Careful with dynamic HTML

• Contents
• Home
• Webmaster
• Some good design tips
• Bad Design
• Web Site Maintenance
• Design Tips
• Extras
• Website technologies
• CGI scripting
• Cascading style sheets
• How to set up your own server

I know that dynamic HTML is the coolest thing since HTML was invented. I love dynamic HTML. Using this new, wonderful set of tools, you can create web sites that are incredible! You can have pictures move, lists expand and contract, background change and just about anything else you can image.

The problem with dynamic HTML is not that it is not great or easy or useful. On the contrary, used properly, dynamic HTML can allow the skilled webmaster to create a wonderful and user friendly site. However, some problems are:

1. it is a very new standard, and by using DHTML you are locking out people with older browsers.
2. Dynamic HTML requires more resources on the browsing computer, which makes it more difficult for people with older systems to use it and enjoy the benefits.
3. It's common for people to overuse dynamic HTML, creating web pages which are very fancy and do lots of things that do not really enhance their web sites.
4. A higher level of expertise is required to code and maintain pages containing dynamic HTML. This means that you will spend more time debugging the pages, and it will be more difficult to add changes later.

However, these things said I must admit that I am a huge fan of dynamic HTML. It's a wonderful tool which, if used wisely, can create some awesome websites.

Okay, if you are going to use DHTML, keep the following tips in mind.

1. Be sure and check for browser compatibility in your code. If you check browser name and version number, you can make a page that will work under all or most conditions.
2. Unless you are trying to impress someone, try not to go overboard. Dynamic HTML can be a real bear to maintain. If you are creating a website for your company, be sure and keep in mind that by even using DHTML you are forcing yourself and you company to have to hire a more skilled set of web coders and designers.
3. Keep in mind the load times of your pages. DHTML can produce some very, very large pages. Follow the same rules that you would with normal HTML - put things in smaller files, keep script sizes low and so on.

Additional Reading

• A poor design chases away visitors and gives you a bad name Design your site poorly and your visitors will go elsewhere
• There are many silly mistakes that you can make with text People come to your site for the content, and text is what they usually way. Make sure they can read it without being annoyed.
• Graphics are great unless you make some of these mistakes Graphics are great except when you make some of these stupid, idiotic mistakes. (See also Graphics Formats, Graphics Formats - GIF, Graphics Formats - JPG and Graphics Formats - PNG)
• Use animated GIFs very sparingly Animated GIFs are excellent when used properly, but it's easy to overdue it and chase away your visitors. (See also Graphics Formats - Animated GIFs).
• Be careful with various sound options Adding background sound to your pages is generally a mistake
• Video is tough to do correctly Careful with those videos - visitors like video but load times make it difficult to do correctly.
• Be sure and carefully plan your site navigation Carefully plan your site navigation or your visitors will not come back
• Layout your pages properly to keep people happy Plan your page and site layouts well to keep your visitors happy and fulfilled
• Use Java sparingly If you use Java without allowing for non-java visitors you will loose people immediately
• Don't use ActiveX on an internet site My advice is to not use ActiveX at all on an internet site. It's fine to use it on an Intranet site as you control the environment.
• Colors can make or break a web site Want to really lose your visitors fast? Use a bad combination of colors on your site! Make it look like an LSD nightmare.
• Organize your site Properly organized sites are a dream, disorganized sites are a nightmare
• Keep your pages relatively short Short pages are the rule in web design. One to three screenfuls is best, longer is a site killer.
• Advertising is a necessary evil You generally want to advertise but keep it short, simple and tasteful (See also The secrets of how to advertise your web site).
• Use Rings wisely Yes you want to use Rings, but don't use them incorrectly
• Careful with dynamic HTML Be careful with dynamic HTML. Can increase load time, make for slow, clunky sites, and is incompatible with earlier version browsers.
• Don't change the cursor unnecessarily Be careful with dynamic HTML. Can increase load time, make for slow, clunky sites, and is incompatible with earlier version browsers.
• Popups are stupid and obnoxious Don't use popups ever. They are annoying, stupid and scare away visitors
• Are Popups Ethical? Is it ethical to place popups and popunders all over your web site? Depends upon what you are trying to accomplish
• More on Popups, Popunders and other Unethical Behaviors There are many unethical devices such as popups, popunders and so forth. Are they needed or desired? No, they are not.

---