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The Daily Sucker - Current examples of bad web design

The Daily Sucker

Sites featured in articles like Worst Websites of 2010 often are redesigned, which explains why some sites mentioned in my articles don't match their current look. The Daily Sucker features current examples of bad web design which haven't been fixed (yet).

If you see a site that you think sucks, email the URL to me. No personal pages (personal pages are supposed to reflect the individual's personality and artistic freedom) or web site designers (it would look like a conflict of interest), or others of their ilk.

If I think there's some merit to your selection, I may post it along with some commentary. If you know of a site that qualifies, let me know.

Raising Overcomers – An Example of Bad Web Design for March 16, 2012

March 15th, 2012 9:09 pm by Vincent Flanders

A bad website

This is the Daily SuckerSubmitter’s comments: The ultimate in Mystery Meat Navigation.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Initially, I thought this was what happens when Pinterest meets Mystery Meat Navigation, but I was wrong. Turns out these are Blogger Dynamic View Gadgets. One of the problems I have with templates and widgets and gadgets is the creators give people options that are stupid. It’s like giving a machine gun with the safety off to your average 3-year old. They’re going to make the wrong choice. Templates and gadgets and widgets are the same way. The creators should offer choices, but they should be rational choices.

I don’t have any idea what the site is about other than someone’s ruminations on life. Even if it’s a personal site, the issue is don’t use stupid widgets—especially if you’re a business. To be fair to Blogger, their video shows how these gadgets should be used, but it assumes talent that even I don’t have. I’ve been trying to make a stupid Pinterest version of my home page, but I’m Masonry and Javascript impaired. Any help would be appreciated.

Raising Overcomers

Posted in Daily Sucker, Usability, Web Design, Worst Web Sites |


Pacific Northwest X-ray – An Example of Bad Web Design for March 14, 2012

March 13th, 2012 10:10 pm by Vincent Flanders

A bad website

This is the Daily SuckerSubmitter’s comments: This one reminds me of old GeoCities sites from about 1997. It’s painful to look at, thanks to the total lack of contrast (black on dark blue? yellow on greenish?), the blinking things make me want to hurt my browser, and they have no clue what “anti-aliasing” could possibly mean, nor why something anti-aliased for a white background should not be put on that blue … stuff.

It’s quite a large site, and every page is more hideous than the last. There are imagemaps for no good reason, graphicized text to make sure search engines can’t see the navigation and things in the source code that make me cringe…empty links galore, that kind of thing. And these people are selling to multi-million-dollar clients.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Normally, I might say “Oh, nobody uses their website because they have a catalog and that’s what people use. Wrong. They have a “No printed catalog is available” message at the bottom of the page. Oh, they underscore the message—which is wrong because only links should be underscored. The copyright is from 1997-2012. I think the submitter is right. The site is stuck in 1997.

This is a real company with a really bad website—one that is awfully close to being a Loon Website.

The site is trying to be cute by redirecting folks. If you want to see the site:

1. Copy this url — http://www.pnwx.com/
2. Open new tab or window in your browser
3. Paste in the URL
4. Hit the ENTER key

Or if you want to read the diatribe – Pacific Northwest X-ray. I haven’t read it because I’ve heard it all before <grin>.

Posted in Daily Sucker, Usability, Web Design, Worst Web Sites |


Teacup Pigs Full Grown – An Example of Bad Web Design for March 13, 2012

March 12th, 2012 11:11 pm by Vincent Flanders

A bad website

This is the Daily SuckerSubmitter’s comments: A nomination for the Worst Web Page EVER!!

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Not sure if it’s the worst web page ever, but it certainly is the worst page today.

I don’t understand the light yellow text that runs throughout the page. Are they trying to stuff keywords? Are they trying to talk about their product? It’s in English so you’d think I know, but I don’t.

Teacup Pigs Full Grown

Posted in Daily Sucker, Usability, Web Design, Worst Web Sites |


Under Construction Animated GIFs – An Example of Bad Web Design for March 12, 2012

March 11th, 2012 9:09 pm by Vincent Flanders

A bad website

The Daily Sucker
Vincent Flanders’ comments: Technically, this page is trying to “save” all the “Under Construction” animated GIFs, so it could be looked at in a positive light. On the other hand, it’s trying to save all the “Under Construction” animated GIFs and that doesn’t seem like a good idea. Billy @zoompf found this site and tweeted it.

If you want to see some amazing animated GIFs, try Reed & Rader.

Somebody at Lightspeed Software made an animation of me back on November 21, 1996. I can’t claim to be the first to be animated, but I’m among the early ones. You gotta love the Ben Franklin haircut.

11-21-96

Under Construction Animated GIFs

Posted in Daily Sucker, Usability, Web Design, Worst Web Sites |


TEC Infrared Grills – An Example of Bad Web Design for March 9, 2012

March 9th, 2012 1:01 am by Vincent Flanders

A bad website

The Daily SuckerSubmitter’s comments: Awesome grills. Not so awesome site.

First of all, there is a splash page with annoying music and flash. When I visit a page, I want in right away. I shouldn’t have to click “Enter.”

The colors are horrible for contrast, as in too much contrast. The background throughout the site is all black and the text is white. It hurts to look at it.

The navigation is not that great. Some links load PDF files without warning. It’s like the black hole of grill sites.

Grilling should be about outdoors and family fun, not ultimate blackness with somber music and text that burns your eyes.

I’m reminded of the movie “Spinal Tap” when I think about how much more black the site can be. The answer is NONE. NONE MORE BLACK.

If you go back to January of 2010, the site was actually somewhat appealing to the eye.

Let’s just say they made a change for the worse. Good grill, though.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: The real home page scrolls horizontally forever on my system. I couldn’t get the newly released Snagit 11 to record the screen correctly, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Or you can try this link to an MP4 file that shows the scrolling (your browser will need the QuickTime plugin).

TEC Infrared Grills

Posted in Daily Sucker, Usability, Web Design |


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