[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #7972: External links in Trac tickets should open in a new tab

[Making WordPress.org]

#7972: External links in Trac tickets should open in a new tab
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 Reporter:  jdahir0789                     |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement                    |      Status:  new
 Priority:  low                            |   Milestone:
Component:  Trac                           |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  needs-patch 2nd-opinion close  |
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Changes (by dd32):

 * keywords:  needs-patch => needs-patch 2nd-opinion close
 * priority:  normal => low


Comment:

 In general, WordPress.org (all except certain specific places) allows the
 user to select where to open links - through utilising the browser open in
 new tab/window when the user wishes for that behaviour.

 > external reference links in Trac tickets (e.g., links to GitHub, Stack
 Overflow, or WordPress.org pages),

 I'd argue that WordPress.org pages are not external links personally,
 although technically they could be seen as such. But would navigating from
 make.wordpress.org to wordpress.org/plugins also therefor be an external
 link?

 Consistency is more important here.


 > Aligns with modern UX practices

 That's arguable, Modern UX practices also aim to reduce confusion, which a
 new tab/window causes for many. It's generally accepted that it should be
 kept to the same window and leave the user in control of the behaviour
 they're wanting.

 UX experts are very split on what is best here.

 ----

 Personally, the status-quo is user-control, and as the audience for Trac
 is Developers (who are more familiar with browsers behaviour) I feel that
 we can be conservative here and rely upon the user to choose their
 behaviour.
 Changing this would also cause significant divergence from the existing
 behaviour that many are used to, and then ultimately diverge from the
 default link format on other sites (such as make.wordpress.org).

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/7972#comment:1>
Making WordPress.org <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/>
Making WordPress.org