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

Submitter’s comments: In order to install the USB wireless module that came bundled with the purchase of my home desktop, but not installed by the store, I needed the driver from the manufacturer. After rtfm’ing the motherboard manual and using Google to track down the company name and part number, I found the installer file and downloaded it. That was pretty easy to do. Their download section was reasonable to navigate.

Then I decided to check out their home page. My first thought was, it needed to be submitted to WPTS. After clicking the [Read More] buttons, the-sub pages look more reasonable to use. But scrolling down that home page gave me a less than positive first impression, especially after reading your Daily Suckers. It does look like the company makes good stuff, though. And the wireless works fine.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I realize parallax scrolling is all the rage today and FU, very much, Nike for making this technique popular. This page provides a good example of how the technique works and how to implement it. I mention it because it’s implementation is much better than Mediatek’s. The problem with parallax scrolling in Mediatek’s case and with many other sites is the lack of contrast between the text and background. Visitors need to read the text. If they can’t, why will they stay?

In the abstract to The Effects Of Parallax Scrolling On User Experience And Preference In Web Design the author states, “…advocates of the technique argue that it also improves the overall user experience.” After conducting tests the author states, “The finding revealed that although parallax scrolling enhanced certain aspects of the user experience, it did not necessarily improve the overall user experience.” Drop the technique.

Mediatek

Submitter’s comments: I was struck dumb the first time I visited their website. My personal opinion is that it’s bloody awful as a site in general, but to have it as the site of the town’s only art center?

Vincent Flanders’ comments: As you can see, even on a wide-screen monitor the text gets cut off. Google’s PageSpeed Insights isn’t fond of how the home page is constructed. I’m not either. I looked at the source code and discovered the site was created using NetObjects Fusion – a web design tool I was really, really fond of back in 1996-97. Oh, well. Time moves on. This website hasn’t.

Riverside Art Center

Submitter’s comments: As someone who depends heavily on keyboard navigation, I was flummoxed by the 2014 redesign — Where are the item names? Where are the prices?

Vincent Flanders’ comments: The item names and prices are hidden under the Mystery Meat Navigation. I really don’t like that you can’t tell how large an item is until you click and go to the product’s page.

Their use of filters annoys me. One of the choices offered is “Show in Stock Only.” WTF?! Why are you showing me something I can’t buy? Why?

GamaGo

Submitter’s comments: Take a look.  I could not find anything here.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: It’s just another over-the-top website. Reading some of the material made my head hurt.

Preterist Archive

Submitter’s comments: Total waste of time. Never mind the click-bait aspect. The site owners are obviously only into the ad-grab not information as the name implies. So much is trying to load it regularly crashes. This is after waiting through ads that regularly lock up the screen. The result is you wait again. Read through half the page….crash. Wait, reload, crash. Lol!

This site says it is one of the top business-related websites as measured by traffic.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I belong to the camp that really likes Business Insider. Heck, I even share some of their stories on my Facebook page. In the past, there have been problems with their mobile app. They’ve fixed the biggest problem: tapping the back button caused the home page to reload instead of going back to where your story was located. There are a lot of articles whose connection to business is tenuous, at best, but I visit the site 2-3 times per day.

I don’t doubt the crashing and locking up problems still occur on some devices. Not sure which. Why I made it a sucker is the repeating stories. This happens when you’re finished reading an article and hit Back. It’s sporadic so it’s not completely reproducible when you want to show it. This screenshot (1.36Mb) shows three stories that were repeated on the home page.

Business Insider (on the iPad)