LebGeeks

Kassem

Member

HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

Ok we're been arguing in a few threads about HTML vs. Flash and many are saying that HTML5 will take over Flash and that Flash is just for artistic websites and doesn't get indexed by SEO and all the usually stuff which Flash haters usually complain about...

This is not a thread for arguing about the same issue. But so far whenever a website actually impresses me, I right-click and I find out that it is actually a Flash-based website. I have yet to stumbled upon an impressive HTML/CSS website. Unless there's some jQuery going on, the website is dull, yes just face it: the website is DULL! So could you please refer me to websites that are HTML/CSS based that would still capture my attention? I really want to see a website which actually challenges my mind and gets me wondering and thinking to myself: How in the hell did they do that?!

So yeah, bring it on guys! :)

Ayman

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

IMO it is not always about the animation and music that make the website impressive i.e. the multimedia aspect after all: webpage != video animation, it heavily depends on the colors chosen, user friendliness, layout, images, ease of navigation and reach of content, illustrations and efficiency. An impressive website in my perspective is one with smartly and creatively chosen colors that can blend together to make the the page look like a masterpiece, a layout that looks good and easy to use, ability to show the right content to the user easily, and simplicity i.e. not compilcating stuff when they don't need to be complicated, just keep things natural. Then comes the issue of animation and movement which IMO should be simple, lite, yet eye catching and this is exactly what JQuery is there for, it is not for heavy animation and multimedia as flash is, but it does it's role right.

To answer this question, I suggest you check out these JQuery inspirations I find them simple, elegant, and enhance the interface and user experience without having to be resource intensive, check them out and tell me what you think, enjoy and have a good day :)

Last edited by Ayman (April 19 2010)

pikatore

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

http://www.racingsportfactory.es/

Kassem

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

http://www.racingsportfactory.es/

Not bad... +1 for jQuery

samer

Admin

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

CSS Zen Garden - not the website itself, but the gallery content.

Unless there's some jQuery going on, the website is dull, yes just face it: the website is DULL!

I don't get why you're taking JavaScript as a separate entity. If you use jQuery without HTML/CSS, the overall experience wouldn't be worth much given that your styling would be controlled through your stylesheet and your markup through HTML.

I've mentioned this before and I will say it again. I don't think Flash itself is bad, it's the horrible things designers made from it that creep me out (as a reference, check 90% of Lebanese websites).

pikatore

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

I'm with Samer. I like Flash, but I don't like how people tout it as something to REPLACE the role that HTML/CSS plays, something which it is incapable of.

Flash is there to enhance and entertain. It should not be treated as it's own entity, it should be treated as an interesting addition to a functional and well coded website. Unless you're designing a niche market website, like an art portfolio/luxury brand/etc, where flashy presentation is an extreme priority.

And like Samer I've noticed a huge proportion of Lebanese designers being Flash only. It's a bit unsettling, and it really makes them ill equipped if they ever choose to work in the Western world. Build some games, do some flashy animation, but learn HTML/CSS thouroughly and start building SEO-friendly, markup-validated, functional, flexible websites. Full flash websites are a niche market globally, and will be for the foreseeable future.

And if you insist with sticking to Flash all the way, you'd better start learning SEO tricks as soon as possible, because you will need to compensate.

Also be prepared for the gnashing of teeth of any future web designers your client will come across, when to their horror they discover a big fat SWF file in the web folder. At least have your flash file call the site content from XML files, so future editing of content isn't a major pain.

Anyway, sorry to digress, here is couple more examples of css/javascript magic:

http://toriseye.quodis.com/
http://cssline.com/

Last edited by pikatore (April 20 2010)

Kassem

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

At least have your flash file call the site content from XML files, so future editing of content isn't a major pain.

Any Flash developer who doesn't actually do that is not worth a penny you pay him. When we talk about a full Flash website, almost everything should be loaded dynamically, otherwise the swf will be too heavy to load and eventually visitors will close before the page loads in the first place.

There are Flash websites which load so damn fast, yet they are HUGE! There are many "pages" inside, but they each load on demand (i.e: when you click on a link which requests this page). Those are the websites which are actually worth mentioning. It's not only about the fancy animations and the eye candy. It's also about how you manage to optimize your Flash website so that the visitor doesn't feel bored waiting for content to load and stuff like that. And of course, we cannot forget usability (which is still the main issue in my portfolio website lol - but I'll figure it out when I get to work on it again).

Now back to the topic. I have to admit that I've missed on a lot by following Flash-only web development. I usually do not even care about HTML/CSS/JS websites. I strictly go to websites which show-case Flash websites like the FWA and the likes. But after I've checked out some of the sites on cssline.com I think I should re-think the power of CSS and JS (and of course jQuery and AJAX).

How about if we create a thread for exchanging CSS/JS/jQuery/AJAX resources/tips? Might be beneficial for all of us...

Kassem

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

I've mentioned this before and I will say it again. I don't think Flash itself is bad, it's the horrible things designers made from it that creep me out (as a reference, check 90% of Lebanese websites).

Talking about Lebanese websites, I would recommend you checkout websites developed by a company called EyeDigits. This is company in California but also has offices in Lebanon (Downtown and Dbayye). Their websites really inspired me and got me excited about full Flash websites.

Last edited by Kassem (April 20 2010)

rolf

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

thumbs up

edit: for racing sports factory

Last edited by rolf (April 20 2010)

rolf

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

Unless there's some jQuery going on, the website is dull, yes just face it: the website is DULL!

Dull but tasteful, as opposed to many sites. Don't take good taste for granted...

Ayman

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

This looks interesting to me, simple, elegant, brief and to the point with a nice animation effect done in JQuery: http://bestbefore.ro/

Kassem

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

This looks interesting to me, simple, elegant, brief and to the point with a nice animation effect done in JQuery: http://bestbefore.ro/

I really liked this one... impressive

rolf

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

Yeah really great one

kareem_nasser

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

HTML5 is the future. But doesn't it demand more bandwidth or the compression is better?

samer

Admin

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

HTML5 is the future. But doesn't it demand more bandwidth or the compression is better?

The markup language itself wouldn't require bandwidth, but some of its features will... like <video> . Also, it seems to be fully backwards compatible, well almost (I don't see anyone missing the <blink> tag from older HTML versions)

Joe

Member

Re: HTML/CSS/JavaScript Websites (impressive?)

HTML5 is the future.

Way to troll. :-o