Re: pop-up windows (was:Re: Minor second definition ...)

> From: <graham@microtonal.co.uk>
> To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 11:25 AM
> Subject: [tuning] Re: Minor second definition sh/could include flat second
[bII]
>
>
> monz wrote:
>
> > A few others have complained about this before too. But it's
> > my feeling that if a tuning newbie is studying this stuff and
> > is really hopelessly lost in the terminology, it helps to have
> > the secondary links open in a separate window so that they may
> > be consulted as needed while reading and trying to understand
> > the definition in the primary window.
>
> Usability studies show that most web users know how to use the back
> button, but many get confused when new windows open up.

I didn't know that. Thanks.

> > To the HTML hotshots out there: is it possible to allow the
> > user to choose whether or not these links open a new window?
> > (similar to the way some webpages allow you to choose "frames/
> > no frames"?)
>
> The user can always choose a new window from the right click menu. Except
> for those Apple things, I don't know how they work.

Hmmm... OK, Graham, thanks for that! Hadn't thought of it.

I'd like to get more opinions on this new-window business,
besides those of Graham and Charles Lucy. Speak up, everyone!
Should I get rid of the "new window" feature? Maybe we should
have a poll.

-monz

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...very briefly,

--- In tuning@y..., "monz" <joemonz@y...> wrote:
> > Usability studies show that most web users know how to use the
> > back button, but many get confused when new windows open up.

...and usability studies that show a significant don't even know
about the "back" button! Always good to work for the low denominator
if you want a big audience. But, Joe, people coming to a tuning
dictionary on the web aren't going to be like Grandma with her new
Gateway surfing on AOL. Read on...

> Hmmm... OK, Graham, thanks for that! Hadn't thought of it.

Beside the Mac issue (and I don't know what Opera users on *nix boxes
do), there are some cases where the right-click has been disabled. I
use it all the time, but...

> Should I get rid of the "new window" feature?

No, it is useful, and saves me from right-clicking. I *would* suggest
that when a window pops up that it is handy to have a "close window"
button in it, but your site design doesn't look like it would work
too well: you have static pages that you call from links and no way
to insert the buttons... but I'll think about it while I'm on my
trip, because there is almost *always* a way to do something.

And someday you might want to set aside some time from writing
definitions and consider a frame-based design. I actually downloaded
the dictionary and redid it with frames, so the terms and alphabet
were always at hand...

> Maybe we should have a poll.

Asking for a poll is like asking for a headache. You might as well
just stick to defining JI if you're a glutton for punishment... :)

Cheers,
Jon