Ask HN: Why HN doesn't use target blank for urls to open? - abhij89
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devrandomguy
I'm glad they don't, and would rather that everyone else just stop. It is an
affront to my sense of control over my browser. Middle click is just as easy
as left click; let me decide how I want to arrange my input.

How could the site possibly know what exactly I am trying to do with the
content? Maybe I want to move forward from their site to another, never to
return. Maybe I am rapidly opening a handful of probably-useless links in
parallel, with the intention of closing all other tabs as soon as I determine
that one of them has what I am looking for. Maybe I am opening a second window
for some back and forth copy-pasta. Don't infringe on my controls, dammit!

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abhij89
i see, may be i have developed a personal taste to have links opened in new
tabs.

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linopolus
Because it's My computer, My browser, My tabs and it should be under My
control.

By the way, to enforce sane behaviour on decidedly not sane websites: Death to
_blank addon for Chrome[0]. There was one for firefox too, but can't find any
working with current versions..

0: [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/death-to-
blank/gne...](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/death-to-
blank/gneobebnilffgkejpfhlgkmpkipgbcno)

~~~
abhij89
Got it.

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DanParson
To leave the choice up to the user. There's technologically no reason for HN
to force external links to open in a new tab/window. [https://css-
tricks.com/use-target_blank/](https://css-tricks.com/use-target_blank/)

~~~
abhij89
I see it now, thanks

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wmf
Many people do not want that. We know how to use a browser.

~~~
abhij89
Ok thanks, i am still learning.

