Usability anti-pattern: Download link opens Facebook

I remember using this application long time ago and wanted to recommend it somewhere. I tried downloading it and was confused to be directed to this malicious and privacy-invading Nazi^H^H^H^H concerned citizen petting zoo without notice. All the social buttons on the website have not gone unnoticed, interested users may click one of these eventually. No need to distract them with such an anti-pattern
Looking into the website code:
From a user perspective:
Looking into the website code:
- Code: Select all
<a href="/download/SARDU_3.zip" onclick="javascript:window.location.href='/download/SARDU_3.zip'; window.open('https://www.facebook.com/sarducd'); return false;">SARDU Multiboot Creator 3</a>
From a user perspective:
- A user clicks the download link and expects that the browser will download something and notify appropriately.
- Opening Facebook when clicking "download" gives the impression that Facebook now offers general purpose file hosting like Github/Sourceforge.
- A more sophisticated user may even check the link target but not notice that the browser is already downloading (because two events happen at the same time) and trying again. Some browsers may only notify the user when the download was finished.
- No user expects a serious software project to screw up website navigation like this.
- A security conscious user may label this behavior as immature, non-professional or social media/warez bullshit and never return to your site.