Web site design: less is more

Join the fight against bloated, over-designed Web sites that obscure important information and slow the Web to a crawl. When the Web first appeared, the "blink" tag was popular; however it became too popular and was overused. As things progressed, we began to add graphics and embedded fonts, streamed media, and Shockwave games. Sadly, we often forgot to throw common sense and good design into the mix. Don't get me wrong. The world is a richer place thanks to the free flow of information and education the Web brings. It can bring down tyrants and raise grassroots armies; it can reunite lost siblings and bring together providers and the needy. But it can also cause eyestrain, headaches, and confusion. Welcome to the world of poor Web site design. Even today, some of the most popular sites still don't seem to get it. The "biggest and best" prove that neither adjective necessarily applies to the word "design". The article examines scrolling rules, pop-up menus, site navigation and graphics.