Things to avoid when creating a website
Here’s a list of things you should definitely try to avoid when creating a website. Why? Because they bug the hell out of your visitors.
Bubble Writing
Do NoT uSe BubBlE wRiTiNg. It’S hArD tO wRiTe AnD eVeN hArDeR tO rEaD. dOn’T dO iT. eVeR. Wouldn’t you agree that it’s much easier, and much faster, to just do normal writing like the rest of us?
Text Talk
Do nt undr NE circmstncs talk lyk dis usN txt tlk. Not evry1 tlks prrrrfct englsh ‘n’ evn those of us who do talk perfect English cannot understand what you are saying. If you want to confuse your visitors, this is the way to do it.
L33t Speak
I can’t understand a word of it and I’m not the only one. Bear that in mind, okay?
Bad Attitude
“If you have a problem with my site, you know where the X button is”
Sure do. *clicks* Congratulations, my friend, you just lost yourself another visitor. What are you going to do when everyone clicks the X button?
Requirements
“Requirements: PHP, CSS, an open mind, ability to sign the guestbook, love for X, IE, FF” Hello? Earth to webmaster, it is your job to cater for my needs, not the other way around. The site’s use of PHP has nothing to do with me. Most browsers these days support CSS, but you should make sure yours looks okay even in browsers that don’t. If I’m too open-minded, my brains will fall out. What are you going to do if I can’t sign your guestbook? Is hating X going to stop me looking at your site? I’ll use whatever browser I like, thank you very much.
Blends
Um, are you trying to blind me? I can’t see the picture clearly because of all the brushes you’re using, and it’s probably a stolen picture anyway. Are you allowed to use it on your site? Who says? And what about the people who don’t have 1GB broadband like yourself, eh? Are you going to make them wait 10 years to load your whopping great big banner?
Table Layouts
I can’t bitch too much about these, because I’ve used them myself for the past couple of years. However, in recent times I have abandoned tables. Why? Because they make my site confusing to screen readers. Granted, not everyone visiting my site is blind, but who am I to discriminate?
Horizontal Scrollbars
Don’t do it! I only want to scroll in one direction. The wheel in the middle of my mouse doesn’t move sideways. Why are you making me do this? I can only imagine the horrors that people with a small screen resolution must face. Make your content narrower so it will fit.
Justified Text
Sometimes this can work out alright, but sometimes it’s really hard to read because it strings out the letters, so don’t do it if you can avoid it.
Glitters
In general, glitters are too big, too bright, and have poor spelling. Do you think that’s a good thing?
Vote Buttons
What are you making me vote for? Are you going to win a prize? If I *really* like your site, then I might consider doing it, but don’t force me to do it. Don’t take me to another page when I click the “no” button, don’t have the graphic take up the whole screen, and don’t make it a glitter!
Blinkies
Flashing text confuses the hell out of me, and it bugs me even more when it’s spelt wrong. Don’t you have dictionaries? Didn’t you pay attention in school?
Bad Grammar
This bugs the hell out of me so much, it really does. I have a bad habit of correcting everyone’s grammar, including my best friend’s. No one is safe. Find out the difference between “your” and “you’re”; find out the difference between “there”, “their” and “they’re”, and learn them!
Stolen Graphics
Did you make that funky graphic on your webpage? No? Well do you have permission from the person who did? No? Well then why are you using the funky graphic? If you can’t remember where you got the graphic from, then don’t use it. My personal opinion is that it’s okay to save graphics you like from the internet. Just don’t upload them again once they’re on your hard drive. Yes, yes, it might be the coolest graphic in the whole wide world ever, but it’s not yours, so don’t put it on your website, okay?
Small Fonts
Can you read this text? No? Well, neither can I! Don’t use small font sizes on your site. It’s not big (no pun intended), it’s not clever, and it’s not going to gain you visitors. Make fonts a more reasonable size, and maybe people will try to read what you’ve written. Got it? Good!
