ELFIE'S WEBPAGE RANT!
Dec. 1st, 2002 12:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfie_chan![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
dmscv did a rant recently on Geosnitties webpages and brought up some very valid points. She also inspired me...there are many things about web design that people should know BEFORE they make one. A page builder and special effects do not a webpage make. If you want people to come to your page, it should be readable, easy to navigate, well-organized, and interesting. The interesting part is up to the individual, but here are some of Elfie's well-meant tips on web design.(DISCLAIMER: These are my opinions. Different web designers have different opinions on what looks good and what doesn't. These are just things that irritate ME.)
1. Popup Windows. I realize that, for most of us, these are just something we have to live with. Our websites are on free servers, and the popups come with the service. Well, this is going out to all you free servers out there: There must be a better way! Besides this, Freewebspace.com has this great feature where you only pay about $25 PER YEAR and you get rid of all the ads. I'm gonna be investing in this SOON.
Popup menus are okay, if they're done well. Popup ads suck.
2. Grammar and Spelling. I also realize that we're not all English teachers here. Heck, I'M not an English teacher, and I'm sure my (horribly un-updated) page has typos. However, make an effort. Please. (NO, I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK ON ANYBODY HERE! THE PEOPLE I KNOW MAKE AN EFFORT!)
3. Backgrounds. If your background is so complicated that people can't read the text, you might want to think about switching it. Most of the best backgrounds I've seen have been either plain colors or really faded and subtle. If an image is cool enough that you want to draw attention to it, use it as an actual image on a page. You want people to be drawn to your PAGE, not your background.
4. Flashing Text. Sucks. End of story. If you REALLY want to call attention to something, a little flashing text is not bad, I guess. But, in general, it's annoying and gives us horrible mental seizures.
5. Underlining. In general, underlined text means a link. Underlining non-linked text can be confusing. Just a suggestion here.
6. Cursor Applets. I didn't know what these were called until I read
dmscv's LJ. But these are possible the most annoying things on the face of the Internet. DO NOT use these bloody things! I realize that some people feel that they're cool or whatever. Okay, if they're cool, at least have SMALL images follow the cursor. Anything bigger than the space it takes for me to type "LJ" is friggin' annoying and turns me right off to whatever the webpage is. I'm sorry; I can't help it. If it's a really cool webpage, I might suffer through, but if I'm visiting for the first time and the rest of the page doesn't grab my attention, I am SO out of there.7. Snowflake Java. Evil. Evil, evil, evil. Not as evil as Cursor Applets, but close. I'm sorry, but I find this one really irritating. If you must have it on your page (for instance, if you have a seasonal layout update for autumn and you want to have little leaves or something), keep it small. Please. Also, PLEASE don't put it on every page. If it's just on the main page, it's not so bad.
8. Page Fading/Flashing Colors Transitions. In my opinion, the whole page fading thing only works if it's a transition from a splash page to the rest of the page. I've seen it done very beautifully that way. However, if you have a fade transition to EVERY SINGLE PAGE, it's harder to do it well. The flashing colors transitions are just plain irritating.
9. BACKGROUND MIDIS. This is THE BIG ONE for me. If a page has an embedded MIDI that I can't turn off, I don't stay there very long. I always turn off MIDIs, as I'm usually listening to my own music, anyway, and MIDIs tend to clash. Most of the people I talk to hate the bloody things, too. At LEAST include an off button.
The best way I've seen for people to handle the whole MIDI issue is to include a button at the top of the page that a viewer can press to play the MIDI if he/she wants to.
(A note on MIDIs: According to Webpages That Suck: The Daily Sucker, posting music on your webpage is illegal, unless you pay royalties. Comments on this?)
10. Thumbnails. This is mainly for those of you who have art sites. I learned this one the hard way: Have a separate, smaller thumbnail that links to the larger picture. Just shrinking the pic down via HTML makes for this odd little blob that viewers have a hard time seeing clearly. Separate thumbnails make things easier and tend to take less time to load.
11. Graphics. Use graphics with care as to their placement and organization. Don't just put a bunch of random graphics up on your page because they look cool. Think about where and how you're using them.
12. Image Maps. There is a better way, in my opinion. There's a program called Fireworks that will slice your image into a table, and then you can attach links to the different images in the table. Tables tend to load faster than image maps, and quick loading time is definitely a goal to strive for. Also, tables tend to be easier to manage and format than image maps.
13. Fonts. If you want to use a special novelty font and you believe that your page just won't look as cool without it, include a place to download the font. Also, think about readability. In general, Arial and Times New Roman make wonderful fonts for general body copy. If you want special fonts, make a title graphic using that font. It's more dramatic that way, anyway.
14. Organization. Please, please, PLEASE organize your page. If you've got a page that you think is great, ask a friend to try navigating it. If your friend has problems, at least check those problems out. Also, simplicity is a wonderful thing. If you can't find a reason for something to be on your page...axe it.
15. Stealing. This is another biggie. DO NOT TAKE GRAPHICS THAT DON'T BELONG TO YOU! If you're using someone else's graphic, AT LEAST give them credit for making it. If they ask you to take it down, do so IMMEDIATELY. This is common courtesy. Just because someone puts something out on the web does not immediately make it freeware/public domain. Once something is out on the web or ANYWHERE, it's copyrighted unless marked otherwise. OKAY?!
16. Imitation. This is NOT just copying or stealing someone else's webpage. If you like someone's webpage format, study it and figure out WHAT you like. If it's just their original images or whatnot, forget it. Link to them from your page, if you want, but don't steal. However, if it's their sleek design, check out what they did and try it yourself. Play with it until you find something that's uniquely you.
17. Feedback. Ask for feedback! Often, this helps make your page better. You can always ignore someone's advice (like mine) if you really want to.
I think that's enough for now. I may include more later. For more tips (and some amusement), go to Webpages That Suck. It's really a good page. My Webpage Design teacher highly recommends it.
If this rant has been helpful, let me know! If not, let me know! Gah...now I just gotta get MY rear in gear and get that webpage up...Bah.
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no subject
Date: 2002-12-01 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-12-03 01:50 pm (UTC)O.o
Date: 2002-12-01 05:29 pm (UTC)Re: O.o
Date: 2002-12-03 01:55 pm (UTC)Re: O.o
Date: 2002-12-03 01:57 pm (UTC)You need to be on ICQ more, I miss you lots... **sniffles**
Re: O.o
Date: 2002-12-03 06:23 pm (UTC)I miss you, too. *snugs and sniffles* Winter vacation soon! Then, maybe, I can be online more often!