Web Design Forums

cam · 27-06-2006, 04:35

Quote:

When it comes to some of the web’s most popular sites - is their success because of or in spite of ‘ugly’ design?

In his 2004 AIGA magazine piece It’s Good to Be Bad, David Volgler observed a troubling trend in web design. Pointing to six popular but ugly websites (including the infamous hampster dance site) Volgler said he’s “haunted by a troubling question: does a website have to be well-designed to be popular?” The six sites that Volgler mentions are all, by any reasonable aesthetic judgment, ugly. Even worse, they’re annoying. But does ugly and annoying mean poorly-designed?

It's all been said before, but still raises some good points

http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features...yspace-problem

weldo · 27-06-2006, 08:08

its also a problem when 23 year old american gaylords suddenly want to be my friend ?
of course, i deny them, but the 23 year old sex kittens are still in with a chance....

hmmm...

pgo · 27-06-2006, 10:11

I think those sites are popular in spite of their design. MySpace is popular for the very fact that you can make the most god-awful obnoxious page with music and videos and gigantic background images that make your profile impossible to read. People don't care about it being ugly (especially when you're appealing to the lowest common denominator

).

Design isn't the end-all-be-all of successful business. Some companies succeed because of great design, some companies succeed in spite of bad design.

It's just the way the world works.

weldo · 27-06-2006, 12:29

indeed ...

i was asked to provide a quote for a band site that was all updatable, and included a music player ...

i said "£600 minimum"
they said "fuck you - we'll just go to myspace - its free"

OK - so it can look shitty - but it serves a purpose for a lot of people who don't actually care too much about fonts, colours, look and feel etc....

interestingly, there are several sites that provide really rather nice myspace templates ... if used correctly, you can have a nice myspace site (plus the ads of course) - but many people still think that by messing about with it all - it will 'make them stand out more'

its the 'free' aspect that makes it popular.
i'm not gonna do a site for someone and tell them not to pay me ...

end of story.

dbh_21 · 03-07-2006, 11:06

check this out...

http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/a...yspace-layouts

Allenheath · 03-07-2006, 17:49

yeah theres a lot of confusing things about myspace that you would think would be really straight forward too. Not to mention it crashes my browser more often then any other site

pgo · 03-07-2006, 17:58

That's true. Probably because about half the pages seem to be .cfm and half .aspx...it's a friggin mess under the hood, I guarantee it.

Allenheath · 03-07-2006, 18:11

Myspace is GREAT for people trying to meet other people, get layed, network with music artists etc. For a bandsite...honestly i would rather turn to myspace or soundclick.com. (I personally use soundclick.com). Because people can find you through that sites own forms of search and charts...greatly increasing traffic that a .com could not offer. But I would NEVER use a myspace site as a Business Site. If a business has a myspace site as there site it makes them look a lot more unprofessional in my opinion

cam · 03-07-2006, 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allenheath

Myspace is GREAT for people trying to meet other people, get layed, network with music artists etc. For a bandsite...honestly i would rather turn to myspace or soundclick.com. (I personally use soundclick.com). Because people can find you through that sites own forms of search and charts...greatly increasing traffic that a .com could not offer. But I would NEVER use a myspace site as a Business Site. If a business has a myspace site as there site it makes them look a lot more unprofessional in my opinion

Wow. Thanks for your input.

You heard it here first. Myspace not good for business sites.

pgo · 04-07-2006, 02:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by cam

Myspace not good for business sites.

No wonder I can't get any clients!

jthomas · 04-07-2006, 04:49

I would LOVE to see a business myspace. I hope that doesn't exist. It would make a killer portfolio though.

Just think, music, videos, slide shows, and pretty animated gifs...all going at once!! Who in their right mind would pass you up?

pgo · 04-07-2006, 12:13

"You must have at least 1GB RAM to view this page - 2GB on a Mac!"

NevF · 05-07-2006, 19:57

I prefer Bebo, its da irish favourite, yah register, join ur skool, make friends. Theres no complicated things...
U Chat....get their numbers.....get their msn....Thats fine for me and 250,000 other irish students.

MySpace goes so complicated just to do the basic feature(s); chat, make friends...

pgo · 05-07-2006, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by NevF

...da...yah...ur skool...U

Seems as if "Bebo" hasn't quite solved the AOL-speak dilemma either, though.

bob_visualefx · 06-07-2006, 11:56

Just saw a preview this weekend for a movie that has a business MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/johntucker Totally unprofessional, but it's probably the best way to advertise it to their target audience. At least with the popularity of MySpace right now.

sub · 06-07-2006, 12:54

What is this myspace shit?
"Friends", "adds", "omg" acronym's ... the world has gone mad.

Theros · 06-07-2006, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by subcircle

What is this myspace shit?
"Friends", "adds", "omg" acronym's ... the world has gone mad.

