Design for the internet is the newest money spinning

explosion since DTP ­ and the results are similarly

tragic in the majority of cases ­ a combination of DIY

mentality and cheap software with an absence of

design ability has led to an obsession with flashing lights

and pointless links. Why, you wouldn't trust even your

haircut to someone with a hairdressing kit and a manual

­ how about the plumber attending to your dental needs?

There is currently a myth that web surfers won't view sites

with images that take a while to appear in the browser

window ­ that text is all important. Not in the experience of

designers and artists ­ there are FTP sites if all that's

required is text based information. It didn't take too long for

television to supercede radio which had been the medium of

mass devotion ­ it probably had something to do with it being

a visual medium ­ the Internet is just such a medium where

ideas can be presented in a way that either delights the eye

and the brain or, more commonly, assaults us with tastelessly

contrived verbiage and unrelated, uninteresting cartoons.

ISDN and faster access times coupled with more competitive

connection rates will lead to websites that load much more

quickly and a clientele that expects a more creative approach.

Design for the Web is not like design for print ­ there's

a wealth of opportunity for creative impact ­ and an

infinitude of pitfalls. Websites, unlike print, can be updated

as often as need be ­ pictures changed, text revised,

new areas highlighted. It simply needs to be done well.