Don't

These are my pet peeves. Now, I know what you are thinking: "If they are her pet peeves, then why should I follow them?" Well, because I have consulted with various reliable sources and they all agree that using these things incorrectly, as I have demonstrated below, is bad web design. Just like everything else in life, however, there are always exceptions to these rules. Well, you've been warned, so use them with caution if you must. It is not my fault if people think you are tacky, I have done my part :)

  • Don't use blinking text (thankfully, this is no longer supported on IE)
  • Don't use red text
  • Don't underline
  • Don't USE ALL CAPS!
  • Don't animated gif exampleanimated gif exampleoveruse animated gif exampleanimated gif exampleanimated animated gif exampleanimated gif examplegifs animated gif exampleanimated gif example
  • Don't use light-colored text on a light-colored background
  • Don't use cluttered backgrounds (i.e. multicolored/graphic-intensive/non-tilable)
  • Don't overuse or misuse JavaScript and Java
  • For more Don'ts visit http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com

Updated on: August 11, 2003