[wp-hackers] Use of _blank in wp-admin

[Tim Kissane]

As I wasn't among the authors of any version of html standards,
I don't know what the intended functionality was. It seems to
me that the standard should exist as a guide for browser and
page designers to ensure a smooth, consistent experience for
the user. Determining what functionality is "allowed" (artificially
limiting the technology), rather than how it is implemented, is
beyond the authority of the standards group.

By causing the target parameter to break validation, they have,
in effect, removed it. Naturally, I want my sites to validate. That
doesn't mean I want to lose functionality. So what does this mean?
It means I won't support xhtml, but will continue using html4.
I suppose I need to change the doctype in WP and remove any
offending tags (if any) that don't validate under html 4.01. What
a PITA this all is, eh? All I'm trying to do is create web sites. :)

@Jessica: I agree, unnecessary use of javascript should be discouraged.

Interesting article on html v5 and xhtml v2 for those interested
at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/x-html5xhtml2.html

Cheers.

Viper007Bond wrote:
> It was never an intended functionality in the first place really and it
> still works under XHTML, it just breaks validation.
>
> On Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 3:24 AM, Tim Kissane <tim at timbury.net> wrote:
>
>   
>> I use many browsers to test page design, but Firefox and Opera are my
>> main personal use choices. I have set the preferences in each to open
>> tabs rather than windows (the default on Opera), so this is not an
>> annoyance at all.
>>
>> Why has the target parameter has been dropped? I sometimes want to
>> force a visitor to a page to open a link in a new window/tab, rather than
>> replace the page containing the link. It is ridiculous for the authors of
>> the xhtml standards to remove this functionality.
>>
>> Ah, but I digress... ;-)
>>
>> WP rawks!
>>
>> Tim K.
>>
>> --
>> Tim Kissane
>> Timbury Computer Services
>> http://timkissane.com/
>> http://timbury.net/
>> 732.604.3817
>> =========================
>> "More hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than in
>> the name of rebellion." -- CP Snow
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Mahmoud Al-Qudsi wrote:
>>     
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> One would think that with all the recent standards-based discussion and
>>>       
>> all, WP wouldn't be using target="" attributes on links; but I was surprised
>> to find that certain links in the admin center use _blank.
>>     
>>> This is annoying on more than one level - seeing as all browsers support
>>>       
>> tabs, _blank will open the link in a new Window (except in Opera, which
>> fortunately intercepts _blank calls and converts them to new tabs) which is
>> pretty annoying behavior for us tab-lovers.
>>     
>>> More importantly, to the best of my knowledge _blank has been phased out
>>>       
>> of the HTML standards...
>>     
>>> Any idea why we're using them?
>>>
>>> -MQ
>>>
>>>       
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