I'm wondering what you do with external links from posts in your blog. If you mention a web site and link to it, do you make the page open up in a new tab/window or just have a regular link to the site? I really want to know

I've gone for new tabs, particularly when I'm writing tutorial posts or ramblings, although if I'm recommending a site, I'll just have a regular link because I know how annoying new tabs (and especially windows) can be

VanGogh is gonna kick your butt. Personally, I tend to go for new windows or tabs, but only when I remember to. I like the idea on GP, because if someone is halfway through my article but wants more info on something I'm writing about, I want to make it easy to learn more but also finish reading what I wrote. Best of both worlds.

Nearly every survey I've seen that polled web users shows that the old "to open a new window or not" argument is about half and half. I believe the last one I saw was on ProBlogger.net. It showed a slight favor for new windows.

I prefer going to a new tab and not loosing my place in the current one. I've styled some of my text with icons for different types of highways, so I should do the same thing with external links; add a little icon indicating a different site and a new tab/window.

Adam hates when I talk about it, but I can't stand when you force a new window. My reasoning is that if I want to open something in a new window or tab I can do that without your help. If you code things to open in the new window or tab then I have no choice. I don't like when people take away my choices.

I think I've seen the same surveys Don has. In fact the last one was on ProBlogger. Don if you read all the comments on that post I argued against the new tab/window somewhere way down the list.

Most people when using the new window/tab say it's to force people to stay on their site. That doesn't make sense to me. If they click the link they're still on another site. They're just in the different window/tab. I tend to think most people don't really make it back to that original site. The window/tab stays open so stats show all this time your page was viewed, but no one was really interacting with that page.

I do think there are times when it makes sense to open the new window/tab and I think if you're going to use the new window/tab you should state that the link opens in a new window.

For me though it's all about choice. One way provides users with both choices and the other way leaves them with one. I prefer to allow both choices.

I've also always thought that people who are afraid to let people leave their site are not confident enough in their own content to have those people come back.

Ok Adam I know I've pissed you off now so it's your turn to let me have it.

I'd say, allow a popup via the onclick event, but leave a href value.

That way, peoples like me who tends to allways "middle click" for new tabs see their content, and peoples who simply clicks can have a popup.

Another solution would be to have 2 links, one for "inline" view, and another for a popup/tab.
A bit like google was doing "I don't know how much time in the past" when they had a "view in a new window" link next to each result, together with the cache.
This second link could even be easily added with a simple javascript function.

You only piss me off when you talk about those **** Yankees and the playoffs (blech...back AGAIN! I seriously hope they meet the Angels and they get pwned.)

My rule of thumb is that external links should open in a new window. It's the only way a lot of people can figure out they're on a new website (you'd be surprised at how non-tech-savvy a lot of people are.) In my unofficial polling of people, I've found the majority prefer external links to open in a new window, so I've always stuck by that.

Since a number of my posts reference contextual links to external sites, this holds especially true. It keeps people from losing their place, as Forrest said.

Cool... we finally found a pet peeve that actually gets Steve 'riled up' - the mildest guy in the forum.

Sorry Steve... new tab or window. IMHO I think a minority of people would feel that you 'forced' them into opening a new tab/window. I actually like when a new tab opens (for external links only).

Example: you are reading a great article about building web traffic; somewhere in the middle of the article you have a few resource links - while on that topic you may want to exit the site momentarily to dig deeper on the subject, then return.

Just one sponges opinion... but an absorbing one!

Dave here's a post I wrote on the subject so you can get more of my views on the new window/tab.

With the forcing it's not so much the people who are clicking, but everyone who creates links to open in a new window mentions they do it to force people to stay on their site.

I think if you poll people you'll find it's close to 50/50 as to what they prefer.

With me it's that if you just leave the link alone I can still open it in a new window. I actually open about 75% of all links in a new tab. I think it's a great way to surf. But if you put that code in there then I have no choice if I don't want to open the new tab. Why take that choice away.

I like new tabs. I just want to open them myself instead of having you assume what I'm going to do.

Interesting post Steve. You make a lot of valid points that a designer should take into consideration. I still think it depends on your perspective. Having a link open in a new tab/window can be viewed in 2 different ways:

a) As taking away choice from a site visitor, or..
b) As a convenience to those who may not be savvy enough to get back to the site they are visiting.

One comment you make in your article is "Savvy users are finding their way back. If they can’t figure out how to get back to your site they’re not savvy."

Another way to say this is: [Web] Savvy users are finding their way back. If they can’t figure out how to get back to your site they’re not [web] savvy.

I'm thinking about some poor elderly person who knows nothing about the web clicking a link and floating around a new site for a while then thinking "now where was that site I was just on?"

The idea that I was taking away a choice didn't cross my mind until I saw it here in WMT. It is something I will consider in designing some types of sites. Thanks for the education.

Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design

Since a number of my posts reference contextual links to external sites, this holds especially true. It keeps people from losing their place, as Forrest said.

If I'm quoted, it must be true.

True Dave adding the web out in front would probably have been better for that sentence.

Some of my thought comes from Jakob Nielsen who I don't always agree with, but do here. I think I linked to his post in mine, but if I didn't I'm sure I can find his post if you're interested. Nielsen's test supposedly showed that non wen savvy people were less confused with the back button than they were with the new window.

The more polls I see the more it seems people are split on the issue and Adam may be right that the whole debate is kind of pointless after awhile. I also get the feeling that now that IE does tabbed browsing people will get used to opening new tabs on their own and the advice will lean towards not coding for the new window.

I go with new windows...unless I forget. I better edit my last post now.

I will go for a new window

i always go with new window

for me i never remoove the link, but i always have it open up in a new window so the viewer can look at the other site, and never click off your website as its running in the background

opening links to a new window or tab is my choice. that's the usual thing that I do.

Here's something that hasn't been addressed, but I'm actually borrowing a good idea from Yahoo on my software development blog.

.newTab {
   background-image:url(new-tab.jpg);
   background-position:right center;
   background-repeat:no-repeat;
   padding-right:20px;
}

<a
   class="newTab"
   target="_blank"
   title="..."
   href="...">
text here</a>

I may turn off the new tab on the text link and then only do it for the icon.