[Sigia-l] Usability of launching new browser window?

[Eric Reiss]

I have started to advise my clients NOT to open a new window for
links outside their domain. Although I still hear the well-known
reasons for opening new windows (We don’t want them to leave our
site) and wholeheartedly agree with Ziya’s recommendations if you
insist on doing so, I think the world has changed the past few years.

Quite simply, people seem to have become more confident web
navigators and now feel comfortable using the back button. Opening a
new window makes this impossible and is thus an inconvenience (though
not as much as opening a new page within an existing frame).

Granted, I don’t always put up much of a fight if the owner insists
on a new window. But... I just don’t think it’s really necessary any
more and informal usability testing seems to be validating this
opinion.

I recall Jared Spool did some research a few years back that
suggested users just plowed ahead with the site’s own navigation if
they got into trouble and rarely used the back button. I used to see
that, too, but now I’m seeing more and more users who backtrack (via
the back button) two, three, even four clicks to get to some familiar
page – or even all the way back to the opening page.

Is anyone else seeing this?

Best regards,
Eric

e-reiss aps
copenhagen, denmark