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There is a minor usability issue that I want to suggest. I know most of you may not think it's a big deal, but sometimes even minor issues can be problems sometimes. I was taught in web design that it is usually good practice to also include a text hyperlink whenever there is an emblem hyperlink. This is because not everyone who comes here is a regular user of this site. The first time users may not know the emblem can get them out of chat and the user might think that they would have to re-enter the homepage to leave chat. I know this is minor but, it just simply looks better to also include a text hyper-link just in case.

enter image description here

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Fyi your wording sometimes made me easily confused, but anyways I haven't seen any cause for embarrassment. I don't know my IQ level. –  Daniel Jun 29 '12 at 18:29
I'll post a screen shot and I'll try to fix the wording. –  DrinkJavaCodeJava Jun 29 '12 at 18:37
Just out of curiosity bluefeet, but why am I getting a proposed edit for a question that is in the wording I already edited away? –  DrinkJavaCodeJava Jun 29 '12 at 19:15
That's much better, and with the screenshot to clarify, I undid my downvote. –  Daniel Jun 29 '12 at 19:23
This is the first time I hear of this called an "exit link". That's an interesting perspective, but I must admit I'm having a hard time seeing it that way. And "reentering the homepage" and "leaving chat" in your definition are precisely the same thing. –  balpha Jun 29 '12 at 20:39
Disagree with needing an additional link. But perhaps the logo link could do with a tooltip, like "Home page" or something. –  Mr Lister Jul 12 '12 at 19:25

1 Answer 1

up vote 1 down vote accepted

I don't I agree with this request. Placing a word link, at the top to exit chat, seems a waste of real estate and it will just add visual noise.

The StackOverflow logo is the exit point to chat, clicking on that logo returns you to the main site and in my experience the logo returns a user to the main page on most websites.

And since most users of StackOverflow are from some sort of technical/programming realm, they will understand what clicking that logo does and the logo is a sufficient way to return to the main web site. I don't think adding an additional link is needed.

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You can disagree if you want. However Technical knowledge won't necessarily help you know that an emblem is an exit. That type of knowledge can only be determined from finding it out. –  DrinkJavaCodeJava Jun 29 '12 at 19:09
A study found two thirds of users don't use these logo links: snyderconsulting.net/article_7tricks.htm#1 and most of those did'nt know they worked –  Ben Brocka Jun 29 '12 at 19:53

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