barely average . blog

A journal mostly about advertising, design and typography.

Unfold the Fold

I really enjoyed reading this post over at Boxes and Arrows, because I’ve long held the belief that users aren’t resentful of scrolling. I haven’t really looked for any data to back up the assertion, so it wasn’t something I’d pick a fight about, but instinct said that the web had evolved enough in this regard to not be tied to its print brethren any longer.

Blasting the Myth of the Fold

We are all well aware that web design is not an easy task. There are many variables to consider, some of them technical, some of them human. The technical considerations of designing for the web can (and do) change quite regularly, but the human variables change at a slower rate. Sometimes the human variables change at such a slow rate that we have a hard time believing that it happens.

This is happening right now in web design. There is an astonishing amount of disbelief that the users of web pages have learned to scroll and that they do so regularly. Holding on to this disbelief – this myth that users won’t scroll to see anything below the fold – is doing everyone a great disservice, most of all our users.

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5 comments

5 Comments so far

  1. BuzzVines August 10th, 2007 12:15 pm

    We just launched a mega event with the name “I Still Love Pakistan Do You !” at BuzzVines.com, and would love if you join up and spread the word around. we are inviting all the bloggers of Pakistan so hurry join up!

    PS: this is not spam i visited your website personally to leave the message.

  2. kashif alvi August 25th, 2007 6:49 pm

    i don’t get it, whats so astonishing about it…..???

  3. Marko Novak October 18th, 2007 4:51 pm

    Few years ago, mouses didn’t have wheels on them. You had to click and drag the scrollbar.

  4. Cindy (The 15 Minute Dating Blog) November 19th, 2007 9:07 am

    I think any internet uses who have been reading web pages don’t mind scrolling, I agree with kashif alvi!

  5. wizkid December 24th, 2007 12:25 pm

    I don’t mind unfolding the fold! If I like the website and if it’s interesting enough I wouldn’t mind navigating around it.