Opening links in the same windows the lesser of two evils. For the latter purpose, consider opening links in new windows if the link provides assistance or help, if it may interrupt an ongoing process or it leads to a non-html-document.Īllow users to select how the links should be opened on a given web-site. Don't force a new window upon users unless there's a very good reason to do so. Since users expect the link to be opened in the same window, set your links to open in the same window. It is important that users are placed in control of the user interface they are using. Bruce Tognazzini (First Principles of Interaction Design)Ĭlaim that a user-friendly and effective user interface places users in control of the application they are using.Theo Mandel (User Interface Design Principles).Ben Shneiderman (8 Golden Rules of Interface Design),.Leading user interface and usability researchers such as However, this is not true.įrom the usability point of view the decision to enforce opening links in new windows violates one of the fundamental principles of the user interface design: users should always be in control of the interface they are interacting with. Visitors of less-heavy-linkage-sites are more likely to open some particular link in new window to remain on the site and continue to browse through it afterward. Visitors to the sites with heavy linking are more willing to have links opened in new windows then open dozens of links in new windows manually. The decision to open links in new windows or not depends on the given site and the preferences of its visitors. It's there on every page, because the goals of your users change all the time.Īnd the same rule that applies to the back button should apply to the main navigation of your website: don't break it. Your site's navigational structure is as much an anchor as the back button is. I think the aforementioned "back" button is a great analogy. This is safer than relying on a back button to be able to do the job.
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