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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.

Atomic Data – Bad Web Design Example for September 29, 2011

September 28th, 2011 9:09 pm by Vincent Flanders

atomic data sucks

Submitter’s comments: I’m not sure what to make of this beast. It’s so ugly I sort of want to
keep looking at it because sooner or later, maybe I’ll “get it.” At the
present moment, I don’t.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I don’t know if it’s ugly. It seems misguided. My problems start at the very beginning—the company name and tagline. Atomic Data: Simple, Safe, Smart. When I read those words I think, “Nuclear, Complex, Explosive, Dangerous, Japan, Boom.” Nobody outside the nuclear industry thinks “Simple, Safe, Smart” when they think “at0mic.”

Instead of getting the feeling I’m looking at a data center and a cloud, I feel I’m looking at a nuclear reactor. That’s not a good impression. The yellow motif consciously makes me think “emergency.” Yellow is the wrong color for this site. Blue would work much better. Almost any color except yellow and red.

The home page Lightshow conveyor belt is very annoying. I should know. I’ve used them here and annoyed lots of people. Almost as many as my slow-sliding elevator menus <grin>. When I go to the TV page, I don’t see anything relating to video. The conveyor belt goes too fast and it’s too hard to stop where you want to stop.

On the other hand, I like the fact the PDFs are identified.

Atomic Data

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


Tamborra Design Group – Bad Web Design Example for September 27, 2011

September 26th, 2011 8:08 pm by Vincent Flanders

another daily sucker

Submitter’s comments: Here’s my ALL-TIME favorite, awesome, architect website.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I seem to have a fetish for architects’ websites. My initial fascination was over how outlandish and mysterious they were because they seemed to adore Mystery Meat Navigation. I even have a page devoted to architects that I’m revising because so many of the sites I featured have changed. I hope I provided some inspiration and impetus to get them to change.

Today, we have an architectural website anomaly. Instead of an architect’s website that’s “out there” like the old Zaha-Hadid site, we have an architect who is inspired by 1997 website design.

Yes, it’s using some sort of Microsoft-generated theme but it’s doing something I’ve never seen done on a website. I’ve seen websites that tell you that your monitor needs to have a specific resolution, but I’ve never seen one that tells you your monitor’s resolution and then tell you to change it. Cleverly arrogant.

Thank God I can’t tell you the last time I saw a Java-animated logo that ripples when you move your mouse over it. Other elements that are wrong include the marquee, animated GIFs, cheesy navigation buttons and—oh, my God!—I haven’t seen the following two mistakes from Web Design Checklist 1: 156 Mortal Sins That Will Send Your Site to Web Design Hell for a long, long time

Don't tell people what browser to download Our site has “Download latest browser” text or buttons.
OMG FrontPageOur site prominently displays what hardware and software was used to create the site.

Tamborra Design Group

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


Sixties Press – Bad Web Design Example for September 22, 2011

September 22nd, 2011 5:05 am by Vincent Flanders

Submitter’s comments: I would like to submit the following website for consideration: Sixties Press. When I went to their website I gave an involuntary shudder. The header is barely readable: it looks like something created in Microsoft Paint with every imaginable effect added on. The picture of the editor has this weird effect where it looks like ripples in a pond. There has to be at least 20 different colors on the page with no rhyme or reason. I hope you will agree, this web page really sucks.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I suspect that everyone except the site owner agrees with you. I suggest the owner read (and as a publisher he has no excuse not to read) about Mistake #6 from Biggest Mistakes in Web Design 1995-2015Have you ever seen another web site? Really? Doesn’t look like it. Actually, he should read the whole article along with my series of checklists on bad web design:

Checklist 1 – Fatal Mistakes
Checklist 2 – Big Mistakes
My Site Sucks. What Do I Do Now?

Actually, the home page reminds me of some things I saw back in my college dorm in the 1960’s. Fortunately, the color combinations were much better.

Sixties Press

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


Leslie Joseph – Bad Web Design Example for September 21, 2011

September 20th, 2011 8:08 pm by Vincent Flanders

Submitter’s comments: I came across this, the website of famous British actress Lesley Joseph, and I have to say I think it’s the worst, most pointless website I’ve ever seen.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: It’s really pretty amazing. A small text logo—on the right side, but directly across from a graphic that you think would contain a real logo. I assume the large empty space at the top is for a banner ad, but right now it’s large and empty. It’s also difficult to read her last name because it conflicts with the background.

My favorite part is her comments on the mid-right side:

Do not be fooled, this is the real Lesley Joseph official website. I am an English actress and am starring in The Vagina Monologues!

I wonder if the fake Lesley Joseph has a better-looking unofficial website.

Leslie Joseph

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


Mike Rowe Works – Bad Web Design Example for September 19, 2011

September 18th, 2011 10:10 pm by Vincent Flanders

Submitter’s comments: This site is based on the work and experience of Mike Rowe and his Dirty Jobs program. Great idea to help America work for America, but the designers of the site are clearly stuck in 1995 and are fans of MS Bob.

This site’s “navigation” is so counter-intuitive that I couldn’t spend more than 10 seconds mousing over crap objects to figure out what did what.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Time Magazine called Microsoft Bob one of the 50 Worst Inventions of All Time. Well, at least one person found success with Microsoft Bob.

Yeah, what’s with this layout? I’m thinking it’s more 1997 than 1995. I’ve featured a few of these Bobs in the past: Billy Connolly, Brill Publications and the old BVS Performance Center for Banks come to mind—probably because they burned a hole in my brain. No, wait. That was the subdural hematoma. If my memory serves me well—and it doesn’t always—this type of format seems to be popular with TV, movies and other artistic endeavors. It needs to stop being popular.

Mike Rowe Works

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


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