Worst Web Sites 2007

If a commercial web site sucks, it generally only affects the employees and stockholders of the company. Hopefully, they have the qualifications to go out and find another job if their company fails.

When a nonprofit web site sucks, the organization's clients get hurt — and they already are in a vulnerable state or they wouldn't be clients. There's more at stake with a nonprofit web site and there's more responsibility to "get it right."

Obviously some clients of nonprofit organizations, like universities, don't get hurt in the same way as a homeless shelter's clients would get hurt. Still, a poorly designed web site tarnishes the luster of an organization (Brown University comes to mind.)

For examples of other nonprofit and not-for-profit web sites that suck, also read: The 10 Worst Web Pages Featured on Web Pages That Suck in 2006. In 2006, I didn't separate nonprofit from for-profit web sites. This list contains Brown University (their home page), NEIU Foreign Exchange Lab, HRODC, Accept Jesus, Forever Forgiven!, and the Association of International Glaucoma Societies.

The following are the worst non-profit web sites that appeared on Web Pages That Suck in 2007.

#10. Hartnell College — Go to Hartnell College

Why do designers copy obviously bad ideas? Brown University's home page is not something you want to copy unless your goal is to confuse your visitors into thinking they're at Brown University.

As one commenter stated, "By God! Heading here, heading there! Whoa, heading back here. You can probably develop vertigo or a pretty good headache just by scrolling down while paying attention to where the headings are placed." Read the commentary.

#9 New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs — Go to Internal Affairs

Lots of folks don't believe web pages like the "Services" page really exist. Yes, Link City is a real location.

The home page is not quite as atrocious as the "Services" page, but it comes close. Where's the focus? There are also contrast issues between the links and the background. Read the commentary.

#8 University of Edinburgh Department of Architecture — Go to Department of Architecture

You need to click around the high graphics version to see the full measure of its stupidity. After you get past the pretentious and low-contrast splash page, click on "Programmes" for a real treat. A new menu partially obscures the old menu. You have to see it to believe it. Then click on the "Main Navigation" link. Amazing. Read the commentary.

#7 Project Justice for Animals — Go to Project Justice for Animals

Here's another one for the record books (if it isn't in there already).

Submitter's comments: This practically breaks every rule of good web design. I wonder who thinks this would be a good idea? Gotta love the title of the homepage too, "index."

Vincent's comments: The site is Project Justice for Animals. The links are, at best, vague descriptions "A story," "Reality," etc. I don't have the nerve to click them. The home page is a mess.

#6 Oceanside High School Class of 1960 — Go to Oceanside High

High school still sucks.

Here is a link to yet another sucker that combines animated GIF, clip-art, and content overkill within a sprawling vertical page featuring a navigational system at the BOTTOM of the page augmented by page-embedded links (obscured by the frequent, seemingly random use of font decorations and styles). Read the commentary. Read the commentary.

#5 Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to heaven! — Go to Jesus Christ

WWJDIHSTWS? What Would Jesus Do If He Saw This Web Site?

Whenever I see seemingly religious web sites like this one, the number 1135 comes to mind. That's 1135 as in John 11:35 — "Jesus wept." Read the commentary.

#4 United States Marine Corps. — Go to U.S. Marine Corps.

The Few. The Proud. The Badly Designed.

Read the commentary.

#3 University of Wisconsin-Madison Visual Culture — Go to Visual Culture

Well, college is good for many things. In the 60's we indulged in bad drugs; today, kids indulge in bad web design. Normally, I would say that it's better to indulge in bad web design, but this site makes me rethink my position. Read the commentary.

#2 NASA's STS-108 Interactive page — Go to NASA

Make the hurting stop, please. Can you take this page from NASA for more than three seconds?

I offer you this loathsome beauty, which should bear a big banner which reads, "WARNING: NOT SAFE FOR SUFFERERS OF EPILEPSY, MIGRAINE, OR MOTION SICKNESS." Read the commentary.

Honorary #1 Worst Non-Profit Web Site of 2007 — Unamesa

The Unamesa web site was the Daily Sucker for November 21, 2007, and was guaranteed the #1 position — but then they fixed it.

Read the commentary.

#1 Worst Non-Profit Web Site of 2007 — One Laptop Per Child — Go to OLPC

There's nothing wrong (and a lot that is right) with helping kids in the third-world get a laptop. There IS something wrong about forcing them to swallow Mystery Meat (Navigation) to use the interface.

One person made a non-design comment that should be reflected upon:

My daughter is in the Peace Corp in Tanzania. Alleviating starvation and AIDS would seem to be prerequisite...books and teachers would be useful...paper and pencils...clothing...and electricity would also seem to be educational necessities. I believe in technology in education - but first things first.

The usability of the site is fitting for a cause that is at best a well-intentioned ostrich. The cost of that laptop would feed a child for a year in Tanzania so send an equal donation for food and AIDS relief.

Read the commentary.