So what makes for a cool website?

[helen]

While reading this post the author of it said this:

Yeeah that's what I did, I told my story of I found a cool website

So this begs the question what makes for a cool website?

[damontucker]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

http://www.webbyawards.com/

I would say this might help...

Manoa

[pzarquon]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

The Webby's are at worst a sham, and at best a mildly amusing exercise in self-congratulation. You used to have to pay to be nominated, and even today the results are largely a popularity contest. Never mind merit, if you've got a devoted following, you'll be voted into the stratosphere.

Which isn't to say it's not fun stuff (the award ceremony limits acceptance speeches to five words), and many of the winners are remarkable sites. But it's not much of a measure of what's "cool."

And what "cool" means is hardly clear. Useful? Educational? Funny? Provocative? Or just popular? I figure, once a site is declared "cool," it's probably passed into "uncool" territory. A site that calls itself "cool" is definitely automatically not.

Community bookmarking sites like Digg or Del.icio.us or link trackers like Technorati or Popdex are good ways to track what's hot at a given moment. But as you'd expect, the results change pretty quickly.

[damontucker]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

I forgot to mention...

Your looking at a cool website now!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

I forgot to mention...

Your looking at a cool website now!

Oh yes very cool, this website! And for Maddie...SB's editorial site is impeccable! Maddie Rocks And yes The Buzz too. Hiya Erika!

Oh darn my nose got a bit brown

[shaveice]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

The Webby's are at worst a sham, and at best a mildly amusing exercise in self-congratulation. You used to have to pay to be nominated, and even today the results are largely a popularity contest. Never mind merit, if you've got a devoted following, you'll be voted into the stratosphere.

Which isn't to say it's not fun stuff (the award ceremony limits acceptance speeches to five words), and many of the winners are remarkable sites. But it's not much of a measure of what's "cool."

And what "cool" means is hardly clear. Useful? Educational? Funny? Provocative? Or just popular? I figure, once a site is declared "cool," it's probably passed into "uncool" territory. A site that calls itself "cool" is definitely automatically not.

Community bookmarking sites like Digg or Del.icio.us or link trackers like Technorati or Popdex are good ways to track what's hot at a given moment. But as you'd expect, the results change pretty quickly.

. . . . . . . . .

pzarquon, thanks for the thoughtful comments. i was wondering if there's a site or sites that have links to sites that are well designed (not necessarily popular) that you'd recommend?

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

i was wondering if there's a site or sites that have links to sites that are well designed (not necessarily popular) that you'd recommend?

If you want to read some professional advice to web designers, I like Jakob Nielsen's Useit.com.

[shaveice]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

If you want to read some professional advice to web designers, I like Jakob Nielsen's Useit.com.

. . . . . .

yeah, jakob's made a name for himself with all his usuability writings but i must say that his own site looks very bland and uninviting. i know that he could argue that he's only interested in function but i think what makes a website outstanding is that it is equally beautiful (read created in harmony with design principles) and functional.

gatta run but just wanted to throw in my two cents. thanks.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

i know that he could argue that he's only interested in function but i think what makes a website outstanding is that it is equally beautiful (read created in harmony with design principles) and functional.

What annoys me are the arty web sites, usually from fashion or fine art types, that sacrifice function in favor of Flash. Dammit, is it asking too much to make a site that loads in less than a minute? I want hyperlinks that actually look like hyperlinks. And don't mess with their colors either. And if I wanted a background soundtrack, then I would be playing one on my own desktop, thank you very much.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

And if I wanted a background soundtrack, then I would be playing one on my own desktop, thank you very much.

AMEN! AMEN!! AMEN!!!

Considering that I am working with music at my desktop all day, it drives me insane* if I open up a webpage (say, to research something about the music or artist or company whose project I'm working on), and I get hit with some piece of music, blasting out over the music I'm working with. Worst yet are the ones that have no option for turning the audio off!





(* = short trip, I know)

[alohabear]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

AMEN! AMEN!! AMEN!!!

Considering that I am working with music at my desktop all day, it drives me insane* if I open up a webpage (say, to research something about the music or artist or company whose project I'm working on), and I get hit with some piece of music, blasting out over the music I'm working with. Worst yet are the ones that have no option for turning the audio off!





(* = short trip, I know)

I'll second that! What worse is if that music is a poorly made MIDI

[shaveice]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

What annoys me are the arty web sites, usually from fashion or fine art types, that sacrifice function in favor of Flash. Dammit, is it asking too much to make a site that loads in less than a minute? I want hyperlinks that actually look like hyperlinks. And don't mess with their colors either. And if I wanted a background soundtrack, then I would be playing one on my own desktop, thank you very much.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

yup, i think it's very safe to say that we can agree on certain characteristics that we all dislike. i've only browsed through the book myself, but the general idea is obvious: "web pages that suck"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/078...Fencoding=UTF8

and (very predictable but still funny title) "son of web pages that suck"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/078...Fencoding=UTF8

one thing i will say is that since flash (used to be macromedia, now adobe) has been around for a while, it's not as crazy as it used to be. time was when you couldn't turn around without tripping over a flash page that took forever to load with no "skip intro" button!

i guess it's for another thread but someone mentioned midis. there are some that are hilarious (and they weren't meant to be)!

so getting back to the main idea, there are two obvious "errors": web pages where it's functional but has an interface that violates many graphic design principles (one extreme) and web pages where form totally overwhelmes function (the other extreme). what i'd be interested in is finding a site that lists web pages that exemplify and balance excellent design AND function.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

I want to add the MOST annoying website tactic: when tinkerbell's funky dust chases around my cursor. Drives me fah-reak-ing bezerk.

[mel]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

I don't like flash ads. And the ads that defeat the pop up features in Firefox and Safari. I suspect some of these pop up ads are flash generated instead of javascript.

[Cameron]

Re: So what makes for a cool website?

All this new Ajax stuff is cool [this site has a wealth of information and links on the subject](man i wish I had more time on my hands to learn javascript).

Speaking of javascript it's come along way from being gimmicky to now on occasion being awe inspiring take lightbox [Link]for example. I just integrated it into 808blogs, and I still can't get over it( look at Uncle1277's gallery for example). and thats just the tip of the iceberg.

I could go on for days, but I'm doing some php coding myself at the moment so I'll cut it short by saying

Scripting languages are evolving and so is the web, just wait it will only get better.