March 18, 2008 - After fighting with a
few web pages that were trying to show me things I didn't want to see, I was
inspired to begin this page.
I have been browsing the web since before
the days of graphic interfaces. I harken back to the days of 1200/2400
baud modems, and the requirement that one have access to the complete path
required if one wished to access files on ARPANET or one of the other
networks. Then came a program called Aladdin, then Prodigy and GENIE, and
then the Web with the beginnings of graphic interfaces. Next was
Windows and a fully graphic interface, and now stuff like push and dynamic HTML,
SHTML, XML, ASP, ASPX, PHP, Secure sockets, streaming audio and
video, and all kinds of wonderful things.
Well, most of them are
wonderful. Some are a real pain in the rear end. Then, if not a pain in
the rear end, a big distraction to any information or intellectual research one
wants to accomplish. In a nutshell, some of these web features are the
height of RUDE in capital letters. Why would I accuse them of being
RUDE? Because the pop up in your face, slide into view in front of what
you are trying to read, and otherwise pop-up to annoy and distract one during
their pursuit.
If you were to read a tutorial on web page design you
would read that the advice is "keep it simple, free of distractions and
gimmicks." Great advice, but obviously not all web or page designers read
that advice, or they choose to ignore it. Likewise we have the management
person who is shown some cute bells and whistles and says something like
"Yes! Include that on the page!" - Not realizing that after
you have seen "that' two or three times you do not ever want to see "it"
again!!
I
consider these things the same as if people were harassing me while
I am trying to read or skim through a book at the library. How so you might
ask? Imagine how aggravated you would be if you were reading something at
the library and various strangers kept slipping notes onto your reading
material, or laying magazines or catalogs on top of your reading
material... Bet you'd get mad after a few seconds of that,
eh?
And, well... There's lot's more, you get the idea. Email me, and if you
have a good suggestion I'll ad them to this page.
Email Ed
Harriger with your suggestions.