HACKER Q&A
📣 fairytalemtg

HN why don't you open the article in new tab by default?


It is so much easier to read and continue reading more or rate what is just read, rather then navigate back.

Curious if the decision to open in same browser window was intentional.

  👤 Brajeshwar Accepted Answer ✓
From the usability point of view the decision to enforce opening links in new tab violates one of the fundamental principles of the user interface design -- users should always be in control of the interface they are interacting with.

Depending on the context, it has its usability benefit and I have come to agreement with the later -- open in new tab (windows would still be no-no) but very selectively when the user need to stay on the page (filling up a form). I'm experimenting with opening all external links in a new tab on my personal website but I might just go back to not doing it.

And what would Mr. Nielsen say https://www.nngroup.com/articles/new-browser-windows-and-tab...

👤 gheorghebg
Same as nomilk. Instead of command + click you can also do middle click (click on wheel).
👤 nomilk
Which device are you on?

I find current UX great on desktop since command + click is extremely easy. A little less so on mobile though (iPhone safari).

👤 PaulHoule
I see people with 50 browser tabs open, they are always sitting in front of the computer slack jawed, clicking on one tab after another to find what they are looking for, browser running out of memory and evicting tabs -- all because nobody showed them how to look things up in their history!

I delete tabs in all my programs as fast I can so I can switch between things quickly.