 |
 |
I understand the point you are making Lance and I am not saying it is an underhand move on WH Smiths part, just that it is likely to cause confusion to our customers (who are unlikely to realise that they "just double-click on the back-button and everything should be OK."). Not the kind of impression one wants to give when actively promoting a site as we are being asked to do here. Robert Day ICT Manager Cambridgeshire Libraries -----Original Message----- From: Lance Housley [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 01 December 2003 16:43 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: WHSmith People's Choice Book Awards website Afternoon, all! Let's not be too hasty here. I would agree about the Back-button thing if there were anything underhand going on. A website CAN re-program the back-button (or practically anything else except the power switch!) so that it does something different. But this site doesn't. Many websites employ a technique of identifying what kind of browser a visitor is using (or what geographical location they come from &c) and then redirect to a suitably designed page. Try going to www.hotbot.com - which re-directs UK users to www.hotbot.co.uk Until recently www.altavista.com would redirect UK users to uk.altavista.com - it doesn't anymore, but it does detect a UK user and provides suitably tailored options and results anyway. In the case of the People's Network link to the People's Choice page, the URL given does not specify a page, merely a folder. In this situation, the default page to serve will usually be index.htm or home.htm or default.htm. The website is merely redirecting the browser to an actual page - in this instance vote_holdingpage.php, with an extra tag to indicate that the source is library. The problem is - if you hit the back button, you just get back to a default page which re-directs you again. So, just double-click on the back-button and everything should be OK. Some may object that hitting the back-button on Hotbot or Altavista works fine - the difference is that those sites use server-side re-directs, while the People's Choice site is using client-side redirects. What's the difference? Effectively, with a server-side redirect, your browser asks for one page but the server gives it a different one. A single click on the back button is sufficient because you did not visit another page (even fleetingly) in between. With a client-side re-direct, the server sends a page to your PC telling it to go to another page. You will not usually see anything (some sites post a little note on your screen saying something like "Please wait while we redirect you") but because there was an intermediate page, you need a double-click on the back button. Which is most honest? Well, a server-side re-direct is certainly easier to navigate, but you may not even notice that you have been sent somewhere you did not specifically ask to go to. A client-side redirect is more up-front, but does complicate matters for the user. Lance Housley Reference Librarian, North Devon Library, Devon Library and Information Services This message is written in a personal capacity and does not reflect the views of Devon County Council or its services. > -----Original Message----- > From: Andrew Lewis [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 3:46 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: FW: WHSmith People's Choice Book Awards website > > Dear all, > > I agree about the back button thing. I tell customers in ICT/web taster > sessions that sites that employ tricks to prevent you leaving their site > are > behaving in an underhand way, and that it is usually a sign of a rogue > trader. (originally developed by porn sites I believe) > I would not expect this from someone like WH SMITH.. > I'm not sure it doesn't affect accessibility too. > > Andrew Lewis > e-Services Officer > Library and Information Services > Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead > 01628 796 592 > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > -----Original Message----- > From: Robert Day [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: 01 December 2003 15:21 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: WHSmith People's Choice Book Awards website > > I just checked out the webpage for the Smiths awards as authorities are > being encouraged to link to it from the default page on their PN > terminals. > The page is a holding page mentioning that the site proper will be > available > in January. However I was a little perturbed by a popup window that > appeared > featuring the WHS retail website on the loading of the page. I realise > that > WHS need some kickback for their work and funding elsewhere in the awards > but would have thought branding and links on the awards page itself would > suffice. A popup such as this leads me to wonder if people will think our > link to the awards page is in some way indicative of a recommendation for > WHS the retailer. > To compound the problem the design of the page is such that the back > button > is disabled and the page reloads when attempting to go back. I appreciate > there is a link that can be clicked to take you back but I just think > breaking something as fundamental to usability as the back button should > not > be done. > Robert Day > ICT Manager > Cambridgeshire Libraries > > > ********************************************************************** > This e-mail is confidential and is intended only for the person(s) > named above. If you are not the intended addressee it is requested > that you do not copy, distribute or rely on the information contained > within the e-mail, as such action may be unlawful. > > If it has reached you by mistake then please call 01628 798888 to > let us know or notify us by e-mail and then delete the message. > > Thank you for your help > > http://www.rbwm.gov.uk > ********************************************************************** *************************************************************************** The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. If you receive this email by mistake please notify the sender and delete it immediately. Opinions expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Cambridgeshire County Council. All sent and received email from Cambridgeshire County Council is automatically scanned for the presence of computer viruses and security issues. ***************************************************************************