r3fresh

Wix.com: When Flash Throws Up

In my email the other day I got an invite to a closed beta service known as Wix. I didn’t remember signing up for the private beta, but I decided to see what it was. As soon as the page loaded I knew I had made a huge mistake.

I take it most of you have never heard of Wix and for good reason. Wix is a web tool for making web pages and layouts. Think of it as Adobe Dreamweaver or Apple’s iWeb, but on the web. I know it sounds like a good idea and I’m sure it is…well until you see the interface. The interface looks like it was designed by Fisher Price; the buttons are HUGE, everything is animated, and it’s so colorful your eyes will start bleeding.

I know there are tons of websites that we use that are horribly made (ie MySpace), but Wix goes too far. To make it even worse, Wix is made in Flash. What’s wrong with Flash? Unless you are showcasing your portfolio online, you should never use Flash (for an entire site). Advice my mom always says “Use Flash like you use cocaine, in moderation.” She probably never said that, but I think it’s good advice.

Looking past the clunky interface and at the service, I never found anything that I would consider using. I created a skimpy page with some animations and a song I uploaded, which I was going to “share” with you, but I can’t find where the page is. To be absolutely honest, you’re better off not seeing it.

Wix. Don’t use it. Use Dreamweaver or iWeb if you’re new at the web thing. Your toddler might want you to use it, but don’t listen (they don’t deserve it anyways).

The Wix “X” logo is revolutionary in the logo field or something.