PLEASE NOTE: I've removed the "Baxil Approved" awards section from this page; all previously earned awards still apply. Baxil Approval is a mark of design quality that shows the Web designer sticks to the ideals outlined below.

My Pledge To You, The Reader

You, the Web Page Reader, are an enlightened, intelligent Sentient Being who is on the Internet for purposes of gathering information;

_Whereas_ the Internet is filled with more pages than can possibly be counted or categorized, ranging from Well-Designed to Unreadable;

_Whereas_ I, the Designer, care about You, the Reader, and wish to communicate this in the design and execution of my Pages;

_Whereas_ the Internet is largely tasteless, often slow, and sometimes dumbed down to the point of being drool-proof;

I, the Designer, do solemnly swear and pledge

In order to provide speedy Web service
- To use only local graphics and CGIs;
- To keep all individual pages, including graphics used by that page, to roughly 128 K or under [1];
- In most circumstances, to place images over 50 K on their own page, or simply thumbnail (and install a download link) to the picture;
In order to provide fair and equitable Web service
- To write no browser-specific or browser-exclusive pages;
- To make all pages Lynx-readable, or provide clear, working links to text-only versions of otherwise unreadable pages;
- To include text alternates of inline graphics;
- To provide feedback links and listen to complaints;
- To not use high-ASCII characters (which will be translated differently in different fonts or on different computer systems);
In order to provide high signal-to-noise
- To continually check all pages for spelling errors;
- To attempt to make my pages easily navigable;
- To refrain from advertising [2], except on designated link pages;
- To make text readable (if not always color-coded) against the background;
- To use little or no non-original images [3];
In order to avoid annoying "functionality"
- To not use frames, except when a clear aid to navigation, and even then to provide a frame-free alternative;
- To use animated sequences minimally, if at all;
- To not use Java or Javascript, as this is a personal site with no need for the functionality it provides [4];
- To not use 'scrolling' messages;
- To keep my Blinky Text fetish confined to out-of-the-way pages <g>;
In order to stay true to myself:
- To not waste bandwidth or time attempting to advertise my pages through banners, link exchange programs, or webrings;
- To not waste time searching for page awards (my reward for creating these pages is the feedback I get on them);
- To make my pages search-engine accessible, but
- To not use inappropriate keywords to get my pages to the top of search engine lists;
- To make feedback links easily accessible;
- To create pages because I care.

Resolved, in order to form more perfect Web sites, in AD 1996.

Comments?

Contact me.

Links Of Interest

http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/StyleManual_Top.HTML is a good reference for proper -- and bandwidth-saving -- use of more complicated HTML elements.

One of my favorite Web lairs for HTML syntax is the Bare Bones Guide to HTML. It's very to-the-point.

Want to see if your Web pages are using correct HTML syntax? The WebTechs Validation Service will check your code for you. It's now a bit more relaxed on tables, and a great deal more helpful, therefore, to me.

Like these ideals?

Web Design Pledge (c) Tad Ramspott 10/30/96.

I hereby give permission to use or copy the pledge on this page freely, as long as it remains unchanged and credited to me. I also invite you to install links to it. All I ask is that if you use the ideals, drop me a note.

Go bax to the main page | Home.

This page maintained by Tad "Baxil" Ramspott (contact).
Last updated on 1-19-05

Footnotes

Footnote [1]: The Albert and Baxil Adventures are approximately this length -- all text -- and the bandwidth savings of splitting the page would be offset by the separate downloading of chapters.

Footnote [2]: Exception: I feel that acknowledging the program which I use to write my web pages is not advertising. In specific, BBEdit (Lite) is a (freeware) Macintosh text-editing utility.

Footnote [3]: There's another issue involved here. Namely, most non-original images, especially dragon images, circulating around the Web are copyrighted. Using copyrighted images for public purposes without getting permission from the copyright owner is legally, as well as ethically, wrong. Don't do it.

Footnote [4]: <rant> Since this page was first written I have come to appreciate some of Java's unique functionality. However, for every shopping cart or interactive Web game out there, there are at least two programs designed either to pester those with new browsers (Geocities' ad windows; scrolling text banners) or deny service to those without ("Click Here!" buttons that could easily be replaced by standard links and forms). It's heartening to see Java properly used in at least a narrow number of cases, but in general it's EVIL EVIL EVIL AND MUST BE DESTRO---... err. 'Scuse me. </rant>