Don't click it

Filed under: Design, Fun, Internet, Text

Don't click it

by Ryan Carter Oct 4th 2006

Here is an interesting site that is very different in terms of its user interface. The weird thing is that the site itself does not want you to click on it (after the first time). The entire interface is created in flash and simply lets the mouse-over do all the walking. While I don't think it will catch on in a big way, in is clever, well-done, and like a prototype car, is a good proof of concept. It is hard to not click the site, since everything we do online is based on clicks, but it is possible. I almost don't mind the dontclick.it interface, but it must be an incredibly time-consuming way to build a web interface, and it makes you feel as though you don't have quite so much control over what happens on the page, which is a bit disconcerting. I would tell you to go check it out, but then you would have to click on the link, so that defeats the whole purpose. Oh well.

Tags: design, dontclick, interface, UI, web

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Matt Petty said 1:06PM on 10-04-2006

I clicked, to see how it works. The window opened up, it told me to 'prepare my mind' and then click one last time to enter the no-click zone. And then I couldn't do anything. Why? Because Flash (AFAIK) can't resize the content to fit the small window I was using. The navigation buttons along the top were off the page, and the warning about minimum screen size requirements was off the left of the screen. This is why I hate 100% Flash-based interfaces, clicky or not.
I, or Flash, could have resized my browser window, but I thought we'd left that kind of prescriptive interface behaviour behind in 1999.
"Please resize your browser to 800x600 to view this page..."

Alex M said 1:28PM on 10-04-2006

Meh. They go overboard. It's kind of nice for navigation, if the targets are big enough and the timing is just right (the usual caveats re Flash apply, of course).

But I think other types of actions definitely need the clicks. Dammit, if I'm going to submit an e-mail (or a comment) I want to click a flippin' button.

Sean said 2:03PM on 10-04-2006

bah lame.

I use a trackball, and I can't do the fancy "gestures" they suggest for activating buttons.

Also, because mousing over the target actually moves the target, I was getting lost because of unintentional actions.

everythingyellow said 2:05PM on 10-04-2006

It would be so hard to resist clicking, but it is something new and different so I could see why people would be interested in it.

Joe said 1:38PM on 10-05-2006

This is great, I love it. I browsed throught all the content of that website without a single click. And I do feel better without clicking.
This is the way to go, and will change the world!

advation said 7:07PM on 10-05-2006

It's an interesting concept, however I found it harder to navigate because of the sites layout and how the site interacted with the actions of the mouse. I feel "clickable" websites still hold the higher ground.

Hobofuzz said 12:12AM on 10-09-2006

Clicking will never go away.

Clicking on objects and stuff allows us to decide when we want something to open. Having a link just open because we moved our mouse over it is plain silly and impractical.
This is like your car revving up just because your foot hovered over the accelerator. You wouldn't want that, now would you?

I don't like it >.

Mustang 2012 said 4:57PM on 10-10-2006

Sorry but this site is horrible. Clicking is natural, and this type of browsing isnt. God forbid you move you mouse a little to one side or the other because you'll wind up on a totally different page.

Add your comments

Your comments:

Remember me

E-Mail me when someone replies to this comment

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.

Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

I have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

View more Time Wasters