Bad/bloated web design

[MrMobodies]

Mouser dimming overlay on search and suggestions:

mouser.co.uk###BG_overlay_asresults
mouser.co.uk##.BG_overlay
mouser.co.uk##.as-list
mouser.co.uk###as-results-067
mouser.co.uk##.as-results

Apart from the dimming overlay, the search suggestions don't look as spammy and there is an option to switch it off but I always want it off.


Furious to find this which hurts my eyes:

Had difficulty in debug where pausing it continues to load to other page.

Using Palemoon which is slow and I was able to use Adblock element picker to capture it in time.

uk.rs-online.com##.sc-dd976b9f-0.bJkiHt
uk.rs-online.com##[data-testid="page-loader"]

After killing the overlay the loading next it seems to be virtually instant. Turn off Adblock went back to the previous page and clicked "guest checkout" then the 5 second delay. Very stupid.

[Bryn]

Had my experience with websites having horrid or otherwise bloated web design and to be honest, there's no need to stuff in so many scripts. Regarding that issue, sometimes I have it with Amazon when I'm looking at the page of an item I'm viewing and I get a yellow bar dropping down in Firefox telling me about an unresponsive script a few seconds later.

Other times I come across a website that uses up far too much CPU or whatever, I just come off it immediately and never come to it again.

[Infraviolet]

Bryn, try NoScript from Giorgio Maone.

[Nominal Animal]

I habitually use NoScript and uBlock Origin (currently with Firefox 114.0 on Linux Mint 20.3).
For me, ads and animations distract me too much.  I either block them and interact, or I do not interact.

[MrMobodies]

Other times I come across a website that uses up far too much CPU or whatever, I just come off it immediately and never come to it again.

If it is during loading that could be the animated skeletons placeholders (flashing where the gradients change) that come on and off which my blocklist seems to be full of.

They call these things, transition/loaders/preloaders/loading etc but the ones on that blocklist aren't. It's all animation only. They do NOTHING in terms of loading but annoy, slow down the page significantly on load, slow everything else down and piss me off. I think it is a very stupid idea.

Another thing I am noticing also in that blocklist are videos on news websites that auto start, goes into miniplayer on scrolling down at the bottom right on or near the contents and remain stuck there (totally against like uncloseable fixed headers and widgets) which I class as intrusion and harassment over my viewing area and worse than the adverts which I don't mind as long as they don't do the same. A couple of weeks ago  I noticed NewEgg put one up which I hid.

[madires]

Firefox:
- Edit
- Settings
- Privacy & Security
- Permissions
- Autoplay
- Settings
- set 'Default for all websites' to 'Block Audio and Video'

[Bryn]

Bryn, try NoScript from Giorgio Maone.

I've heard of it before, but never got round to getting it. I'll give it a shot and see if it makes a difference.

For me, ads and animations distract me too much.

I believe the feeling is unanimous to us all...

[MrMobodies]

Haven't used it for a while and noticed page now only really slow but whole thing freezing.
I found out what it was, not noticeable at first as the animation on the placeholders are slow but went absolutely mad trying to find the culprit.

##.pulse

Page reload and the placeholders are there but the same tone of colour with no changing/flashing and no cpu usage on pause so it was the flashing class element over it (.pulse) doing that.


One element can cause so much havoc and ruin it.

Very STUPID idea. Why can't they leave it alone without causing annoyance for the user, delays and affecting performance.

Was going to see some anticipated video of Louise Rossman about the Google DRM thing but now I feel angry/aggravated and put off.

[MrMobodies]

More of this CPU hog/page slowing crap from Linkedin:


Adblock:

linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__wrapper.profile-creator-shared-loading__update-image
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__wrapper
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__update-image
linkedin.com##.pvs-loader__shimmer.pvs-loader__shimmer--fill-area
linkedin.com##.pvs-loader__shimmer
linkedin.com##.pvs-loader__shimmer--fill-area
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__wrapper linkedin.com
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-1
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-2
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-3
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-4
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-5
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-6
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-7
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-8
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-9
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-10
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-11
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-12
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-13
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-14
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-15
linkedin.com##.profile-creator-shared-loading__skeleton-border-radius-16

Thinking of it they are not bl**dy loaders that they are named after as they don''t load any of the contents or parts of the webpage that depend on it to work. All they seem to do is spam the page with unwanted annoying flashing animations and slow down everything down by cycling through gradients and that's it

Seems to add about 2 - 3 seconds.
Reload page and about a second bang without all that flashing nonsense.

[Bryn]

Honestly, what is the point of stuffing all that crap in websites these days? I guess we'll never know...

[MrMobodies]

I got a response from Odysee, just checked and they did something useful. I see they removed the flashing thing over the placeholders and it doesn't seem to slow everything down now on page load with the .pulse element showing, 1 to 2 seconds and the content loads.

