Rollover Pop-Up Windows

Rollover pop-up windows are links or graphics that open up a pop-up window, when users move their cursor over it. The pop-up window itself can be the contents of another Web page, or just a graphic.

Rollover pop-up windows are generally not recommended as a way of optimizing home page real estate, because of the following drawbacks:

Pop-up window is not activated if Javascript is disabled
Pop-up windows use Javascript to work. If the user has disabled Javascript in their browser, then the pop-up window does not work.
The messages are hidden until activated
The contents of a rollover pop-up window are hidden until the user activates it by moving the cursor over a link or graphic, so they're useless for essential information.
They take more time to download than text
Most rollover pop-up windows are images, which take longer to download than plain text.
Awkward to Use
Rollover pop-up windows generally require more effort to use. Users have to hover their cursor over a link or graphic to activate the pop-up window. There can also be a lot of space between the point where the cursor is and the pop-up window. A bit of a usability nightmare!

Therefore, users are required to look back and forth between where they're pointing and reading. The pop-up window disappears when the mouse cursor leaves the link or graphic activation area. This requires good hand to eye co-ordination and can be somewhat cumbersome

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