Sites normally open in a new window so you don't lose the web page in the original window you clicked in.

It's important for many sites because they often want you to look at an advert while keeping you in their site at the same time but it can be very annoying for you because you can get flooded with windows.

Imagine that a site kept opening three windows every time you clicked on a link - after ten clicks you would have 30 pages fighting for your attention!

Why websites do it

Many web companies have based their businesses around keeping your attention, or eyeballs as they call it. The more eyeballs that see their page, the more money they can charge advertisers.

As many websites and services are free (free to you the consumer, that is) someone has to pay, so they look towards advertisers to do this.

So, if that site contains a link to another site, then they would be encouraging their users to leave and stop looking at their own advertising.

It doesn't take a genius to see that this is damaging to their business models. So, in many cases, firing up a second browser window is the price you pay for free content.

Positive pop-ups

Opening a new window can be helpful. For example, if the first window has an explanation in it, and the second one lets you act on that explanation, it can be pretty useful.

Try moving your pointer over the word internet. At Ask Bruce! we use these pop-ups as jargon busters so we can tell you what new words mean without asking you to go anywhere new. It's to save you time.

When they're bad, they're bad

Sometimes some sites can really overdo the amount of pop-up windows that they use. It's even possible that they might take over your computer.

Imagine what would happen if you click on a link which opens a pop-up window which open a pop-up window which open a pop-up window which open a pop-up window....

It can be especially worrying though when windows suddenly open with content you are not happy with.

Imagine you're at work with your boss behind you and you click on a casino advert which opens a cabaret club advert with half-naked dancers and then another and then another and then another.

See our article below on blocking pop-ups.