On Mon, Jul 31, 2023 at 1:48 PM EDT, Hello <hello@odysee.com>
We pushed up something to address this  , look better?

Best Regards

Seems a lot faster page load without stalling and no irritation from the flashing.
From that response it's not often I smile but I think they love their users.

Thank you very much Odysee for listening and helping on this occasion.

Much appreciated.

[SilverSolder]

Nice that somebody does actually care!   I might start using Odysee more, it looks kind of interesting.

[MrMobodies]

Added poll, accidentally added two not well thought out.

[Nominal Animal]

You missed the only option I need, "All of the above", just before the two last choices.

[Ranayna]

Of the ones you listed, the only one that causes me to immediately leave a webpage is autoplaying video and audio, except on something like a videoplayer where you would expect a video to play.

All these spinners and placeholders i actually do not really mind as much, because if used properly, they prevent an issue that you do not have listed in your poll: Content jumping.
Jumping content is hugely annoying to me, often even causing me to misclick if navigation buttons move.

Especially banner ads were often hugely annoying in that regard, but sometimes this also happens with other dynamic content.
Placeholders help with that. But an empty placeholder can be confusing, the spinners can help with that, making it clear that there really is something still missing.

This adds significant complexity to the code though. And more complex code can break more easy and is often slow. So i totally get your frustation.

[MrMobodies]

All these spinners and placeholders i actually do not really mind as much, because if used properly... But an empty placeholder can be confusing, the spinners can help with that, making it clear that there really is something still missing

If they spin once only with a percentage in the middle based on the real loading progress fine but when there are many of them based on an animation (fake loading spinner) and they whizz around and around and around and around after every page load or permanently when the page hangs I find that tells me bugger all and irritates me seeing them go around constantly.

If it says "Loading..." in the placeholders and I remember seeing that many years ago (and without placeholder on some websites) I find that much more nicer and less distracting.

you do not have listed in your poll: Content jumping.
Jumping content is hugely annoying to me, often even causing me to misclick if navigation buttons move.

Added to poll: Page view manipulation; Content jumping/page shift/shrink or expand
Is that okay?

Especially banner ads were often hugely annoying in that regard, but sometimes this also happens with other dynamic content.
Placeholders help with that.

Added to poll: Aggressive advertising; dialogues or same ad on either sides flashing

Let me know if you think you can reword those better.

I don't want to include adverts in general as I know they help pay for revenue but if they step out of line with the rest, like set to appear in a fixed position, auto playing and causing distracting then yes. If you have any words that describe such actions I'll add them on the poll.

Just remembered... Whitespaces.

I don't really want to add any more as the list seems to becoming too big.

[Nominal Animal]

Of the ones you listed, the only one that causes me to immediately leave a webpage is autoplaying video and audio, except on something like a videoplayer where you would expect a video to play.

I've disabled autoplay on my Firefox.  The downside is that Youtube does silly things, like if it has to block while playing after caching the previous content for several minutes (for example, if you pause to get a cup of beverage of choice), it won't always auto-resume after it runs out of cached content, and I need to click play (or press K) to continue.  Minor annoyance compared to having autoplay enabled, in my opinion.  Possibly designed so, to ensure users find disabling autoplay to be more work than it is worth.

[MrMobodies]

Nominal Animal, what puts me off Firefox on the last version I tested in late 2020 was a stupid dimming overlay that appears and cover up the page on the tiny dialogues. I remember one for offers and one to exit browser etc which is very uncomfortable for my eyes and I take great offense with the covering up of contents which I find more than intrusion but like interference and disrespect for the user.

A small dialogue in the middle of the page should not warrant the whole page to be obscured. Very STUPID idea who thought that was perfectly fine. I might be reading something, I find I can't scroll as a dialogue appears, okay fine but cutting me off completely that is what I find as totally insensitive and disrespectful:

That browsing area seems small but I have a large screen.

I opened up a thread on Mozilla about it explaining the issue asking how do I switch it off or a setting to do so, which was waiting to be approved and it got shut down and disappeared and I thought that is is that  F*** you Mozilla once again and I'd just stick to Vivaldi that does not have this patronising rubbish put all over it nor any work trying to search through and set preferences in about:config. On mobile 68, One of them on page load was autozooming and refocusing in the middle. Now why would I want that. I don't mind my page position saved on backwards and forwards but to assume I'd want every page to be focused in a particular place set by the developers.

I use to like Firefox until what I hearing "the Google thugs" and Alex Limi got in it and started about the javascript button. I found it became unstable and slow for a while when they tried to embed flashplayer and make it run on every page that didn't need it and then setup a fake page crash/overlay message if I killed the the flash executable. Another STUPID idea. Why not have an option; use built in flash, external or off and not bother with hiding the page when something happens to it. I continued to use Firefox 22 right up to 2019 and spent some time adjusting ESR 78 just before they plastered 80 with the dimming overlays.

