Tell everyone: Use target=_blank if your pages have videos

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2934622

by rokhayakebe • 15 years ago

4 10 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

If a page on your site/blog contains a video be sure to use target='_blank' for all links on that page.

TobbenTM• 15 years ago

And why is that? Would it not be better to let the user decide whether or not to open in new tab?

waitwhat2• 15 years ago

There is a general problem with browser UIs: it's never clear whether a link will open in the same tab, open in a new tab, or do neither and actually do something ajaxy instead.

This problem is made worse on pages with embedded flash video, because guessing wrong and attempting to recover by clicking the back button will usually result in losing your place in the video and/or throwing away the content you had buffered.

(I don't happen to agree with the OP about the correct solution, but putting a bit more meat on the bones as to what the problem is.)

madhouse2• 15 years ago

I found that in the vast majority of cases, just opening in a new tab if I want to be sure not to leave the page will do the right thing. When it doesn't, well.. that's one more broken UI I'm not going to use again.

Thus, I always assume that any link will open in the same window, or do something disruptive, so if I don't want to leave the page, I'll middle click. Can't remember the last time that did not work.

But perhaps I'm just lucky, and all the sites I frequent have decent UIs.

_delirium• 15 years ago

... if I don't want to leave the page, I'll middle click. Can't remember the last time that did not work.

There are a bunch of places in the new Twitter interface where it doesn't work, which drives me nuts.

waitwhat2• 15 years ago

Sure, there are workarounds, but in a UI, the defaults should be sensible, because the vast majority of users never see anything other than the defaults. Unfortunately, it is arguable that on many sites the defaults just aren't sensible.

YouTube's "see all" comments button, for example, doesn't load the comments inline with ajax, but instead loads a new page in the current tab, losing my place in the video and my buffer. (At least the paginated comments are ajax now.)

if I don't want to leave the page, I'll middle click. Can't remember the last time that did not work.

Middle-click has never worked on my laptop trackpad. (Also: posterous' lightbox script is borked)

ljf• 15 years ago

the time it annoys me the most is on YouTube, and you click to rate the video or comment and it takes you away from the video to login.

madhouse2• 15 years ago

Please don't. If I want to open a link in a new tab or window, I'll use the appropriate key and/or mouse magic to do so. If I click on a link without modifiers, I want to leave the current page, thank you very much.

I usually stop visiting sites that try to second guess me and fail at it.

glimcat• 15 years ago

The web has some usability quirks, but it's not that bad if webmasters would only learn to keep their hands off and stop screwing with my interaction affordances.

owkaye• 15 years ago

What truly annoys me is the proliferation of Javascript links. They prevent me from opening the page in a new tab, and I have learned that VERY OFTEN I prefer to open pages in new tabs. So the Javascript links take away my control and I HATE THAT!!!

Tell everyone: Use target=_blank if your pages have videos

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