Netiquette for Web Designers

[i_am_tub]

Hello All,

I would like to here some of the community's thoughts about some best practices when it comes to creating comfortable internet-based communication environments. With the ever increasing vast potential of danger and vulnerability the basic web user can experience as part everyday browsing, it seems there is an equally increasing challenge

Comments

[mfb]

Can we have:

1&2. Don't use javascript popups. Ever!

[i_am_tub]

and if you absolutely have to use popups..make sure the look convincing micrsoft error messages and vibrate...much vibrating..oh so much vibrating...and it has to go beep..!!

[yo_sarrian]

Well... I'd disagree with #2 from an SEO perspective. Firstly, "click here" is a TERRIBLE link description to have on your website because, as you pointed out, it's ambiguous, but also from an SEO perspective, it gives you NO power. You want to always have your links say something that tells the user about the page they're going to, but in plain english, using site keywords, not the address of where you're going to send them. So instead of saying "About", you'd say "Learn more about how widgets work" or something along those lines.

[i_am_tub]

I agree with that kind of wording only in the case of internal links.
I believe that the verbiage should clearly state that you are leaving the current site realm. There is a level of discomfort that comes with getting unexpected results from a link. Clicking a link stating more information on widget and being presented with a wholly different website can leave someone feeling nervous (i do anyways).
I think external links should have a certain level of formality:
"To learn more about how widgets work, check out www.widgetfun.com/widgets"

[yo_sarrian]

if it's an external site, then sure, I'd agree with putting at least widgetfun.com in the anchor text, but I personally wouldn't put the full url. Something more like "To learn more about how widges work, visit widgetfun.com"

[tobyspit]

why are we not just using the title attribute, like we are supposed to?

[i_am_tub]

I almost forgot about sounds!!
Sounds are a whole section unto themselves.

[yo_sarrian]

Sounds just need to die. Unless you click on something that announces itself to be a audio/video player. Same thing with video.

[mfb]

If it doesn't announce itself, it sort of defeats itself, since it's instantly going to get muted or closed.

[mfb]

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FOREVER

[lanisatu]

Lines and colors has an article on How Not to Display Your Artwork on the Web, which I think has a lot of good general advice on things that annoy visitors. There's a link to a follow-up article at the bottom too

[isingelectric]

thanks for the blog link, it was thoughtful and pointed out some things i might not have thought of otherwise.