Internet Pet Peeves (target=”_blank”)
A couple months ago I started reading digg.com, and usually I can find several interesting posts each time I go there. However, I do have one complaint. Why, oh why, must every link open in a new browser window? Yes, of course I know that I can middle-click, or right-click and open it in a new tab, but that’s not the point. I can remember 6 or 7 years ago when every webmaster out there used the good ole target=”_blank” to open each link in a new browser window, so that you would not leave their site. But come on guys, haven’t we moved past that? If the site is interesting, I will come back and read more, but please don’t assume that I want every single link to open in a new window, its annoying as hell.
Just let me browse in peace!
I never knew this was a problem on a mac… on IE/Maxthon when I click on a link it always captures it in a new tab so I prefer the target=”_blank” behavior… I’ve gotten used to just clicking tons of links as a I go thru’ sites to just review them once I’m done… Perhaps there’s a plug-in for Firefox that can do the same thing?
Comment by Richard Y — December 8, 2005 @ 9:40 amRight, I am doing exactly the same as you are at this point, but that is not what I want. Currently, when I middle-click links on digg.com, I still have to go back and close the original tab. So what happens is that I middle click on, say, 8 links from the digg RSS feed, which opens 8 new tabs, then I middle-click the link in the subject of the digg post, which opens 8 more tabs. Then I have to go back and close all 8 tabs that I opened via the RSS feed. I can’t find an option to say “open this link in the current tab.” If digg would stop forcing a new target window, then I would have the option to open it however I wanted.
Comment by cwright — December 8, 2005 @ 7:02 pmWhen I click on links on Digg, it opens them in the same window… I’m not seeing the same behavior as you are.
Comment by Richard Y — December 12, 2005 @ 2:06 pmFrom the digg.com source:
<a href=”http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20051209073025309″ target=”_blank”>Mac OS X Intel transition report: Many apps a simple re-compile, some not</a>
Your browser must be overriding the target=”_blank” part.
Comment by cwright — December 12, 2005 @ 3:18 pmWhen I pulled up:
http://digg.com/science/_We_should_call_it_Mini_Shuttle_-_It_s_the_Space_Shuttle_2.0_
And then I pull up the source, and do a search for “blank” and get no hits.
Why are we seeing different things?
Comment by Richard Y — December 13, 2005 @ 4:29 amWell, now I am seeing both. Sometimes it has target=”_blank”, sometimes it doesn’t.
Comment by cwright — December 16, 2005 @ 6:24 pmI found the culprit. When I view digg.com anonymously, it opens the links in the same window. When I am logged into digg it opens them in a new window. So I figured it must be a preference, and sure enough, it is.
To change the setting, login and view your profile. Under the “personal profile” tab there is a box titled “account settings” where you can choose how you want links to open. I’ve changed this to open them in the same window.
I think it is a little odd that the default is different depending on whether you are logged in or not.
Comment by cwright — December 18, 2005 @ 10:32 pmI’m glad you figured it out… w00t!
Comment by Richard Y — December 26, 2005 @ 1:19 pm