How can we make a link open in a new window

1. 61

   Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years ago

   I like to make links so they open in a new window. That way if they go to that link and then click on another link and another link and another one they will not lose the article. Can it be done and how do you do it? I know html.

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2. 78

   Rising Carenposted 12 years ago

   Can't change the settings.

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3. 88

   GA Andersonposted 12 years ago

   Chuck - you can do that it you know a little html
   I have to leave off the <  and > here or the comment edit will think it is a link - so just imagine they are there
   
   go to the text capsule with the link you want to change
   
   click edit
   
   on the edit tool bar - on the far left, your will see HTML
   
   click on that and your edit box will change to the html code for what's in the box
   
   look for the <a href=" etc.etc. that is for the text link you created
   
   just before the  right > at the end of the link code, type target="_blank"
   
   you need the quotes before and after the word _blank
   
   now save your edit and your link will open in a new window
   
   but.... a side note
   
   the browser back button is the most used button on the keyboard - people know how to use it to get back to where they started
   
   opening a new window requires more computer actions and resources - so it will be slower than if the link opened in the current window
   
   studies have indicated - people don't want links to automatically open in new windows if they do, they have browser option settings they can set to do it
   
   the old concern of not wanting to lose your page placement on their screen - so you make them use new windows - is, well... old thinking
   
   anyway, just my thoughts, I used to do new windows too - but no longer
   
   GA

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      lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      What Anderson said is right - I do it on my hubs as that way you don't lose your visitors

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      Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Oh I did not know that there is a button for HTML. Are you sure that every single person in the world does not want it to open in a new window or is it like 70%? I cannot understand this thinking unless someone has a weak computer that cannot handle many windows.
      
      For example let's say that all of my webpages are in the same window. I go to site 1 then site to site 2 then to site 3 then to site 4 then to site 5 then to site 6.
      
      Now I want to go to site 1, So I have to go through 5, then 4 then 3 then 2 to get back site 1. Also let's say that I am on a certain spot down the page. If I open a new window then I do not lose my place on that page. I would prefer to go from site 6 to site 1 in one move.
      
      Also if someone is on another site from my hubpage and they close that window then they lose my hubpage. But if my hubpage is in a seperate window then they can only lose my hubpage by closing the window of my hubpage.
      
      Facebook keeps you in the same window. But many times the back button will not work in Facebook and you cannot get back. So I use the right click, open in a new page and then I do not have to use the back button. With Twitter whenever you click on another site, it opens in a new widow.
      
      Facebook only lets you have 5,000 friends. I have 30,000 followers on Twitter. On Facebook you can have a fan page but then you are the important person and they are nobody. They follow you but you do not follow them.
      
      So I use a href instead of <a href?

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      1. 61

         Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         As far as slower and more computer actions, I guess it depends on the computer. I have Windows 7, 64 bit, dual core. But most are on either windows XP or an older version than that last time I checked.

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            lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Everyone will want it to open in a new window atleast most people. I always make it open in a new window.
            That way you don't lose page views otherwise you'll lose out on page views and earnings as they need to be on your page for a certain time to be called an impression

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   3. 61

      Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I tried to put in a rel="nofollow" here and it would not accept it.

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4. 88

   GA Andersonposted 12 years ago

   @Chuck - no I do not know that "all" people prefer not to open in a new window.
   
   Nor do I know what percentage prefer it.
   
   Nor do I know the percentage of XP users vs. the faster Windows 7 - but my gut says the XP-types are still the majority, also it is not just the computing power, but also internet connection type that will affect new page loading times.
   
   as for having to hit the back button 5 or 6 times - just as you did not know of the HTML option on the text editor, did you also not know that a right-click on the back arrow will give a list of where to go back to? multiple back arrow clicks are unnecessary
   
   Maybe I am simply misunderstanding your tone to be argumentative when it really isn't
   
   I only offered an opinion - I used to think the same way - I did not want to lose page view time - so I opened everything in new windows. Then I did a little research and found that although Internet experts are still somewhat divided on this - the majority of people that know a lot more about this stuff than I do express it this way: Provide value to your user instead of serving your self-interest first. Makes sense to me, then and now. So I very seldom force new windows.
   
