Target=_blank, should we be using this?

i prefer sites to use it, because if i see a link.. and i still want to view the website if i click the link then im forced to hit my back space bar to get to the orginal page i was on

I'd always use target=_blank for links on my sites that go to external sites - Why would that annoy anyone? I actually find it annoying when I click on a link at a site and then I lose track of the site I was originally at because it didn't open a new window.

A good example is Sitepoint doesn't use target=_blank and Namepros does - This becomes really annoying when you're checking out sites for sale and it doesn't open in a new window.

Generally speaking, I make all external links open up in a new window, and have most internal links open in the same window.

Losing your way because the link you just clicked has opened in the same window should never really be a problem, because ideally you should never be more than a couple of clicks away from the page you need (in my opinion) on most websites (unless it's a shop or something, in which case you can't always expect that to be the case).

I actually make sure all my links open in the same window. I think that it should be up to the surfer if he wants to open a new window or if he wants to click on a link to open in the same window. I also have the same feelings about full screen websites.

If the user really wants to open a website in a new window, he or she would choose to, since all browsers have an option to open the link in a new window, that should not be a problem for them.

I have the same logic as joe. Don't assume the user is stupid or can't use the 'back' button.

If they want to view it in a seperate window they will. Not to mention as FF gets more popular among the public, tabs are where it is at .

I usually hate when I get all these extra windows open because of the _blank target. I'd just assume use one window for everything personally.

It is really down to an ease of use point; if you have the link open a new window (or ideally a new tab, there is a lot of information for doing this on MSDN for the new Internet Explorer) then you save the user the time of doing it themselves. You have to presume as the Designer that the user clicked that to see the data, but you also have to presume they don't want to go from your site. You save them either the job of right clicking to open a new window, pressing ctrl and clicking to open a new tab, or clicking back when they're finished. You also save your site from the possibility they get lost in the link and forget about your site!

I prefer to decide whether any links that I click on are to open in a new window (tab) or not. Why? Because I'm a control freak, but that's an aside. The content (or title attribute!) should let visitors know exactly where the link will take them. If the user then thinks, "hold on but I'll want to be back at this page soon," then they can open the link in a new window (tab).

Making that decision for the visitor is possibly not the right thing to be doing. Sure, in most cases the visitor will just accept that a new memory hogging window has just been opened and will merrily continue on surfing. Some will get annoyed and (instinctively!) close the new window as soon as their browsers let them. If no new window was spawned then the worst that could happen is the user would have to use the oh-so-intuitive 'back' button to get back to where they were.

If you really want to tell visitors that any links they're clicking belong to an external site (the most widely used combination of opening links in the same/new window is with internal/external links) then use the 'rel' attribute to say, "Hey! This link has nothing to do with my website, feel free to open it in a new window if you want."

Back to the original question of should we be using target=_blank. No. Quote your attributes for a start. Once it has been quoted, then the definitive answer partly relies on the DOCTYPE (or lack thereof) of the document. If the DOCTYPE permits use of the target attribute then hey; use it if you want to, or don't.

Finally (yes, really finally!), I'd just like to add that if you're going to force a new window to open then could you please at least let the visitor know before they click on it. It's only polite.

Originally Posted by ndesign-studio I used target=_blank on my links page, http://www.ndesign-studio.com/resources/links.htm, because I don't want visitors to leave my site, and it is still XHTML validated. I just double checked. If you want to prove this, go my links page http://www.ndesign-studio.com/resources/links.htm and scroll all the way to the botttom, and click on XHTML validator link.

use a strict doctype and try it again.

and on topic, no you shouldn't, javascript should be in control of opening new windows on links.

I'd say to keep it.

In my opinion, links found in message board posts are mainly there to back up the post. In other words, they mainly are there so you go and see it, and then come back to discuss about it. If it opens in a new window, you can browse that page as freely as you want, without having to, when you want to come back to click the Back button multiple times.

And for a lazy person as I am, it simpler to just click close than to CTRL-click, SHIFT-click or right-click and select Open in a new window.