I think people are forgetting the people who do not understand the web still.

David Mackey’s last blog post…Older Versions Of Firefox, IE Put 45% Of All Internet Users At Risk

Thanks very much for taking the time to comment. Pros and cons, definitely.

First of all, I believe it is the most prevalent way of doing it, at least at the sites I go to, and it makes the most sense. It’s fine to recommend another site, but you want your readers back yours, and the easiest way is to leave it open.

Secondly, I find some of the arguments against new windows decidedly insulting. More than once the argument that the user will get confused has popped up (no pun intended). Assuming your readers aren’t smart enough to figure out how to close a window as opposed to hitting the back button doesn’t say a lot for you or your base. Someone above even said that the reader might think it’s an ad! That would mean the reader in question has the attention span of a rock; obviously they can’t remember clicking the link less than a second ago, so once again why would want them at your site?

Lastly, the “browser control” argument does not hold water. People can complain about browser control, but the link issue is one of site control. And a site owner has the right to control their site any way they see fit, without being harangued for good business design.

If, as many pointed out, most of your readers use any of a variety of shortcuts to force the same, or even a new, window, then there is little point in worrying about the audience, but you can’t have it both ways. You either kowtow to a vocal minority, or you do what most businesses seem to be doing to ensure a steady profit stream.

The choice is yours. Just don’t come to me with your complaints. I’m too busy trying to track down the person of questionable parentage that invented the idea of browser tabs so I can smack them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper and rub the nose in that bit of mess they dropped on the world.

In case you missed it, I’ve added an update to the bottom of my article that says the following:

With over 70 comments left inside 24 hours, this is clearly a topic that people feel strongly about, on both sides of the argument.

I’ve arrived at the conclusion that I will no longer add the target=”new” tag to my site links. Indeed I’ve back-tracked and completely removed them from my new blog, Logo Design Love (opens in the same window). Thank you very much to everyone who has taken the time to leave your thoughts. I’ve learnt a thing or two in the process.

I’ve learnt a fair bit through your comments here, and it’s very much appreciated.