I was surfing the wayback machine viewing some sites like money.cnn.com and cnbc in the early 2010s and I was thinking how much I miss the old site layouts.  Everything today is designed primarily for tablets, so it makes the sites awkward to navigate on a PC and really dumbs them down in terms of what content you can get.  I still use a real computer and always will, and I dislike how website designers today don't even take regular computer users into account.

When I was learning website design in uni, they pretty much told us to design with tablets in mind first, and just blow it up to size and add a few extra things here and there when designing for desktop. It saves a lot of work, and changes to one can easily show up on both without much if any effort.

People hate it but it's here to stay.  :-X

Well, the sad thing is that most people nowadays prefer tablets and smartphones than computers. It's pretty much how they live nowadays, especially towards their kids. Their children don't remember a world of where people used the Internet on desktop or laptop computers, so it's more understandable for them to be on tablets. That's my theory on why companies have tablet-friendly websites.

Instead of links to different pages of a single topic or profile, you're forced to scroll all the way down activity profiles just to access something old. It slows your computer down badly.

I like how Youtube handles things. The mobile version and computer versions are both different and unique to their respective platforms. I assume people make Websites with mobile > PC in mind since a lot of people like to surf the web on the go.

Laptops and PCs are yesterday's socks.

Tablets are where it's at, man.

When I was learning website design in uni, they pretty much told us to design with tablets in mind first, and just blow it up to size and add a few extra things here and there when designing for desktop. It saves a lot of work, and changes to one can easily show up on both without much if any effort.

People hate it but it's here to stay.  :-X

Interesting. They're telling us (in my classes now) to design for both desktop and tablets in mind. They simply tell us to dumb down the tablet version and decrease the size but for the desktops incorporate all the details that you need. In my opinion this is better design, even if it takes longer.

Well, the sad thing is that most people nowadays prefer tablets and smartphones than computers. It's pretty much how they live nowadays, especially towards their kids. Their children don't remember a world of where people used the Internet on desktop or laptop computers, so it's more understandable for them to be on tablets. That's my theory on why companies have tablet-friendly websites.

I prefer the traditional desktop, and I think I always will. I can't wait to build a new gaming PC once I get enough money.

Interesting. They're telling us (in my classes now) to design for both desktop and tablets in mind. They simply tell us to dumb down the tablet version and decrease the size but for the desktops incorporate all the details that you need. In my opinion this is better design, even if it takes longer.


Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but I think we're saying the same thing. The desktop version should be the tablet+extra, and the tablet version would be the barebones version. But the end result is still websites looking very tablet-friendly, even on desktop.

It does annoy me. I surprisingly got fascinated in Instagram and have to deal with this. Trying to get around the site leaves a stiffening feeling in my hands.

I'm a desktop, laptop male for life, to.

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but I think we're saying the same thing. The desktop version should be the tablet+extra, and the tablet version would be the barebones version. But the end result is still websites looking very tablet-friendly, even on desktop.

Oh okay yeah I guess so. That's how most developers do it these days. You're right it does save time. I'm looking forward to the day where mobile/tablets die off and get replaced with AR.

Laptops and PCs are yesterday's socks.

Tablets are where it's at, man.


I don't own a tablet.

Everything's moving too fast!  ::)   

I don't own a tablet.

Meh tablets are slowly dying as well now. Tablet sales have plummeted the last couple of years.

Meh tablets are slowly dying as well now. Tablet sales have plummeted the last couple of years.


Even if tablets are slowly dying, we still have a crap load of people using smartphones to this day.

I don't own a tablet.


I bought one in late 2012 and gave it away to my brother who sold it. I don't see the point tbh.

I bought one in late 2012 and gave it away to my brother who sold it. I don't see the point tbh.


I really don't see the point on tablets in general. It's just has the same features as a smartphone, except it's bigger. Why market it as a computer, when people care more about smartphones?

I really don't see the point on tablets in general. It's just has the same features as a smartphone, except it's bigger. Why market it as a computer, when people care more about smartphones?


I guess some people like the bigger screen. A laptop is fine for me though, and does more stuff.

I guess some people like the bigger screen. A laptop is fine for me though, and does more stuff.


Same here. I always find laptops to be more convenient, despite being more bulky compared to tablets. But sometimes, I feel like doing more on portable computers than just on tablets. Hell, some tablets get more outdated (e.g. iPads) by the time they're about two-four years worn.

Meh tablets are slowly dying as well now. Tablet sales have plummeted the last couple of years.


I just own a cell phone for now.

I bought one in late 2012 and gave it away to my brother who sold it. I don't see the point tbh.



I use the internet at home so there's no need for a tablet.

I was surfing the wayback machine viewing some sites like money.cnn.com and cnbc in the early 2010s and I was thinking how much I miss the old site layouts.  Everything today is designed primarily for tablets, so it makes the sites awkward to navigate on a PC and really dumbs them down in terms of what content you can get.  I still use a real computer and always will, and I dislike how website designers today don't even take regular computer users into account.

At least tablets are larger than a phone. I don't like how some websites are just apps and there is really no computer version like Instagram.

The new CBC website is hideous!  :\'(

The new CBC website is hideous!  :\'(


I took a look at it out of curiosity (am not Canadian but used to live near Canada and watch Canadian channels) and yeah, it's awful to look at. A descending list, written in text, with occasional pictures, would be much easier for the eyes and the brain to grasp.

As to the broader topic, I dislike new website design. For me a laptop computer and flip phone are all I need.

Yeah, it does suck because there are some folks out there still prefer to use a PC rather than a phone or tablet.  I have realized over the years that it's quite difficult to navigate through certain sites on a phone or tablet, and they are better suited for a PC. Facebook is definitely one that comes to mind.

I hate when websites force you to use a mobile design or tablet design because its just too ugly for me, and usually theres a lot of features missing or that are harder to find than the PC Version, so if a website has it I always find the "Use Desktop Version" button

Yeah, it does suck because there are some folks out there still prefer to use a PC rather than a phone or tablet.  I have realized over the years that it's quite difficult to navigate through certain sites on a phone or tablet, and they are better suited for a PC. Facebook is definitely one that comes to mind.

I actually like Facebook much more on mobile than on PC.

I hate when websites force you to use a mobile design or tablet design because its just too ugly for me, and usually theres a lot of features missing or that are harder to find than the PC Version, so if a website has it I always find the "Use Desktop Version" button


Welcome to inthe00s!

Welcome to inthe00s!


Thank you!

I think sometime around 2010, some of the websites went to a simpler tablet/phone like design, if I remember correctly.

I think sometime around 2010, some of the websites went to a simpler tablet/phone like design, if I remember correctly.

Yeah that sounds about right. The whole flat design trend started in '09 I think and then they incorporated that into websites later on because it loads faster having a more simple design.

I think sometime around 2010, some of the websites went to a simpler tablet/phone like design, if I remember correctly.


Just a little bit, back then. Many sites in 2010 were still heavily decorated, and designed in a way not suitable for small screens/different screen sizes. The big change happened 2013/2014.

Pre 2014, my own website always was a complicated one (a kind of a jigsaw, structure wise) with fixed widths and heights, and a creative look. If you don't have to care about different screen sizes, everything is possible. You were able to use the screen as a kind of a canvas, and I did. In 2014 I was forced to changed the site into a flexible and simple looking one, because small screens couldn't handle the old way of making sites.

(Although I made an attempt early 2013 already, but that one failed. Learning all those new stuff took some time.)

Other site owners went a similar path in that era. Google punishes you if your site isn't smartphone friendly.