Mini Mods - Open all links in the same window

Experts such as Jakob Nielsen have said literally since the beginning of the internet that opening links in a new window is a bad usability practice.
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990530.html

If I want a new window, I will open it myself!

Read more if you're interested.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...ndow+usability

It's 2010 and vBulletin still opens all external links in a new window!

With this mod all links open in the same window as they should.
The users can choose if they open the link in the same window, a new tab or a new window.
vBulletin (aka YOU as the forum owners) doesn't force its decision on them anymore.

Tested in forum and blog posts, vB 3.6.x to 4.0.2.

I've been using this mod since vB 3.6. It's so simple I haven't ever had to change the code.
If you want to use it in an older version of vB, feel free. It will very probably work.

[Retal]

Reserved.

[Kolbi]

^ for a admin it´s a negative thing then a visitor leaves your page so fast...

[Retal]

I led these conversations three or four years ago.
But it boils down to this:

Opening a link in a new window won't stop the visitor from leaving your web if it sucks.
Forcing your visitor to do something he doesn't expect and doesn't want is intimidating and wrong.

Please read the arguments in the links above.

I've been using the mod for three years. My users are happy and don't leave the forum. They can use middle-click, Shift+click, Ctrl-click and all other ways to control their browsing without me raping their user experience.

But I certainly don't force you to use it on your board.

[Bergler]

Why is this mod not supported??

[Retal]

Hi Bergler, frankly the mod is really so simple there is little to support; plus there are longer periods when I'm not at vB.org.

Should a problem arise, I'll try to respond.

[Bergler]

Originally Posted by Retal

Hi Bergler, frankly the mod is really so simple there is little to support; plus there are longer periods when I'm not at vB.org.

Should a problem arise, I'll try to respond.

OH, I see! Until you just explained it, I was under the impression that when it said "not supported" It meant VB did not support this mod!! Thanks for clarifying that!! For those that are wondering, after I installed this mod, links from vBalinks still open in a new window and banners do as well, perfect. Thanks for the great mod Retal, cheers!

[Verionia]

How about a mod for opening a new link in the background? Can you create this as firefox does it?

[Retal]

Hi Verionia, if the users want, they can open any link in the background with a middle-click in all current browsers. There is no need for a mod.

[djbaxter]

Experts such as Jakob Nielsen have said literally since the beginning of the internet that opening links in a new window is a bad usability practice.
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990530.html


If I want a new window, I will open it myself!
Read more if you're interested.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...ndow+usability

It's 2010 and vBulletin still opens all external links in a new window!

Expert? Never heard of him. There might have been some argument against opening new browser windows or tabs in 1996 or 1999 but this is 2010. We now have faster multicore processors, RAM is cheap, and high speed internet connections are the norm.

The rule of thumb that vBulletin follows is the same one most people use on professional websites these days: Open local links in the same window and other links in a new window or tab.