Re: link opening a new window - techniques to advise the user

What happens if I have spawning new windows turned off and I activate  
a link which is supposed to "open a new window"?

It's been my experience that opening new windows is counter  
productive unless you also provide a return function in the new  
window.  While a new window is open, I have found that user agent  
menus are non operable.

If you open new windows and provide this information to the user, the  
best approach is within the link text but after the unique  
information about the link for example, "this is a test opens a new  
window".  If you do it like this: "opens a new window, this is a  
test", when links are listed out and all of them open new windows,  
it's difficult to distinguish between linkss.

HTH!

On Jun 22, 2006, at 5:09 AM, Antony Tennant wrote:

Hi all,

My query relates to 10.1 Until user  agents allow users to turn off  
spawned windows, do not cause pop-ups  or other windows to appear and  
do not change the current window without  informing the user.  
[Priority 2]

I searched the groups and found the the following, http:// 
lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ig/2002JulSep/0793
in which it covers 3 options

1. have wording in the hyperlink e.g <a href="foo.html">foo (this  
open a new window)</a>
2. title attribute e.g. <a href="foo.html" title="foo - this open a  
new window">foo</a>
3. dont open new windows

My queries as follows
Q1 -  Although option 1 seems to be preferred, this may not be  
suitable for a menu of links, therefore if option 2 is used, should  
titles be added to all links (even those not opening a window) for  
consistency, or only those that open the window, require more  
descriptive text e.g apply.
Example
<a href="foo.html" title="foo - this open a new window">foo</a>
<a href="boo.html" title="boo">boo</a>

Q2 -  if titles are used in a menu, should they be used in text flow  
rather than adding the text within the hyperlink itself. Again does  
this need to be consistent.

Considering browser and assistive technologies behaviour, what is best?

Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated

Thanks

Antony

Received on Thursday, 22 June 2006 10:55:13 UTC