Aye, it has... I can hardly relate to my own generation lol... you should see Facebook: MySpace for the Rich White Kids :P

NevF · 15-07-2006, 15:03

myspace is for socialising, not designing websites

pgo · 15-07-2006, 16:05

You're kidding?!

fishy · 16-07-2006, 20:35

I find it humorous (in a sad kind of way) that movies and TV shows are turning to MySpace for a website. They have millions to spend on marketing the movie, and they choose MySpace? Sure, a whole bunch of people would find them, but just as much would find them if they had a .com.

The whole MySpace thing has gone out of control, and not just in means of design...

27-06-2006, 08:08	#2 (permalink)
weldo now with added beard Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,602	its also a problem when 23 year old american gaylords suddenly want to be my friend ? of course, i deny them, but the 23 year old sex kittens are still in with a chance.... hmmm... __________________ fuck signatures

27-06-2006, 12:29	#4 (permalink)
weldo now with added beard Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,602	indeed ... i was asked to provide a quote for a band site that was all updatable, and included a music player ... i said "£600 minimum" they said "fuck you - we'll just go to myspace - its free" OK - so it can look shitty - but it serves a purpose for a lot of people who don't actually care too much about fonts, colours, look and feel etc.... interestingly, there are several sites that provide really rather nice myspace templates ... if used correctly, you can have a nice myspace site (plus the ads of course) - but many people still think that by messing about with it all - it will 'make them stand out more' its the 'free' aspect that makes it popular. i'm not gonna do a site for someone and tell them not to pay me ... end of story. __________________ fuck signatures

06-07-2006, 12:54	#16 (permalink)
sub Shitcasket™ Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 4,834	What is this myspace shit? "Friends", "adds", "omg" acronym's ... the world has gone mad. __________________ DT: LinkedIn \| Twitter \| Flickr \| FaceBook

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27-06-2006, 10:11	#3 (permalink)
pgo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,340	I think those sites are popular in spite of their design. MySpace is popular for the very fact that you can make the most god-awful obnoxious page with music and videos and gigantic background images that make your profile impossible to read. People don't care about it being ugly (especially when you're appealing to the lowest common denominator ). Design isn't the end-all-be-all of successful business. Some companies succeed because of great design, some companies succeed in spite of bad design. It's just the way the world works.

03-07-2006, 11:06	#5 (permalink)
dbh_21 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3	check this out... http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/a...yspace-layouts

03-07-2006, 17:49	#6 (permalink)
Allenheath Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 8	yeah theres a lot of confusing things about myspace that you would think would be really straight forward too. Not to mention it crashes my browser more often then any other site

03-07-2006, 17:58	#7 (permalink)
pgo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,340	That's true. Probably because about half the pages seem to be .cfm and half .aspx...it's a friggin mess under the hood, I guarantee it.

03-07-2006, 18:11	#8 (permalink)
Allenheath Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 8	Myspace is GREAT for people trying to meet other people, get layed, network with music artists etc. For a bandsite...honestly i would rather turn to myspace or soundclick.com. (I personally use soundclick.com). Because people can find you through that sites own forms of search and charts...greatly increasing traffic that a .com could not offer. But I would NEVER use a myspace site as a Business Site. If a business has a myspace site as there site it makes them look a lot more unprofessional in my opinion

04-07-2006, 04:49	#11 (permalink)
jthomas coffee is not a crime Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 455	I would LOVE to see a business myspace. I hope that doesn't exist. It would make a killer portfolio though. Just think, music, videos, slide shows, and pretty animated gifs...all going at once!! Who in their right mind would pass you up?

04-07-2006, 12:13	#12 (permalink)
pgo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,340	"You must have at least 1GB RAM to view this page - 2GB on a Mac!"

05-07-2006, 19:57	#13 (permalink)
NevF Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 89	I prefer Bebo, its da irish favourite, yah register, join ur skool, make friends. Theres no complicated things... U Chat....get their numbers.....get their msn....Thats fine for me and 250,000 other irish students. MySpace goes so complicated just to do the basic feature(s); chat, make friends...

06-07-2006, 11:56	#15 (permalink)
bob_visualefx laughing fuzzball Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 59	Just saw a preview this weekend for a movie that has a business MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/johntucker Totally unprofessional, but it's probably the best way to advertise it to their target audience. At least with the popularity of MySpace right now.

15-07-2006, 15:03	#18 (permalink)
NevF Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 89	myspace is for socialising, not designing websites

15-07-2006, 16:05	#19 (permalink)
pgo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,340	You're kidding?!

16-07-2006, 20:35	#20 (permalink)
fishy in de ocean Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Free Country, USA Posts: 7	I find it humorous (in a sad kind of way) that movies and TV shows are turning to MySpace for a website. They have millions to spend on marketing the movie, and they choose MySpace? Sure, a whole bunch of people would find them, but just as much would find them if they had a .com. The whole MySpace thing has gone out of control, and not just in means of design...

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