[WEB4LIB] browser back button

[Thomas Dowling]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tami-Jo M. Eckley" <eckleyt at mville.edu>
To: "Multiple recipients of list" <web4lib at webjunction.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2000 3:23 PM
Subject: [WEB4LIB] browser back button


> I know this discussion has come up before but I am asking about those
certain web pages that do not allow you to use the browsers back button -
when you click on the back button - the same page returns.  (I am not
talking about another open window.)  I believe it is something in the code
that sets this feature up - but what is it?
>

It's a fairly brain-dead implementation of handling META refreshes when
the refresh time is zero.

1. I go to a.html
2. My browser sees that a.html includes
    '<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;b.html">' and
    immediately goes to b.html
3. I hit my back button.  My browser goes back to a.html
    and immediately goes to b.html.

Repeat step 3 ad nauseam.


Moral #1.  Use a browser that doesn't do this.
Moral #2.  Don't write pages that do this.


Thomas Dowling
OhioLINK - Ohio Library and Information Network
tdowling at ohiolink.edu