5 ms·

Ask HN: Why do links open in the same tab on Hacker News?

3 points by esalazar 10y ago

Why do links open in the same tab on HN? I would love to be able to just click five interesting links and have five new tabs open.

augustt 10y ago
That's the default on pretty much every site (google, reddit, etc). Instead, you can cmd/ctrl click the link.
- esalazar 10y ago
  I understand it's the default, but why? Why not add `target="_blank"` or some javascript to open in a new tab?
  - detaro 10y ago
    Because then you can't open it in the same tab. With a normal link the user can choose how to click, with a forced new tab they can't.
    - esalazar 10y ago
      Fair enough.
  - sotojuan 10y ago
    Aside from what detaro said, also this: https://medium.com/@jitbit/target-blank-the-most-underestimated-vulnerability-ever-96e328301f4c https://medium.com/@jitbit/target-blank-the-most-underestima...
cwt 10y ago
Use Chrome, install the Vimium plugin: F + {Letter Combo}
JeffreyKaine 10y ago
I asked this a while back as well. I'm with you, but the community seems rather split on the subject.
auganov 10y ago
I just Ctrl-click when I want it in a new tab. Always expect a single click to open in the current tab, otherwise it's an annoying surprise.
_RPM 10y ago
It's possible that it's a security thing. I consider it a feature. `window.opener` can do things that might be considered malicious.
crispytx 10y ago
Because Hacker News sucks...
- dmlittle 10y ago
  yet you still take the time to browse and comment...
brudgers 10y ago
A user script using Greasemonkey for Firefox or TamperMonkey for Chrome/Chromium can change the behavior. For example: // ==UserScript== // @name add_target_blank // @namespace com.kludgecode.demonstration // @include https://news.ycombinator.com/news // @version 1 // @grant none // ==/UserScript== var stories=document.getElementsByClassName("storylink"); for (story of stories) { story.target = "blank"; }; Will add the behavior for the Hacker News front page. I tested with Greasemonkey and I'd expect it to work for Tampermonkey. Greasemonkey: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/greasemonkey/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/greasemonkey/ Tampermonkey: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tampermonkey/dhdgffkkebhmkfjojejmpbldmpobfkfo?hl=en https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tampermonkey/dhdgf...
NetStrikeForce 10y ago
ctrl (or command) click does the trick, but for me it's easier to just middle-click with the mouse (or click the wheel).
siquick 10y ago
I use this Chrome plugin to open links to any external site in a new tab https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/open-external-links-in-ne/pmgjfdndcgbblimbigekghdmgkjbffba https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/open-external-link...

3 points by esalazar 10y ago

Why do links open in the same tab on HN? I would love to be able to just click five interesting links and have five new tabs open.

augustt 10y ago

That's the default on pretty much every site (google, reddit, etc). Instead, you can cmd/ctrl click the link.

esalazar 10y ago
I understand it's the default, but why? Why not add `target="_blank"` or some javascript to open in a new tab?
- detaro 10y ago
  Because then you can't open it in the same tab. With a normal link the user can choose how to click, with a forced new tab they can't.
  - esalazar 10y ago
    Fair enough.
- sotojuan 10y ago
  Aside from what detaro said, also this: https://medium.com/@jitbit/target-blank-the-most-underestimated-vulnerability-ever-96e328301f4c https://medium.com/@jitbit/target-blank-the-most-underestima...

cwt 10y ago

Use Chrome, install the Vimium plugin: F + {Letter Combo}

JeffreyKaine 10y ago

I asked this a while back as well. I'm with you, but the community seems rather split on the subject.

auganov 10y ago

I just Ctrl-click when I want it in a new tab. Always expect a single click to open in the current tab, otherwise it's an annoying surprise.

_RPM 10y ago

It's possible that it's a security thing. I consider it a feature. `window.opener` can do things that might be considered malicious.

crispytx 10y ago

Because Hacker News sucks...

dmlittle 10y ago
yet you still take the time to browse and comment...

brudgers 10y ago

A user script using Greasemonkey for Firefox or TamperMonkey for Chrome/Chromium can change the behavior. For example: // ==UserScript== // @name add_target_blank // @namespace com.kludgecode.demonstration // @include https://news.ycombinator.com/news // @version 1 // @grant none // ==/UserScript== var stories=document.getElementsByClassName("storylink"); for (story of stories) { story.target = "blank"; }; Will add the behavior for the Hacker News front page. I tested with Greasemonkey and I'd expect it to work for Tampermonkey. Greasemonkey: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/greasemonkey/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/greasemonkey/ Tampermonkey: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tampermonkey/dhdgffkkebhmkfjojejmpbldmpobfkfo?hl=en https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tampermonkey/dhdgf...

NetStrikeForce 10y ago

ctrl (or command) click does the trick, but for me it's easier to just middle-click with the mouse (or click the wheel).

siquick 10y ago

I use this Chrome plugin to open links to any external site in a new tab https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/open-external-links-in-ne/pmgjfdndcgbblimbigekghdmgkjbffba https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/open-external-link...