| You may not know what a 'flashing flying fairy' is but | | | | don't compare their web pages to others on the net. |
| when someone posted this to my blog with reference | | | | They have their own standards. They are in their own |
| to the copious use of glitter images on MySpace | | | | world where the name of the game has somehow |
| profiles, I knew exactly they were talking about. | | | | become 'My MySpace Layout Has Ten Tons More |
| It's no secret that few MySpacers give a rat's behind | | | | Glitter / Flash / Falling Hearts / Videos / Slideshows |
| about some of the time-honored niceties of web | | | | Than Your MySpace Layout" and that's that. It's like a |
| design like don't-crash-my-web-browser or | | | | little private competition that has set its own bar |
| don't-make-me-scroll-sideways or | | | | (however low) that is oblivious to what is truly |
| go-easy-on-the-eyeballs. And with the MySpace user | | | | attractive on the web. |
| rollcall now topping 174 million (and counting), that adds | | | | My personal take on the matter is that when you take |
| up to a lot of ugly. | | | | away the use of Javascript (MySpace forbids the use |
| So how did this massive motley crew of web-2-nauts | | | | of user-defined Javascript), the only way you can |
| and their collection of hopelessly hideous home pages | | | | seemingly make your web page snap, crackle and |
| become the subject of great ridicule amongst other | | | | pop is to load it up with a glut of animated GIFs (hence |
| more techno-nerdly social networks (like Digg)? One | | | | all the glitter) or a whole bunch of Flash add-ons. |
| might jump to the conclusion that MySpace is overrun | | | | But whatever the reason, many will agree that when |
| with teenagers who simply don't know better. But the | | | | you come upon a MySpace profile that is simple and |
| plain fact of the matter is, it's not. Recent studies show | | | | plain, has paragraphed text and loads quickly, it's like a |
| that over two-thirds of MySpace users are, in fact, 25 | | | | huge breath of fresh air. And it seems --thankfully |
| years of age or more. | | | | enough-- that more and more MySpace users are |
| So what's the real reason? | | | | starting to realize this (if the Google Trends results for |
| Well it could be that when you give the average | | | | 'plain myspace layouts' is any indication). |
| joe-blow/jane-blow --who knows diddley about HTML | | | | Hopefully, this growing group of MySpace minimalists |
| and CSS-- the opportunity to instantly deck out his/her | | | | (and otherwise classy profile makers) will make a |
| own little corner of the internet with any of a profusion | | | | stand and deliver a crowning blow to the MySpace |
| of free ready-made layouts, tweaks, add-ons, bells | | | | glitteratis. |
| and whistles then well... things are gonna get a little | | | | So to all the flashing flying fairies: Get ready to sing |
| messy. | | | | your swan song. |
| And it could also be that MySpace users just simply | | | | |