Why No Graphics

Why No Graphics:

"# Download times rule the Web, and since most users have access speeds on the order of 28.8 kbps, Web pages can be no more than 3 KB if they are to download in one second which is the required response time for hypertext navigation. Users do not keep their attention on the page if downloading exceeds 10 seconds, corresponding to 30 KB at modem speed. Keeping below these size limits rules out most graphics.

in usa 25% still on dial ups

# I am not a visual designer, so my graphics would look crummy anyway. Since this website is created by myself (and not by a multidisciplinary team as I always recommend for large sites) I didn't want to spend money to hire an artist." Jakob Nielsen. ISSN 1548-5552.

Web Hosting

Useit.com and nngroup.com are both hosted on Pair Networks. (With domain name registration at GoDaddy.com.)

I have used Pair since 1996 for various smaller projects and been very satisfied, and since 2005 I am hosting the two high-traffic sites there as well. Good performance and almost no downtime.

One benefit of the small number of graphics on this site is that I can serve a quarter million unique users per month and about 50 GB/month data transfer with a relatively cheap Web hosting account that covers both sites for $75/month. The cost of running the sites comes to 0.03 cents per user or 0.006 cents per pageview served.

BTW

Nielsen Norman Group: usability consulting, training & user ...

Usability consulting, training seminars, research reports, and a user experience conference. Principals: Jakob Nielsen, Donald Norman, Bruce Tognazzini ...