posted on May 30, 2001 04:55:30 PM
All my auction listing templates have small pictures on one side which, when clicked, open a bigger picture in a new window.
posted on May 30, 2001 07:29:24 PM
Probably. If not, they will soon be. eBan doesn't want anything on its site that can't be controlled by the GreedGod.
posted on May 30, 2001 07:48:52 PM
Your link to a larger picture may be allowed but I would check with ebay to make sure. Check with the tech board. It seems the link policy is at best a random thing. They are more concerned about sellers taking buyers to other sales outside of ebay than messing up your auction.
posted on May 31, 2001 08:58:52 AM
Please, PLEASE, PLEASE do not open extra pop-up windows. There was just an article at zdnet where the chief editor bemoaned that trend, and I don't think a single feedback indicated someone liking extra windows.
Forcing open a new window on the surfer's system costs considerably more in resources and time than just letting the link flow as usual within the existing window, and when used to excess, can drain resources to the point of interfering with the surfer's other programs or even causing Windows to crash.
For the record, this is one of my single biggest pet peeves about the web, and one of the few I can't find a way to disable. Does anyone know of a browser/version that does allow an option to be selected to force webpages to be displayed in the current window, even if the HTML tries otherwise?
That said, I do like the eBan nickname too.
----
What's being done in the name of direct marketing nowadays is crazy.
The above are all just my opinions, except where I cite facts as such.
Oh, I am not dc9a320 anywhere except AW. Any others are not me.
Is eBay is changing from a world bazaar into a bizarre world?
posted on May 31, 2001 09:29:30 AM
Just to present an alternate viewpoint - I much prefer extra information to be shown in a new window, and I'll often use the right click 'open in new window' to force it. It's faster to open a new window with that link, then close it when I'm done, rather than navigate back to the page I was originally on.
That doesn't mean I like the incessant pop-ups used for advertising these days. Those are incredibly annoying. But they're a different animal than what's being discussed here.
posted on May 31, 2001 10:43:36 AM
I don't know what anyone means by open in a new window - can someone enlighten me? I was a user of AAPRo before ebay 'banned' it and one of the great things about that software (I thought) was that I could supply a user link to open another photo. However, if the user didn't want to look at it, they didn't have to wait for all those photos to down load. I thought this was a plus for my auctions. Was I wrong?
I think the new and wonderful SAPRO, that doesn't work, supports the same code. (SAPRO is the new name for ebay's take over of AAPRO from Blackthorne Software, which used to work just fine until May 25, when ebay changed the web site and refused to upgrade AAPRo for those of us using it) By the way, if anyone is interested, a new website has been set up to try to fight ebay over this. It can be found at http://www.ebaycomplaintsonline.com/. If it's not functioning yet, give them a little more time - it just went on line yesterday. These folks have also formed a group on the Yahoo boards and you can find that at the following:
Group name auctionassistsupportgroup
Group home page http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auctionassistsupportgroup
Group email [email protected]
The reason I even mention this is because the little photo options on the left of my auctions were written by Blackthorne but, I think in html.
By the way, what is eban?
Just for your info, ebay is censoring all posts about the flack over the sellout of AAPRO (which is a listing software that many sellers paid almost $200.00 for and some just a few months ago, which now no longer works, even though the company promised support for it - but then, ebay's definition of support and mine are not quite the same. Their's is to supply a support Q&A board where confused users can try to get help from other confused users. Big deal.
Maybe I should change my user-id, too, so ebay won't know who I am, like someone else mentioned on another post.
posted on May 31, 2001 10:50:53 AM
easttown - If you right-click on a link (or control-click if you have a Mac), a menu pops up. One of the choices is "Open in a New Window." This is in both IE and NN, don't know about other browsers. It opens a new full-size window.
There are also scripts that load a window of a size specified by the page author.
posted on May 31, 2001 10:50:59 AM
I use click to enlarge pics on the majority of my auctions, but not with javascript.
Some people get enough info off the smaller pics, and some folks want to see the close up details.
posted on May 31, 2001 11:58:58 AM
Thanks for the info - I guess that's not what I'm doing. However, you do have to click on the link to see the photo at all and then, it's a scaled down verion that I reformated so it would load faster. Nothing fancy.
I love this 'eban' thing, by the way.
I asked powersellers if I could continue to include my link to my return policy and they have said they haven't decided about that yet. But, if I want to display the OAUA icon on my auction, I have to put it in my 'About Me' page since OAUA is an association. (Online Auction Users Association)
However, I was told I absolutely could not include more than one informational link about my item (such as a description about the history of the Fenton Family Signature Series) and at the same time a link that describes how Fenton adds a handle to their baskets. Guess I'll put that handle link in my photos - so far they haven't limited the number of photos you can show.
However, since they are now pushing ipix, for which they charge, it's my guess that the next thing they will require is that all of us use ipix for our photos (afterall, they don't have enough money yet!!)
posted on May 31, 2001 02:35:00 PMtoyamy: Yes, you're right, and in the middle of my "pet peeve," I neglicted to mention that it does have it's uses, but at least with the right-click option, the choice is still up to you or I. With JavaScript or "target," it is forced on us, and can sometimes cause problems with other apps or the system (at least in Windows). I give credit to a few sites for at least mentioning that they'll pop up a new window at links that do so, but still question its use, because if I really want it in a new window, I could use the right-click option on my own -- and I sometimes do just that, but it's at my discretion.
Some background, best I know of it...
"target" was probably more intended for HTML frames, though there was a "new" setting in target meant to be for new windows. Had it stayed that way, it would have been more straightforward for a browser to block "new", but the spec was flawed (IMO), in that any "target" name not known to previously exist, such as a name not standing for a particular frame panel, would cause a new page (instead of an error). I don't know of any browser that allows the user to block this behavior.
The JavaScript version is used mostly for pop-up ads, sometimes chains of them. JS can be blocked by most browsers/versions, however, and I do just that for 97% of sites, where I feel the extra "neat" bits JS provide are heavily outweighed by the irritants.
I can see your point. Thanks for the comments. I do have text under the pics that says "click to enlarge in new window". I think alot of people don't even realize they can right click to open them in a new window.
toyamy,
I agree with you. I always use the open in new window option, too, because going back to the previous page in my browser takes forever.
redeer,
I agree. I did have a javascript, but just switched them all today to the target="_blank". Most people probably wouldn't need to enlarge them, but for the sight impaired or people who want to see details, I think it's a good option.
If eban outlaws the pop up windows, I'll just enlarge the pics a little and not make them clickable.
posted on May 31, 2001 03:25:36 PM
The problem with depending on "right click" is that you won't get the enlarged picture.
I use thumbnails on my auction page for quicker loading; when you click on the picture it opens in a new window and you see a larger picture. If I simply used height & width to force a full-sized picture into a thumbnail size on my auction page (to enable the "right-clicker" to view the full sized picture) it would slow down loading of my auction page considerably.
Does it take more system resources to open a new window for a short period of time than it would to click on the picture and be taken to an entirely different page, then go back to the auction page?
posted on May 31, 2001 03:32:41 PM
Not on my system. And you're right about forcing the full size picture into a thumbnail, it takes forever for your listing to load and I think most people just back on outa' there.
