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Inbox should not open links in new windows
Title:
Inbox should not open links in new windows
Area:
inbox
Summary:
The last code push makes links in the inbox open in new windows. This is bad webdesign, and the behavior should revert.
Description:
The expected behavior of a webpage link is that it opens a link in the same window/tab. The inbox now opens (some?) links in new windows, but does not indicate which links will do so with any metainformation. A focus jump and unnanounced browser takeover are bad webdesign. It also interferes with the normal use of the back button. (See "The Top Ten Web Design Mistakes of 1999" by Jakob Nielsen [ http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990530.html ]
In addition to being a generally bad webdesign, this behavior breaks the LJ-clone pattern of behavior, but *not* in a way that someone new to Dreamwidth can anticipate before it happens, and not in a way for which the user can mentally model a benefit in the change of behavior. (I understand that this was introduced as part of an enhancement -- making the inbox mark entries as read when they are acted upon [ http://bugs.dwscoalition.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1284 ] -- but there's no way to know that without having read the bug.)
This suggestion:
Should be implemented as-is.
29 (64.4%)
Should be implemented with changes.
3 (6.7%)
Shouldn't be implemented.
9 (20.0%)
(Other: please comment)
4 (8.9%)
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http://bugs.dwscoalition.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1284
The bugfix was by
clicked on. I did it this way for two reasons.
1) Inbox stays open in background, and will show refreshed state when the user returns. If the link replaces the inbox, then when you click the back button,the link still shows as unread, although it is actually read and will update state on refresh.
2) Attempts to change the window location with JS resulted in some sort of error message being triggered from devel.js (in cvs/js). "Logger popup window blocked. Using confirm() instead." I couldn't figure out what was going on with that.
Seems like it's not an easy thing to have it both ways: no new window, but also mark things as read when they are acted upon.
Oh, okay, that was linked to in the original suggestion. I didn't completely read throug that, just saw your comment. Please disregard then.
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In Gmail, I definitely prefer that links in emails open in a new tab by default. I haven't got used to it in the DW Inbox yet.
Could the suggestion be fixed simply by making it clear somehow that links will open in a new window, so that users don't get confused? Then it wouldn't be an "unannounced" browser takeover.
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Yes, that would also be good. A grey (opens in a new window) or something, until someone can think of a way to fix this?
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With the DW inbox, it only happens the first time you click on a link to manipulate or view the comment in its original context, I think.
And I'm not saying anything bad about Jenn, but when a person who just learned Javascript a month ago says "I can't figure out a way to do X with Javascript", that doesn't mean it is impossible to do X with Javascript.
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Anyway, yes, I definitely vote that we fix this; like zvi said, it's unexpected behavior, and the behaviour's not consistent across messages or across users, as so many people have special settings for pop-ups.
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What I really want most of all is for the command-click trick to open inbox links in new tabs. It works everywhere else on the site and so the inbox behavior drives me bananas.
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(I suck at filling out polls today :/)
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If somebody follows a link from an item and it's marked as read on the database, all they have to do is click "Inbox" again instead of "Back" to see the new version.
If you're using Firefox and you want something to open in a new tab (or window, depending on your settings), you can control-click. Opening new windows without asking is an accessibility problem.
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(I thought I'd messed up a setting when that happened yesterday, and am relieved it wasn't me, since I couldn't fix it.)
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consistency should rule
HOWEVER, sudden changes in interface like this should go through a process and be announced.
So, despite my own preferences, I think the old behavior should be restored.
Re: consistency should rule
Re: consistency should rule
ETA. Oops! Meant this for the parent comment!
Re: consistency should rule
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I was actually surprised my patch was pushed through without further changes. I agree with everyone who says that the inbox behavior needs to be consistent! Hopefully it will get there, but it's a stepwise process. Ideally we could even have a user preference for new windows vs. same window when clicking links.
I'm not going to cast a vote either way on this but I appreciate the feedback! Hopefully the end result will be something people are more happy with than not.