Re: Popup windows based on visitors actions?

At 01:19 AM 14/10/00 +0000, you wrote:
>Greetings.
>
>Here's my dilemma:
>I want to show users a popup window, if and only if they leave my page but=
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>do not click on one of the links I provide them with.
>
>Meaning, if they click on the "back" button, if they close the window, or=
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>if they use their bookmarks, type in a Url or use any link otehr than the=
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>one I want them to click on.
>
>I am assuming that what I need is a popup javascript, with some sort of=20
>event variable that would allow me to specify that if the user clicks on a=
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>link on the page, no window will popup.
>
>Any ideas? I am stumped. I can't find such a script, and I am not even=20
>sure if the approach is right.

No, it's not.  It's the best way to annoy your visitors and make sure that=
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they never go back to your site.  Your content and your design should be=20
what keeps them at your site and not some dubious javascript trick.  People=
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are used to be able to jump from site to site at their leisure and they=20
should continue being able to.  Popping up new windows either upon arrival=
=20
or upon leaving a site is just one of those deadly Web design sins that=20
even some big name sites commit (Netscape's site comes to mind...).  If you=
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want users to absolutely see something a soon as they enter your site then=
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put it on the front page or if there's information you want them to have=20
before they leave also put it on the front page (or provide prominent links=
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to that information).   The user experience should not be interrupted by=20
annoying surprise like popping new windows without warning as this is=20
considered very rude by many.  I'm not saying that pop up windows are=20
wrong,  just that there's a time and place for them and that users should=20
know before clicking a link that it will spawn a new window.  Otherwise,=20
just don't do it...

It amazes me that sometimes Web designers seem to forget that they create=20
sites that are supposed to be FOR the end users, not for themselves and not=
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even for their clients but for the people who will end up using it.  What=20
designers and their clients want is often worlds apart from what the end=20
users need and that's often the difference between a successful Web site=20
and one that fails.  Popping windows and dialog boxes are more often than=20
not inconveniences to the end user and they should be used sparingly...

Take a look at the following page and pay attention to item #6:

http://www.vortex-webdesign.com/help/dontdoit.htm

I have no relations with the above company, I just agree with just about=20
everything they say on that page.

HTH!

St=E9phane Bergeron

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