Web design books recommendations

**DimPrawn** · 29 August 2008, 08:13

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

Ok, this is aimed Web-Spod NickFitz, when he surfaces.

I'm from a winforms background and I'm due to start an ASP.Net gig soon so I'd like to get a bit more clued up on webby best practices (as aside from ASP syntax which I'm ok with).

Christ on a bike.

The world of webbiness (ASP.NET) is nothing like winforms. Chalk and cheese.

Stateless, security implications, Search Engine Optimisation (assuming it's an Internet site), client scripting, cookies, viewstate, postbacks, the list goes on..and on.

What sort of client puts someone without a solid web background on an ASP.NET project?

**Shimano105** · 29 August 2008, 08:27

Yeah, relax man - I'm ok with that stuff, just not designed the visual side before

**DimPrawn** · 29 August 2008, 08:37

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

Yeah, relax man - I'm ok with that stuff, just not designed the visual side before

Pheww!

I've been pacing up and down the office worrying.

TBH I believe the look n feel,XHTML layout and CSS side really needs an arty-farty type to get it right.

**cojak** · 29 August 2008, 08:44

All you really need is this: web pages that suck

It'll tell you all you need to know....

The book's good too...

**Shimano105** · 29 August 2008, 08:48

True, but Fitz's snippets regarding accessibility and browser compatibility from the most basic upwards (rather than t'other way around) sound like common sense to me, and I'd like to find out more.

**Shimano105** · 29 August 2008, 08:54

That website ain't particularly good though is it? Seems a bit cluttered to me.

**sasguru** · 29 August 2008, 08:57

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

That website ain't particularly good though is it? Seems a bit cluttered to me.

Ditto. That webtulipe sucks.
Anyone else seen the n-word on there? Has someone hacked it

**DimPrawn** · 29 August 2008, 08:59

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

True, but Fitz's snippets regarding accessibility and browser compatibility from the most basic upwards (rather than t'other way around) sound like common sense to me, and I'd like to find out more.

If you are concerned about these things it's worth reading this about why ASP.NET is not a great out-of-the box tool for the end user, search engines and why it was designed more for developer ease of use that enabling the broadest web audience.

http://www.west-wind.com/WebLog/posts/198731.aspx

The problem with ASP.NET is the lack of control on the rendered content, the total reliance on JS for postbacks, vile controls like the datagrid and their viewstate bloat, revolting implementation of AJAX, etc.

The .NET framework is good, but the big bad ASP.NET controls ruin it for serious scalable secure cross-browser accessible websites.

**cojak** · 29 August 2008, 09:54

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

That website ain't particularly good though is it? Seems a bit cluttered to me.

Ah - that's the point of it. The author is getting you to consider bad design from the outset "My method is to show you bad design techniques so you'll realize what they are and not use them."

Read the FAQ "Why does your site suck?"

"...and I like for the look of the site to suck in a mediocre rather than blazingly bad way because most web sites suck in a mediocre way."

Web design books recommendations