest this as it could be seen to further propagate the problem, user testing should be carried out as ultimately speaking it is about keeping your clients happy and they tend to be happy when they have loads of people doing stuff on their site.

I agree with the point about great content, however certain groups of people do things in certain ways and you need to make it easier for your actual users not everyone in general. Its a tight point and one I’m still not sure of yet, but at the moment I’m out for my clients

Saying this I have a client that has a little ‘open new window’ icon next to the link and it works well.

I like to refer back and forth between pages of content and also it’s because I don’t trust what the forthcoming page will deliver.

I can close a tab and re-treat back to the previous page but If I close a window I’ve got to re-open the browser and find my history.

Opening up new browser windows is like a vacuum cleaner sales person who starts a visit by emptying an ash tray on the customer’s carpet.

How many other people do this? It kind of makes my opinion on whether the links should automatically bring up a new window meaningless, since mine always do, on my own terms. This is what you get when you ask a bunch of non-average users what you should do for average users

If you’re using a browser that doesn’t support tabs, new windows are going to get really old really quickly. Remember what happens when you fill up the real estate at the bottom of the screen? Incredibly annoying. In this light, I’d vote for Same Window, even though I’d still open it separately.