Also another thing that put me off is the message they put up about:config where as before there was a tick box not to show again.

I don't think it is about the user anymore, it is about what the developers want for the user, trying to think for the user as if the user is stupid an confused don't know what they are doing, get's easily confused with too much information so they need dimming overlays to hide things.

Also for inaccessible pages I see they changed it to something I also class as patronising and insulting:

Isn't that effectively calling the user dumb and stupid in about it being human when it isn't?
and the about:config page


Here is how I feel about it.... hate hate hate hate hate hate hate because I feel looked down upon and treated as stupid and the amount of things I do to it and I still can't get it the way I want or the way it was before.

Another thing I can't turn off is the colour of the URL on bar on selection but then I noticed Chrome started to do that too but not that thickness/intensity the last time I checked.

[PlainName]

A small dialogue in the middle of the page should not warrant the whole page to be obscured.

I am going to disagree about the dimming in that Firefox case. It is showing that the dialog is modal and that you cannot interact with the stuff that is greyed out. Imagine not having any indication of that, and you don't see the dialog (because it either doesn't stand out or your brain just notices it as another of many similar that have been and gone), and you instead tear your hair out trying to get a button to be pressed or type in a URL or something. BTDT when the modal dialog has popped up under the application that's dead to input...

[MrMobodies]

I am going to disagree about the dimming in that Firefox case. It is showing that the dialog is modal and that you cannot interact with the stuff that is greyed out. Imagine not having any indication of that, and you don't see the dialog (because it either doesn't stand out or your brain just notices it as another of many similar that have been and gone),

I don't have the same problem with noticing dialogues. I see them. It wasn't like that before and I never had a problem until it went like that and can't find a setting to stop it doing that in the browser. It affects my eyes. Not all of us may want that. Just because something maybe helpful doesn't mean it should be forced upon everybody and everything.

In the instance I try to click behind the dialogue window bar flashes just like with some cookie notices (animation based). Much more nicer than the effect the other has on my eyes.
The dialogue window flashes:
Palemoon and Firefox ESR 75 until 81


Vivaldi (Chrome 90)

No dialogue window frame but I still see it. Dialogues being made inconspicuous with no frame or outline should not be be a warrant to cover up the entire contents (way past it) as a way to make the user notice where it has massive effect on the brightness/contrast on large parts of their screen to be able to cause some people discomfort. I find that silly, like the saying going round the houses and I am not talking just about one button alone.

And you instead tear your hair out trying to get a button to be pressed or type in a URL or something. BTDT when the modal dialog has popped up under the application that's dead to input...

Of course and it isn't just that ONE button alone I find it is a growing trend, it seems to be getting everywhere, In Chrome; starting from F8 pause/debugger, clear history, file downloads (keep files) last time I checked the printing dialogue. I find it becoming excessive and it hurts my eyes. That's why and me feeling cut off is not nice either (but not necessarily with very large dialogues that occupy most of it.

For websites, imagine reading a newspaper and completely focused, I come along, distract you, and cover up the contents you are reading now how would you feel?

On the other hand I realize you may not feel the same way.

What they could have done which I think would really help, is at LEAST link the overlay to the background/system colours. For example a dimming overlay may suit a dark mode setting so the sudden change shouldn't affect make my eyes feel uncomfortable. If not using dark mode just a light overlay... or even a setting, dialogue overlay... automatic, dark, light or disable but in any case I just want it left alone like before as it adds no benefit to me other than the discomfort.

[SilverSolder]

Another recent annoyance is that sometimes, when using image search, the result is a gallery at the top of the page - which is fine.  But the images are randomly "pulsating", to draw attention to themselves.   Needless to say, it makes it hard to look at the images when you are constantly being distracted like this.  Whoever came up with that idea was not a deep thinker...

[MrMobodies]

If you mean this I think I hid those already:

Adblock

google.com##.Rn1jbe.hieTTe
google.co.uk##.Rn1jbe.hieTTe

I did leave feedback some months ago that I know they need to advertise, it seems alright in itself but if they are then set to do stuff on hover and animate that can irritate/annoy and distract then I am left with no option but to hide them.

Added to poll:  Auto action & mouse hover: Menus/popouts/overlays & expanding/zooming on thumbnail/audio/video autoplay/preview

[Ranayna]

Ugh, i just found something that i hoped died in the 90ies:
A website with a custom mouse cursor. And not just some script kiddies private homepage:

https://pg.asrock.com/mb/

[Nominal Animal]

A website with a custom mouse cursor. And not just some script kiddies private homepage:

But definitely targeted towards the (possibly imagined) people who think script kiddies are cool.  Just look at the flashy effects.

It's the PC motherboard version of audiophoolery, in my opinion.

[PlainName]

A website with a custom mouse cursor.

That is standout terrible ✋