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

Vincent Flanders’ comments: The United States is coming up on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I figured there would be at least one website on this topic that would be over-the-top. I chose this site because it’s not horribly egregious.

Obviously, the page is too long. The problems are mostly text based. You have a mixture of text sizes and most of the text is difficult to read. Each page has its own color, which isn’t helpful. The site hasn’t been updated in a few years. I guess there are no more conspiracy theories . On the other hand, American TV something-or-other Glenn Beck has an amusing page about US currency and 9/11.

Interestingly, I ran Google’s online Page Speed Insights (because it gives scores – unlike the Chrome extension) – about how well . The mobile version only scored 47 and the desktop version only scored 53. Structurally, the website is unsound and wouldn’t take much to make it come crashing down.

Killtown

Submitter’s comments: This was sent to a mailing list I subscribe to (it’s in Portuguese).

Click “Clique aqui para entrar” for the homepage.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: This site proves you don’t have to speak English to create a sucky website. I love “Clique aqui” — no matter what your language, you should never title your links “Click here.” Why? It isn’t informative even if you put “to enter” right after Click Here. The problem can easily be solved by not using the splash page in the first place. What gives with the shaking Facebook graphics. I felt assaulted and I wonder how epileptic people react. It makes for a wonderful slogan: “Comissao Coordenadora: Our website will give you seizures.”

There are even more animated images once you get inside. Oh, and this site was created using the recently deceased Flash. The most horrible sin of all? No mobile version.

Comissao Coordenadora das Festas do Município da Moita

Submitter’s comments: I have what I think is a contender. The site is often unreadable, has links that go nowhere, and other things that I find disturbing, such as an order history that has alternating colors in the rows, and the text matches one of the background colors.

The thing that disturbs me the most, however, is that I love the particular game that they sell (Cosmic Wimpout) and which I have played for over twenty years. I hope that a mention on your site might spur them to improve, but I’m not holding my breath.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: You think correctly. It contended and “won.” It’s not the worst site on the web. We’ve got centered and left-justified text. one ‘Click Here,’ links with different colors, a ‘Welcome To’ message, and excessive page length on the home page.

There are contrast issues on the “Buy Now” page.

Cosmic Wimpout

Submitter’s comments: It’s got everything: marquee-like tags, embedded media, crammed in info, etc.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: One thing it doesn’t have is a TITLE tag that’s correctly spelled:

RUDGWICK STEAM & COUNRTY SHOW

The home page is quite long (see screen capture) and very “colorful.”

This gem is Flash-based so I figured there’s no mobile version. I was surprised to find that there is actually a mobile version of the website. Actually, I’d rather use the mobile rather than the web version because there’s less of everything and you can actually read the navigation. On the web version you have black text on a dark blue background.

This is obviously another Over-the-top Website.

Rudgwick Steam & Country Show

Submitter’s comments: Got an ugly tub – er, website?

Vincent Flanders’ comments: I love the URL—UglyTub.com—it’s just wonderful. What isn’t wonderful is the design.

I haven’t seen a lot of frames being used on websites today. Very few designers like them and Google doesn’t seem fond of them. What I’m seeing more of on websites is using JavaScript to disable the right mouse button. Usually, it’s to protect content, but I swear I don’t see any content worth taking from this site. Besides, everyone whose IQ is higher than an ice cube knows how to bypass this hack.

More concerning is the hidden text. The following is what visitors see:

And this is what I see because I’m clever enough <grin> to pull off some HTML tricks:

I suspect search engines see the same thing.

Bath Magic