Do people "pass by" plain-text sites?

[Sheryl Dwinell]

At 12:46 PM 7/29/97 -0700, KAREN SCHNEIDER wrote:
>On another discussion list, in the midst of  a debate about the
>relative value of graphics on websites, the statement was made
>that "there are MANY,MANY people who will pass a plain, text
>only (no graphics) site right by."  

I have heard various people say this and have read it on the Web, but I've
never seen any 'proof'.  Given that a library's web site will be rich with
text, it seems silly to add gratuitous graphics just to attract users.  Am
I living in fantasyland for expecting people to visit our sites for
information and not just to be dazzled by perdy pictures? Perhaps it
depends upon the nature of the Web site. Maybe folks are bored by a
commercial site without graphics, but will accept it for
research/academic/informational sites.


Sheryl Dwinell * Cataloger/DBM Librarian/Webmaster
Memorial Library * Marquette University
P.O. Box 3141 * Milwaukee, WI 53201-3141
414-288-3406 * dwinells at vms.csd.mu.edu