All external links on the dashboard should open in a new tab/window

idea
1

I just noticed that all the links to external sites on dashboard open in the same tab. Like Feedback, About, Github, Community Feedback.

Each time I open NewsBlur, I am presented with dashboard. I click on Community Feedback links to see what’s cooking. But this would leave NewsBlur and move me to an external site.
Just one click ago, I opened NewsBlur which means I intend to use NewsBlur, not that external site. If I am clicking on an external link, it does not mean that I want to leave NewsBlur, which is exactly what is happening currently.

All other web apps, like Google Reader, twitter, Asana, open all links in a new window.

I want to visit the links at dashboard specially the community feedback. But I do not want to leave NewsBlur, get moved to a new site and then press browser’s back button couple of times to get back to NewsBlur. It’s just too much work.

Also, in preferences, I have set “Open links -> in a new window”. I understand now it is for links in the feeds and story view. But initially it gave the impression that it is for all the links, including those on the dashboard.

I would suggest, either all the external links on the dashboard should open in a new window. Or they should be connected to the “Open links” settings in the preferences.

Thanks.

3 Likes
2

Is there a shortcut that opens links in a new window that does NOT change my browser focus to that tab?

3

Yeah, I don’t know why I sat on this for 5 months (I try to respond to every single thread and comment). This was an easy change and will find it’s way into dev within the hour – I’ll deploy as soon as I finish the last couple support tickets I have left.

Community feedback links now all open in a new window/tab (_blank).

4

Hrmmm, perhaps I’m missing something. I still can’t get links to open without the focus changing. Using FF on OSX, I press command & then click links to get them to open in a new tab without actually changing to that tab (works on all sites except NewsBlur).

5

I’m just adding ‘target="_blank"’ to the anchor tag. Opening new windows as background tabs is up to your browser setting. It should work if you command+click, as it does on Mac for Safari/Chrome/Firefox.