twitter/bootstrap — Issue #2144: Visited links should appear in a different color
Author: kevinburke
Created: 2012-02-21 18:34:05+00:00
State: open

This is a well known usability principle; it helps people navigate sites by showing them which pages they have seen already.

From http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040503.html:

empirical observations from user testing have identified several severe usability problems on sites that violate this convention. When sites use the same color for visited and unvisited links, users:

* unintentionally revisit the same pages repeatedly;
* get lost more easily because their understanding of each link's meaning is reduced;
* often misinterpret or overlook the difference between two similar links if they’re unsure about which one they've already visited; and
* give up faster because they have a reduced sense of mastery when the site fails to reflect their actions and thus help them navigate.