web navigation and the browser back button 2

[jimmyshoes]

When designing the navigation system for your web site, is it ok to rely on the browser's back button?

I am designing a page which returns a list of pictures. If a user clicks on a picture, he/she is directed to a page with more detail on that picture. On this latter page, I am deciding whether to implement my own back (to list) button ( which may be complex) or simply leaving out a back button and thereby forcing the user to use the browser back button (I think youtube works like this). I have read that all accompished pc users could be expected to see the browser back button and use it (after all if they can't find the browser back button they probably won't find a back link on the page either) and I like the idea of giving my users only 1 method of navigating the site to keep things well organised

Is this good design?

 

[Zhris]

Hello,

Personally I don't see any problem with providing the user with an additional back link/button which would ensure "every" user can clearly see how to return to the list of pictures. Although, this is down to personal preference, I would feel that it would be neccessary (I'm a big fan of navigation).

If the browser button does exactly what you need then you would probably want to replicate it using javascript (which isn't so complex) i.e.

<p>Link: <a href="#" onClick="history.go(-1)">Click here to return to list</a></p>

<p>Button: <input type="submit" value="Click here to return to list" onClick="history.go(-1)"></p>

Hope this helps,

Chris

 

[feherke]

Hi

When designing the navigation system for your web site, is it ok to rely on the browser's back button?

I would call it the browser's back functionality. The Navigation Toolbar's Back button, the History menu's Back link, the context menu's Back link, the Alt-Left arrow key are just ways to trigger that functionality. ( By the way, I use FireGestures' drag Left gesture. )

Personally I used to rely on the browser's back functionality. The common navigation aids implemented in the browsers ensures that visitors not have to learn how to navigate each site separately.

I am not against a Back link, but I would prefer to not just duplicate the existing functionality. I would label it 'Back to the gallery' and would give it the proper URL to go to.

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/

 

[jimmyshoes]

Thanks for your help

 

[ChrisHunt]

Do bear in mind that, if this site is on the internet, it's possible that people will be coming direct to the picture pages from a search engine. In those cases the only place a back button, real or extra, is going to take them is back to the search engine.

If you've got a whole list of related pictures on another page, you really ought to have a link to it for the benefit of searchers.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd