Make All Your External Links Open in New Windows

Steve - interesting post. I guess when I try to think about the most user friendly way to open new links, a new tab or window is generally the best. Most modern browsers have tabs now, so why not use them?

And on the "nofollow" part -- I guess I understand why people do it. Google is cracking down on paid links and the like. However, I guess I feel like I should help other people out by giving them a good link if they deserve it. I would hope the same think would happen with me. If my site is good, I'd appreciate a "follow."

I read an excellent article on the subject of opening new windows or not recently

http://www.smashingmagazine.co...w-windows/

Thanks for letting us know about the plugin Steve ... I need to do this on a client site and its just saved me a few hours work

If you are trying to use strict, target doesn't validate. I do think there are times a new window is required (ex. PDF, or changing to a secure protocol). Otherwise, so many are abandoning the practice that it is almost alarming to have a new window open on a link, anymore.

Brian - thanks for the link. Thats some good reading.

Smashing magazine makes some good points. A couple that stuck with me were: large sites like aol, google, and yahoo don't do it; and that it overides complete control of the user (i.e. they don't have a say whether they want it in the same tab or not).

Those are both really good points. I particularly think that as larger sites continue with this trend, that more people are going to used to the link opening in the same window. However, I think the second point I referenced above might be off for some people. I know people like my parents that aren't THAT tech savy, will click a link and then wish they still had the previous window open. I guess in that sense, for me, I'm allowing the person complete freedom to choose, "do you want to stay on my site, or do you want to go somewhere else?"

Personally, I'm in the habit of CNTL-Clicking to open in a new tab, but I'd love it if I didn't have to do that and just could click the link.

Amy, good point about strict validation. I had forgot about that. Another really good reason not to open in a new window then!

I know that personaly I know ensure I never force links to open in a new tab/window as it breaks navigation for users accessing the net with assisted technology.

For those people that want to have links open in another window, this sounds like a nice tool.I actually have a combination of both. Some of my early articles I used external links as I was afraid of losing a site visitor.

I think I now fall into The Smashing magazine camp. (Thanks Brian for the reference). I also wonder the impact for people that use mobile browsers or assisted devices like JAWS.

As for "no follow", I seldom use it on my site. I think I put it on one internal RSS help page that was site-wide. I think people may be overusing "no follow" for external links when they control the content. My feeling is if I do a review, good or bad, I should link to the company's site unless there is a security risk. In that case, I probably wouldn't put a link or write about them. If I did paid reviews, I would use "no follow".

Bottom line is I do agree the user should have control.

Great mambot!! Love it..
This mambot also works on Forum, I tried it on my new vet forum and it works.
great. thanks for the review

for people using JAWS etc new windows are a nightmare

i have a bit stupid question. is this mambot for joomla 1.0.x or J!1.5

I think that the premise of the Smashing Magazine piece is a bit flawed. It assumes that "most people" will expect a link to open in the same page. But the comments on the article show that there are some people who prefer it, and some who don't. And honestly, I hate it when a site opens an external link on the same page (like this one does, grrrr... lol). A quick survey of the 5 adults currently sitting around me and they all say that they prefer a new window/tab for external links on a site.

Take this article for example. I read the article, started reading the comments, and then followed the link to the Smashing post. Since I absolutely love the Smashing site, and haven't been over there for several days, I did some other digging around and clicking around. Then I remembered that I wanted to finish reading the comment on this article here on Alledia. - Wait, oh shoot, this opened in the same window. About how many pages have I browsed here on Smashing, so I know how many to go back? Oh, forget it, I don't remember. I'll just url my way back to Alledia (thank goodness I know the name of the site I was on, and know that the article I want was on the front page). Then I can click on the article on the home page and make my way back here.

So Simple.

Btw, only one person of the group of 6 of us knew that little trick to force a link to open in a new window/tab. (And she is now so insufferably smug about her petty little knowledge victory that she risks a public shunning... My point being that I'll bet most of your average interweb users don't know it either, and often find themselves having accidentally surfed away from the thing they were originally interested in, only to discover they now can't easily find their way back.

Elle, I understand what you are saying but I think you will find that a user who uses asisstive technologies such as Jaws would prefer the link to open in the same window. They can easily use "back" but it is harder to switch window

I've also tried this mambot on my website, but somehow it doesn't do a thing. No links changed or whatsoever. When does this change happen? What do I have to do?

I have joomla 1.5 legacy

How is it possible to create an external link on Jade website..Does anyone know..

Thanks Seb