Saturday, 4th January 2003
Top web design mistakes
Jakob Nielsen: Top Ten Web-Design Mistakes of 2002. This is an astutely observed list, although I would add “relying on Flash for navigation” as one of the biggest modern mistakes (for some reason Jakob fails to mention Flash at all...). I particularly liked the following point about lengthy URLs, especially the (as far as I know) newly coined term social navigation.
[... 193 words]Considered harmful considered harmful
Eric Meyer: “Considered Harmful” Essays Considered Harmful. That’s a shame, because I was planning on writing one for target=“_blank”. I guess I’ll have to find another way of expressing my forthcoming rant.
[... 33 words]Information Architecture testimonials
Poor old AIFIA are still trying to explain what Information Architecture is in easily understood terms. Their latest effort should be pretty much garaunteed to succeed—14 testimonials from web experts explaining why it is important in pleasant little sound bites.
[... 49 words]The anatomy of Google
Every now and then I stumble across this and then lose it again, so I’m blogging it for safe keeping. The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine is the research paper that kicked off the Google phenomenon, and despite its age still provides a great insight in to how the world’s favourite search engine works (or used to work).
[... 62 words]Crufty
I have no intention of starting a language war, but my God this is ugly. Still, I guess it must work for some people.
[... 32 words]Christmas illness
I’ve had an off-line Christmas, during which I’ve been struck down with a particularly nasty combination of ’flu and a chest infection. After sweating it out for a week I finally decided it wasn’t improving and went to see a doctor. Verdict: I think you’re very ill
. Exams are looming (they start on the 14th) and I haven’t started revising yet. Ho hum.