NIST updated their Guidelines on Securing Public Web Servers » (pdf)

No. I will not open those documents in a new browser window. That breaks the back button, which is the most used button in the browser.

She asked again.

I was getting ready to jet off a similar reply. In my mind I had started composing a line about the increasing use of pop up blockers. Then, for some reason I did a search and came across several pages that made me think.

• Top Ten Web Design Mistakes of 2005 » – useit.com
  “In particular, don’t open pages in new windows (except for PDF files and such).”
• Open New Windows for PDF and other Non-Web Documents » – useit.com
  “When using PC-native file formats such as PDF or spreadsheets, users feel like they’re interacting with a PC application. Because users are no longer browsing a website, they shouldn’t be given a browser UI.”
• Offerring PDFs that download » – Stüvel.eu
  “The ideal way for offering PDF files would be just that: ask the user to either save it, or view it in their native PDF viewer.” Stüvel’s example links work in FF, but not in IE6. I haven’t had a chance to test them in IE7.

She had been asking for pdf & doc files to be opened in their own windows. Firefox opens Microsoft Office documents in their native applications by default, but pdf files have always been stuck in a browser window. IE still thinks it knows how to open every type of document, but can’t even manage to open Microsoft documents properly.

Instead of responding, I’m thinking. I like that FF opens documents in their native application. Would I like pdf files to open in Adobe?