Eons Advisors

1) as Eons does it now: view link

2) as it could be done: view link

eg#2 above includes in the HTML 'anchor' tag the specification target=none after the URL and before the ">" which closes the initial statement

Why don't you set your browser up to handle this? It's your choice and requires no Eons resources to implement. Personally I don't want every click to open a new window.

Cheers; Mass

Personally I would love it if it would open up into a new window as ggroeller has described....

We had a discussion about this in the office a couple of weeks ago and did some research on the topic. Most of the modern web design gurus and usability experts consider it "good form" to open links in the same window. It's better because it lets the user control whether the link opens in the same window/tab, a new window or a new tab. Opening a link in a new window is very "web one-point-oh," as we say.

I've often seen new computer users become lost when a new window is opened because, in many cases the browser is in full screen mode and it happens so quickly that the user doesn't know a new window has been opened. They realize they're on another site and they've learned how to use the back button but ...what the heck ...the back button doesn't work! ..stupid buggy computer! ...gotta call the son-in-law ...Bob! My computer is broken!...look in the Window menu? ...Oh, you're right - there's a window open that says 'Eons' ...Grumble, grumble. (Can you tell I've been on the receiving end of this call a few times?)

We may one day try to do something fancy - like having a special icon for links that take you off of Eons and, perhaps, if you click this link and javascript is enabled (as it is for nearly everyone), we give you the opportunity to choose via a pop-up menu. For now, however, teach people how to use the browser's back button menu - it's a really handy tool ...worth taking the time to learn!

For those using Firefox there are tab extensions like Tab Mix Plus view link that will allow you to set the option of having links open in a new tab or window or in the same tab. Each person can have their own preference. Mine is set to open in a new tab. I'm not sure what options are available for those who use IE7 or any of the IE6 shells that allow tabs.

really now - I think it might be a bit much to expect your typical Eons Fred and/or Ethel user ( likely 'not very computer savvy' ) to know about configuring their browser to open links one way or another.

And, IMO, if son-in-law Bob suggested that - or made - his folks Wintel ( or other ) personal computer run everything in full-screen ... well, that's another story entirely.

@mass - hope you understand that I'm not referring to 'every click', just the ones that leave the current system for "another destination". Eons code is doing work behind the scenes anyway to modify the display of a URL, why not make it "friendlier" for lack of a better term.

@mshadow : thanks for the hint, I'll look into that FF extension, appreciated

@TB: I'll readily admit to being 'web one-point-oh' - stubborn old codger that I am. Old Dawg, New Trix, right? Guess I've just encountered as many "what's the back button" questions as you've run into "...what the heck ...the back button doesn't work!"

Thanks for keeping the dialogue open.

ps: Karen, phew am I ever glad you showed up, grin

Here's a link (an external link!) to one solution: view link
This solution is similar to the concept I mentioned in my first reply. It gives each person a choice regarding whether they want to open external links in the same window or in a new window. In this case, the user makes the choice one time and it's stored in a cookie. External links always behave according to the user's preference.

The main thing I don't like about this solution is that, for practical purposes, the preference (the checkbox) would have to be off on a "site preferences" page and beginning users (the people this feature is mainly targeted to!) would be unlikely to find it. A better solution is to present the available choices to the user when they first click on an external link. Something like:

(This is an external link - it will open a page that is not controlled by Eons)
---
open this link in the current browser window;
open this link in a new browser window;
---
(Tired of seeing this message? Select one of the following links. If you change your mind, look for "external links" on your Account Settings page.)
always open external links in the current window
always open external links in a new window

In other words, we'd try our best to inform a new user about "external links" and list the available choices. The first time a user sees the message, we might even display extra help - like "to get back to Eons, use the browsers 'Back' button" or "to get back to Eons, close the browser window or select the Eons window in your browser's Window menu." That extra help could be hidden (but still accessible) after the first time.

From my perspective, it is a good idea to implement this functionality on the client side (in the browser). We would have to patch too much code in too many places to implement it on the server side (i.e. to generate the "target" attribute appropriately before we serve the page). A slight disadvantage of this technique is that there would be a delay (until the page loads) before the external links would appear as external (with whatever graphic or special visual treatment we assign to them).

@TB : excellent idea! [ "(This is an external link - it will open a page that is not controlled by Eons)", etc )

Count me in wholeheartedly.

(at risk now ... ) This'll be, like, Tuesday right?

grin/duck/run

My main problem with the "view link" changing the page and not opening a new window may be seen as a separate issue -- I don't know --

But when you "preview" your post before you actually submit it, and you want to make sure that the link that you have included will actually work -- you click on the link, then have to hit the back button after you have looked at the linked page -- no other way to get back to your post -- and you then get the white and blue "webpage has
expired" page -- now, if you click "refresh", you get the brown box that says you must "retry" -- and if you click that you get your previewed post back -- but the whole process is a major pain in the neck in my opinion. If the link simply opened a new page then after you check to see if it works, you just close it and continue.

Did any of that make any sense? :)

^^^ made a lot of sense to me, and is one of the "a-grrrr-vations" I've run into with the way Eons does links in msgs. Noted: I did for sure forget to include that in me blurb though, so thanks tons for bringing it to the table Karen.