Waldo Smeets .com on Rich Internet Applications

Sales Engineer from Adobe Benelux on Rich Internet Applications, Web 2.0 and Adobe Flex in the Benelux.


No More SNAP (WAS: To SNAP or not to SNAP?)

With the new blogsystem I also introduced SNAP into my site to give you all previews of a page when you rollover an external link. I had seen it on some other sites and somehow it felt convenient to me. However, I’ve read on the web that some people don’t like SNAP. Apparently because of usability (the popup feeling) and load times of the pages using it. Even though there now is an option to turn SNAP off on your machine, I wonder what readers of this blog think. Should it stay, or go?

Update: Democracy ruled that SNAP should be gone, so no more SNAP on my site ;-)

11 Responses to “No More SNAP (WAS: To SNAP or not to SNAP?)”


  1. 1 Serge Jan 6th, 2007 at 10:49 am

    I don’t really mind… except when you have articles with 20 urls ;-)

  2. 2 Gus Jan 6th, 2007 at 1:33 pm

    I find the previews both annoying and worthless. They don’t give me any additional information, and simply get in the way.

  3. 3 DannyT Jan 6th, 2007 at 2:51 pm

    I agree with Gus, if I want to look at a link I’ll click it. It is very distracting as I tend to read large amounts of text by highlighting the line i’m reading as I go which means I’m forever accidentally popping up images everywhere.

    Maybe you could mod it to be a preference setting for your readers?

  4. 4 JesterXL Jan 6th, 2007 at 6:47 pm

    I’m wtih Gus and Danny; annoying.

  5. 5 MrSteel Jan 6th, 2007 at 7:29 pm

    One vote more for toSnap = false;

  6. 6 Kevin Sargent Jan 7th, 2007 at 2:05 am

    I also agree. Extra bandwidth / time and provides no information to decide if I want to click that link - The context of the link does that already.

  7. 7 Ed Jan 7th, 2007 at 10:24 am

    agreed. very annoying.

  8. 8 Peter Boughton Jan 8th, 2007 at 10:47 am

    I agree with Gus et al.

    However I wouldn’t object to an icon after the URL that popped-up the preview onclick, which would maintain the functionality for anyone who wants it without annoying those who don’t.

  9. 9 Jared Rypka-Hauer Jan 8th, 2007 at 5:12 pm

    I really do hate SNAP with a passion. Beyond the first 10 seconds of “oh, that’s kinda cool, I wonder how they do that…” it’s annoying, obtrusive, distracting and almost claustrophobic because you can’t get rid of it, avoid it or make it go away. I hate things that hang off my mouse like a drunken date that can’t stand up on their own.

    Anyway… you asked! ;)

  10. 10 Waldo Smeets Jan 8th, 2007 at 6:27 pm

    LOL, I’ve removed SNAP already ;-)

  11. 11 Jermaine Jan 9th, 2007 at 4:07 pm

    Don’t u love Wordpress :)