There is a general problem with browser UIs: it's never clear whether a link will open in the same tab, open in a new tab, or do neither and actually do something ajaxy instead.
This problem is made worse on pages with embedded flash video, because guessing wrong and attempting to recover by clicking the back button will usually result in losing your place in the video and/or throwing away the content you had buffered.
(I don't happen to agree with the OP about the correct solution, but putting a bit more meat on the bones as to what the problem is.)
I found that in the vast majority of cases, just opening in a new tab if I want to be sure not to leave the page will do the right thing. When it doesn't, well.. that's one more broken UI I'm not going to use again.
Thus, I always assume that any link will open in the same window, or do something disruptive, so if I don't want to leave the page, I'll middle click. Can't remember the last time that did not work.
But perhaps I'm just lucky, and all the sites I frequent have decent UIs.
Please don't. If I want to open a link in a new tab or window, I'll use the appropriate key and/or mouse magic to do so. If I click on a link without modifiers, I want to leave the current page, thank you very much.
I usually stop visiting sites that try to second guess me and fail at it.
The web has some usability quirks, but it's not that bad if webmasters would only learn to keep their hands off and stop screwing with my interaction affordances.
What truly annoys me is the proliferation of Javascript links. They prevent me from opening the page in a new tab, and I have learned that VERY OFTEN I prefer to open pages in new tabs. So the Javascript links take away my control and I HATE THAT!!!
[+] [-] waitwhat|14 years ago|reply
This problem is made worse on pages with embedded flash video, because guessing wrong and attempting to recover by clicking the back button will usually result in losing your place in the video and/or throwing away the content you had buffered.
(I don't happen to agree with the OP about the correct solution, but putting a bit more meat on the bones as to what the problem is.)
[+] [-] madhouse|14 years ago|reply
Thus, I always assume that any link will open in the same window, or do something disruptive, so if I don't want to leave the page, I'll middle click. Can't remember the last time that did not work.
But perhaps I'm just lucky, and all the sites I frequent have decent UIs.
[+] [-] madhouse|14 years ago|reply
I usually stop visiting sites that try to second guess me and fail at it.
[+] [-] glimcat|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] TobbenTM|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] owkaye|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ljf|14 years ago|reply