Chapter 1

These Pages Suck. Why?

The Whys of Suckage

What Is a Good-Looking and Effective Web Site?

"De gustibus non disputandum est" loosely translates to "You can't have opinions about matters of taste." Well, if that statement is true, this book is in a world of trouble <grin>. Fortunately for me, except for personal, art, and experimental sites, Web design isn't about matters of taste, it's about communicating and making money.

In this chapter we'll take a preliminary look at Web design aesthetics, how outside forces can get in your way, and the number-one way to improve your Web site. Throughout the chapter we'll look at specific pages using the concept of the Two-Minute Offense (see the Introduction to the book) to determine where the designers went wrong.