Web Pages That Suck - learn good web design by looking at bad web design

Submitter’s comments: Here’s one for your slush pile…

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Certainly one of the worst looking political websites I’ve seen. If it weren’t for the fact that he claims to have 13 3/4 years worth of education, I would write off the typos as just a symptom of an Over-the-top Web Site. The following screen shot not only shows the problem, but could also be used as the visual representation of irony:

The candidate’s support of “School violents” reminded me of Emily Litella.

I don’t know what the title of this page should be so I grabbed some text:

U.S. Senate of Zack wamp in 2010

Turns out, according to my commenters, that the person involved in this site is really Basil Marceaux Sr., instead of Zack Wamp.

I’ve heard of interesting campaign promises, but this one may be the best:

VOTE FOR ME AND IF I WIN I WILL IMMUNE YOU FROM ALL STATE CRIMES FOR THE REST OF YOU LIFE! (Except violating a citizen rights this would be a special punishment )

Basil Marceaux Sr.

Submitter’s comments: This is one of those “Have you ever seen another web site? Really? Doesn’t look like it” sites.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: This is the type of web design I’d expect to see from one of those creationist types of sites like Creation Museum, Taxidermy Hall of Fame of NC and Antique Tool Museum. It’s nice to know that evolutionists can be just as wacko in their web design.

Evolution and the Nature of Science Institutes

Submitter’s comments: I was wondering if you might consider listing M&M Upholstery on your Daily Sucker page.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Absolutely. It commits the most grievous of web design sins — lack of contrast between the text and the background color. The small text size adds to the problem.

I ran the home page through AccessColor and they reported the following:

Either color difference or color brightness does not meet the recommended standard for 88% of the total the text.

I wrote about this problem in Biggest Mistakes in Web Design 1995-2015 under the topic “Contrast, dammit.”

According to Wikipedia: “Contrast is the difference in visual properties that makes an object (or its representation in an image) distinguishable from other objects and the background.” According to Vincent Flanders: “Without proper contrast, visitors to your site can’t read the text and if they can’t read it, they will leave it.” Here’s a web site that gives a really great explanation of the need for contrast — and it’s visual.

M & M Upholstery

Submitter’s comments: This site is a cracker – it’s pretty much all images. All the text is an image, all the nav is made of images. Surely it’s HARDER to make images than just write, y’know, text?!

Disable the images and the site magically disappears!

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Most of the site disappears. If you still have Flash enabled, you’ll see rotating images, but that’s about it.

I’m willing to bet these folks provide an excellent service, but their web site makes you think otherwise. If I had a dollar for every quality operation who had a website that sucked…

Baccaro Construction

Submitter’s comments: Oh dear. What were they thinking?All points fail (APF?)

Vincent Flanders’ comments: The message on the home page “the flash player is required for viewing this site.  download flash” initially convinced me I couldn’t view the site. Then I realized, “Hey, I’ve got Flash installed.” I clicked on “enter” and was taken to the Flash-based home page.

Ironically, the company specializes in failure analysis. OK. Here’s my analysis. If English isn’t your first language, don’t use Flash. It’s too hard to correct grammatical errors (…witness for insurance industry) and strange word arrangements (…provide clients…forensic services in timely manner and cost effective).

There isn’t anything Flash is providing that couldn’t be done in HTML.

Sidhi Consultants

Submitter’s comments: Comic Sans caught in the wild.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Ah…Comic Sans. The font we love to hate. If you doubt me, check out Google. The majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers  wrote an open letter to the city of Cleveland after professional basketball player Lebron James bailed for more money or whatever it was he was after.

It’s hard to take majority owner Dan Gilbert seriously when he’s using Comic Sans. I don’t follow sports, but even I know this whole affair looks too much like professional wrestling.

Open Letter to Cleveland Cavalier Fans

Submitter’s comments: Vincent, are you aware of this site?

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I am now and all I’ve got to say is WTF? Don’t these guys get it?

This is a website that discusses children’s reading difficulties AND IT’S TOO FREAKING HARD TO READ WHAT THEY’VE WRITTEN!!!!!!!

Children of the Code

Submitter’s comments: Please don’t ask how I find these rabbit warren web sites.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I won’t ask, so please don’t tell.

If you have to explain a joke, the joke sucks. If you have to explain your navigation, your navigation sucks. This site’s navigation is a joke. On some of the subpages, it’s difficult to read the text even after you zoom in.

Olmsted Falls