   Consider this - what if that user does have a slower computer, and a slower internet connection - and opening new windows does take more time, and it does piss them off, as they wait. Whose interest have you just served? Do you ever go back to sites that irritate you?
   
   As for the page-view time value you think you are getting by keeping them on your open page - that's a time-limited thing. Search engines know that people keep tabs open, or just leave their time on a page sitting while they do other things - so after a set time of inactivity, (I don't know the time), your page view time stops. Anyway. So the open window is no longer helping you.
   
   as for this:
   So I use a href instead of <a href?" what do you mean? yes, you do need the caret in front, ie < a href=
   
   Bottom line - what I gathered from more than just a little bit of looking into it was: The mindset of "capturing" your visitor. and trying to keep them "tied" to your page is a selfish one that is thinking of you first, then your visitor. Whereas, not just SEO experts, but the search engines themselves have stated that thinking of the visitor first will pay you a lot more dividends the thinking the other way around.
   
   Bottom line, I only offered a bit of technical info, re: html, the rest was just an opinion, now, as then you are obviously free to do it whichever way you think serves you best.
   
   GA

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      Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      So i asked 2 neighbors about right clicking the back button. One is a normal user. The other does computter programming and his last job was as a computer consultant. Neither knew about it but the programmer was amazed to find that out.

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5. 88

   GA Andersonposted 12 years ago

   @lobobrandon - You sound pretty certain that ALL people will want new windows. Where did you find that fact?
   
   Maybe my reply to Chuck might also address your assertions.
   
   GA

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   1. 61

      Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the information. Well I know that I like to open other sites in a new window. ►NO◄, I did not know that you could right clip on the back button. So I wonder how many know that. I will ask my neighbors. Yes you do want to take into account the people on older computers.
      
      The kind of person that I am, if I do keep it in the same window, then maybe I will tell people that they can right click the back button. I do define difficult words for people. I never use the word svelte but I saw this raw foodist and felt that was the way to describe her so I put after it [slender].
      
      I have a 800+ book on Windows 7 but everything that I do is on the internet. Now I am not sure what to do about new windows. I am leaning toward keeping it in the same window.

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6. 78

   Rising Carenposted 12 years ago

   Personally I don't like links that open in new windows. I'd rather open a link in a new tab.

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      lobobrandonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Btw Caren & Anderson - They open in new tabs and not windows it's a misnomer that everyone types they open in new windows. Now you'll agree I guess. Go to any of my hubs and try it (tomato ones preferably fruit or vegetable one)

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      1. 61

         Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         They do open a new window on the above site. I do not know the html to make something open in a new tab. Also Wikipedia is not as good as a dictionary to find what a word means (I use merriam-webster). For example is self-esteem good or bad. I checked Wikipedia and it did not answer this. A dictionary (words can have many different meanings) will tell you that self-esteem -1 is good and self-esteem-2 is bad.
         
         Is sugar healthy or not? What is sugar? Sugar-1a is not healthy but sugar-1b is healthy. Vegetable has multiple meanings. Did you know that all grains are fruits. So grains are also fruits and vegetables according to recent articles on the internet. I am an ethnobotanical herbalist.

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   2. 61

      Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      What is the advantage of one over the other?

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7. 86

   IzzyMposted 12 years ago

   I always choose to open links in new tabs. A simple right click of any link gives us that option.
   Then again, I am computer savvy and most of the world is not.
   
   HP used to give us that option set up links to 'open in new tab', but they took it away with some sort of explanation that falls more or less in line with what GA Anderson has posted.
   
   There is a good reason for HP not offering it anymore.
   
   Remember that their aim is to make money too.

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8. 88

   GA Andersonposted 12 years ago

   @Chuck - one of the great joys of life... learning something new everyday
   
   GA

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   1. 61

      Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have only been on the internet for 7 years and along the way I have learned new things that saved me a great deal of time and trouble.

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      1. 61

         Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         See my reply above about the rel="nofollow" not being accepted. Any way around that? It was to Youtube not a Hubpages page.

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         1. 88

            GA Andersonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            @Chuck
            
            I'm not sure about the rel attribute, it may have something to do with HP already having program code that controls the rel= function relative to hub links based on author's score
            
            best answer will come from the HP team, you should contact them.
            
            GA

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