john_k - 3:49 pm on Mar 16, 2004 (gmt 0)

I like this thread. With the dot-com bust of '01 (or was it "double ought?"), I think a lot of people have a mental connection with a "90's" looking site and the undelivered hyperbole of that time.

Here are some 90's artifacts I still run into (I don't think they've been mentioned yet):

- Over use of drop-shadows.

- Entry pages. The ones that say click to enter. Often these have some type of flash intro, but not always. I already "entered" by clicking a link to visit your website.

- "Optimized for [my favorite browser]."

- Text as an image when normal text would do.

- Any excessive use of bandwidth that does not contribute to the marketing purpose of the website. Branding is an important function of a website, so I don't mean there's no room for impressive images and layout. I just mean flash, audio, and large images that aren't needed.

- Really bad color arrangements. Like they were done with a gray-scale monitor by a color-blind rabbit.

- Animated email icons.

When people look for products or information, they want to get it from sites that are up to date. Sites that look like they haven't been updated for years are going to put people on alert. If they think there is a good chance of finding a more up-to-date site, they'll likely start looking for it.

That's not to say that a site needs to flaunt the latest technology. (As I said above, over-use of technology is to be avoided.) But staying away from some of the things listed in this thread will definitely help. Also, I don't think there's any thing wrong with amateurish or "mom-and-pop" looking websites. If you have a family run business, and that is part of your marketing appeal, then it fits. But an "amateur" site should not look like you just got your first copy of PhotoShop and a free copy of HotMetalPro (do they still sell that?). And of course, hiring a pro to make it look like a really well done amateur job would probably work best!

As for banner ads, yeah, they came from the '90s, but so did the rest of the web. When a different means arrives to pay enthusiasts and experts for the time it takes to publish their knowledge on their own time, then banner ads (and others) can be dismissed.