RE: Buttons vs links

The issue I've had has primarily been one of expectations - I expect if som=
ething looks like a link, it takes me to another page, so, for instance, I =
can open it in a new window.  When that fails it's often a page with the ti=
tle "javascript: void()" or something similarly useless.  If it looks like =
a button, but isn't related to a form, I assume it's going to do something =
on the current page.  If it actually takes me to another page, that's an un=
expected shift of context which is annoying at a minimum, and sometimes alt=
ogether confusing.  Further, if a button is used to take me to another page=
, rather than a link, the button probably won't be coded to allow opening i=
n a new tab, which removes something I'm normally able to tell my browser t=
o do.

So if you are taking me somewhere else, please, give me a link so the seman=
tic link behavior can be used.

-----Original Message-----
From: Janina Sajka <[email protected]>=20
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2020 07:14
To: Savage, Angela (ITS) <[email protected]>
Cc: Jan Hellbusch <[email protected]>; [email protected]; L=E9onie Watson <l=
[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Buttons vs links

 I must confess I've always found the buttons vis a vis links  distinction =
one without much of a difference from the user perspective.

 Either way most users click to invoke the associated result.

 Those of us who are mouseless by necessity may press spacebar for  buttons=
, but pressing enter also works. And, there are two many  instances where t=
hat which perports to be a button won't respond to  spacebar. Enter seems a=
lways to work. Off hand I can't think of an  exception.

 Thus my distinction without a difference conclusion.

 Best,

 Janina

Savage, Angela (ITS) writes:
> Thank you for the responses. These have been helpful!
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jan Hellbusch <[email protected]>
> Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2020 12:28 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: RE: Buttons vs links
>=20
> ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. Do not open attachmen=
ts or click on links from unknown senders or unexpected emails.
>=20
> Hi,
>=20
> according to HTML spec, links are for resources and buttons are for actio=
ns.
> There are exceptions:
>=20
> * in general, use links for going to a new page or downloading a document=
..
> * links can also be used within a web page (skip navigation links etc.).
>=20
> * buttons are used for sending forms (most often to a script).
> * Otherwise they should be used for performing actions on the web page (e=
..g.
> widgets).
>=20
> * Actions can, of course, mean calling a new resource in a process. It wi=
ll not always be clear, whether a button or a link is more appropriate.
>=20
> Jan
>=20
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Savage, Angela (ITS) <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2020 6:02 PM
> > To: [email protected]
> > Subject: Buttons vs links
> >
> > I was wondering what is the proper usage for a button and a link=20
> > when
> building
> > an accessible application or website?
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm reading multiple articles on this topic and I read an article=20
> > from the
> Nielsen
> > Norman Group on command links and they state that buttons should not=20
> > be used for navigation and that users should click a plain link to=20
> > move to
> another
> > page of information. Multiple articles I have read  on using buttons=20
> > and
> links
> > when creating an accessible application or page mention this too.
> >
> >
> >
> > Article: Command Links
> > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nngroup.com/articles/comman
> > d-links/__;!!C5qS4YX3!Wc8fmBNs-wjzCzZV-AQh3zPsC6xMWV8aLnaYdsK0dx2pcg
> > sCrVmL-MXDdXBPwAegWQ$ >
> >
> >
> >
> > Thank you in advance,
> >
> >
> >
> > Angela Savage
> >
> > Accessibility Auditor
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20

--=20

Janina Sajka

Linux Foundation Fellow
Executive Chair, Accessibility Workgroup:	https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:=
//a11y.org__;!!C5qS4YX3!Wc8fmBNs-wjzCzZV-AQh3zPsC6xMWV8aLnaYdsK0dx2pcgsCrVm=
L-MXDdXA_APpRYg$=20

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Chair, Accessible Platform Architectures	https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/=
/www.w3.org/wai/apa__;!!C5qS4YX3!Wc8fmBNs-wjzCzZV-AQh3zPsC6xMWV8aLnaYdsK0dx=
2pcgsCrVmL-MXDdXBvA1kkNQ$=20