[Anon_troll]

One major problem here is the mixup of UX and technical implementation details. From UX point of view, the link example goes nowhere, it just opens a dialog. From that point of view it the fact it uses anchors to do so is not really relevant.

From purely technical point of view, the question would be rather irrelevant as the distinction between a button and link is mostly how a human perceives it, it does not matter for the program.

This is likely an explanation for the awkwardness that the author mentions feeling of this implementation, and is supported by it not making sense to open this kind of a "link" in a new tab (because it does not go anywhere).