[Web4lib] Web technologies and public access

[Karen Patterson]

Sorry, I have to agree with Karen about the importance of design, especially in websites. The fact is, it takes the average user less than a second to assess a webpage and form an opinion. That's where design comes in. It doesn't matter if your webpage has the answer to the problems of the universe - if it's not well designed and welcoming to boot, I'm not gonna hang around to find out what you have to say. Nielsen is indeed a case in point. I'm so glad someone has finally said out loud what I've always thought. I understand that the content he puts up is something that I'm generally interested in, but I don't want to go there because of the site design! The bottom line is, unless I'm desperate for the information, I'm not going to stay on a page that is aesthetically offensive or otherwise makes poor use of my valuable time. Karen Parlapiano PattersonMLS Candidate (2008)SCSU




> Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 15:18:53 -0500> From: richard.wiggins at gmail.com> To: kgs at bluehighways.com> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Web technologies and public access> CC: web4lib at webjunction.org> > Karen,> > With all due respect (and much is due) --> > You said you found less credence in a Web site because it was so 1995.> > I know exactly what you mean. I get it. Some sites just so exude, well,> 1995. But that is the presentation. It is not the words. It is not the> meaning. The words are what they say. Hemingway does not differ in> paperback.> > Your thesis worries me. Wisdom does not exist per se in Web design. Clever> design may exhibit wisdom, but words are words. Design and text may marry> -- but the text matters.> > You can have CSS Zen Garden display Shakespeare in thousands of forms and> shapes. It's still the same words. The words do not alter if they> alteration find.> > The whole POINT of the Web is that content is what it is, and we can present> it in many ways. But the words don't change. The words are not better, nor> are they worse, on the best paper, in the best design, surrounded by the> best graphics. Words are not inferior in a 1995 design nor are they better> in a 2008 design. They are words. They are thoughts. Yes, it is more> pleasing if they are presented in an appealing way, but the words are the> words. They are to be appraised as thoughts, not images.> > Again, I reject the idea that you find someone's words less meaningful> because you don't find the presentation pretty. It is not about the> parchment nor the font.> > If anything, teach the youth of 2008 to read the words. Again, with all due> respect, yes, let's aspire to higher aesthetics, but let's realize and> convey that it is the words that matter.> > /rich> > On Feb 4, 2008 2:37 PM, K.G. Schneider <kgs at bluehighways.com> wrote:> > > Rich, if design were an issue, my blog wouldn't have any readers. But> > that aside, while I too focus on content and have loved many an ugly> > book, it's not a question of our tolerance level--it's about what users> > want, as well as the image we're projecting.> >> > Karen G. Schneider> >> >> > On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 14:22:01 -0500, "Richard Wiggins"> > <richard.wiggins at gmail.com> said:> > > On Feb 4, 2008 2:21 PM, Richard Wiggins <richard.wiggins at gmail.com>> > > wrote:> > >> > > > Sigh,> > > >> > > > I should've used Martin Luther King and CSS.> > > >> > > > Karen, I appreciate when a Web site uses a clever or appealing design.> > I> > > > appreciate a good aesthetic. I try very hard not to judge the words> > by the> > > > font.> > > >> > > > /rich> > > >> > > > On Feb 4, 2008 2:00 PM, K.G. Schneider <kgs at bluehighways.com> wrote:> > > >> > > > > > I reject the notion that a particular Web site needs to keep up> > with> > > > > > fashion> > > > > > or hew to a particular style. I don't care if a given Web site> > looks> > > > > > like> > > > > > it was designed on an Underwood typewriter if the words ring true.> > > > > Sure,> > > > > > you appreciate savvy design, but wise words are wise words. I> > doubt> > > > > > Gandhi> > > > > > would be doing PowerPoint if he were alive today.> > > > >> > > > > Um... did you really put PowerPoint and usability in the same> > paragraph?> > > > > ;)> > > > >> > > > > I most emphatically embrace the notion that a website "needs to keep> > up> > > > > with fashion." Aesthetics matter; so does emotional content. The> > design> > > > > is part of the message. We want people to enjoy our websites -- to> > > > > linger on them and to feel better about us because of them. (And> > > > > because you're a good guy I know you won't translate that to "Karen> > > > > hates usability and thinks websites should be built with Flash.")> > > > >> > > > > Also, in terms of Nielsen's site, his site wasn't just ugly (imho,> > still> > > > > is), but for a very long time, it was hard to read. You shouldn't> > have> > > > > to move your head to read the text on a webpage, or squint your way> > > > > through long undifferentiated paragraphs in a san serif font. If> > you> > > > > want to be an authority on something, then walk the walk. I know,> > it's> > > > > scandalous cuz he's been the Man when it comes to usability, but I> > am> > > > > not alone in this opinion (and in fact I came to that opinion All By> > > > > Myself and was quite relieved to find out just how not-alone I> > was...> > > > > and how LONG I've not been alone!).> > > > >> > > > > To the extent that there's an unfortunate gulf between graphic> > designers> > > > > and usability experts, Nielsen has not helped close that gap.> > > > >> > > > > This does not mean that Nielsen hasn't contributed a lot to the web> > > > > world or that he won't continue to do so. But you either believe> > > > > aesthetics are part of functionality, or you don't. I do.> > > > >> > > > > K.G. Schneider> > > > > kgs at freerangelibrarian.com> > > > > _______________________________________________> > > > > Web4lib mailing list> > > > > Web4lib at webjunction.org> > > > > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/> > > > >> > > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________> > > Web4lib mailing list> > > Web4lib at webjunction.org> > > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/> > _______________________________________________> > Web4lib mailing list> > Web4lib at webjunction.org> > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/> >> _______________________________________________> Web4lib mailing list> Web4lib at webjunction.org> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/

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