title: Are modal dialogs a good practice for the web?
body: <p>Are <a href="http://jquery.com/demo/thickbox/" rel="noreferrer">modal windows/dialogs</a> considered a good practice for websites?  One of the things that concerns me about using a modal window is that it is so much like a pop-up window and it could cause user frustration or cause users to simply close it because it's intrusive. Do you know of any studies that talk about user preferences and use rates? </p>
  
  <p>Are there any accessibility issues beyond having the a modal window link load the content in a new page when JavaScript is turned off? Do you <em>like</em> sites or web apps that use modal windows? Why or why not? What are good and bad practices for implementing modal windows? I know modals are probably most often used when displaying pictures or galleries, but what are some other practical use cases? Do you use them on your site and what lead you to your decision? </p>