Pop-Up Blockers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Whit
  • Start date Start date
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Whit

I need some advice and opinions. I've inherited a website that uses pop-up
windows to provide details on a number of items. There's a normal page with
a listing of links, each of which creates a pop-up window to provide more
info. While it needs some work, overall it does a pretty good job of
presenting the info effectively. I'm concerned the pop-up blockers being
promoted by AOL and Earthlink will prevent some viewers from seeing the
info, but I don't have access to either ISP's. I'm currently overhauling the
site, so there's not an active url. Before I do too much work, I need to
decide whether to take an entirely different approach. If anyone has any
experience with these blockers, I would appreciate your feedback whether
this is a legit concern. Thanks for your help.
Whit
 
It's not just AOL and Earthlink you should be concerned about. It's many,
many individual users who install pop-up blockers on their computers. It's
becoming very common place these days.
--
-----
Tom Pepper Willett
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
http://www.microsoft.com/office/frontpage/prodinfo/default.mspx
To find the best Newsgroup for FrontPage support see:
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----
| I need some advice and opinions. I've inherited a website that uses pop-up
| windows to provide details on a number of items. There's a normal page
with
| a listing of links, each of which creates a pop-up window to provide more
| info. While it needs some work, overall it does a pretty good job of
| presenting the info effectively. I'm concerned the pop-up blockers being
| promoted by AOL and Earthlink will prevent some viewers from seeing the
| info, but I don't have access to either ISP's. I'm currently overhauling
the
| site, so there's not an active url. Before I do too much work, I need to
| decide whether to take an entirely different approach. If anyone has any
| experience with these blockers, I would appreciate your feedback whether
| this is a legit concern. Thanks for your help.
| Whit
|
|
|
 
Thanks Tom, for the feedback. I was afraid that's what I was going to hear.
I know pop-ups are a royal pain, but they can also be a good way to present
useful info. It's a shame the blockers don't distinguish between requested
links and onload links. Thanks again.
Whit
 
Hi Whit,

I can only speak for myself in regards to pop-up blockers..but this is my
take on it. Pages that open automatically without intervention on my part
are all blocked..however it is very easy for me to hit control enter to open
links which I have chosen to follow that open in new windows. My guess is
that many other people do the same. New windows by themselves are not
evil..done automatically onload though they are! :-) Also as Tom mentioned
it isn't an ISP concern as much as general Internet usage.

--
Joe
Remove "AA" for email

FrontPage Users Forums at:
http://www.timeforweb.com/frontpage/
 
Hi Joe - Thanks for the feedback. I'm a believer that pop-ups serve a useful
purpose, but I'm afraid their usefulness is being destroyed as a result of
their abuse. My concern is that the average Internet user will set up their
blocker without adequate knowledge of what they need to do in order to view
a legit pop-up page. As a result, they think the website is poorly
constructed and the website loses business. I guess my question remains
whether it's worth the risk to use a pop-up for presenting info to the
viewer.
Whit
 
The way I read your post is that the pages
have a list of links, which when "clicked"
will provide a pop up window.

In my mind this is not the kind of pop up
a pop up blocker blocks.
They only block "unsolicited" pop ups.

If it's a link the user has to click it should be fine.
 
Also as Tom mentioned
it isn't an ISP concern as much as general Internet usage.
Click to expand...

A lot of programs block only windows from a third party. In other
words, the site they visit can POP windows, but not a third party
ad site (where most originate). However, you can't be sure. Unless
you give the user a choice or do some programming you should stay
away from pop-ups.
 
Thanks Steve - I probably did not explain that well in my posting. All of my
pop-ups are generated by "requested" links clicked on by the user. They are
NOT "onload" pop-ups. I was hoping the blockers worked the way you say, but
I had no confidence that was true. If I'm reading your posting correctly,
there shouldn't be any major issues in continuing to generate this type of
new page in this manner? Thanks again for your comments.
Whit
 
It really depends on the popup blocker software that the user is using.

--

==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WEBMASTER Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, Forums, WebCircle,
MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================
 
It really depends on the popup blocker software that the user is using.
Click to expand...

And the only reliable way to do it is to test with some Javascript to
see if the window pops. If it does not, then you know you have an
issue. You also have to consider that some users make the choice
on-the-fly so you have to test each time. If the window does not pop
you can either use the current window or pop a message, whatever
works for you.
 
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