The Greatest Website Ever

Back in 1996, a humble commercial bleach company known as Clorox (est. 1913) set up a website. Little did they know that in doing so, they were setting the standard for which one day, some 10 years later, all well designed websites would be based. Thanks to the magic of archive.org, we are able to see what this website would have looked like through the naive eyes of a 1996 citizen.


What's so great about it then?
The interface is simple and clean, uninfected by banners, Flash, or unnecessary clutter. The wording is large and readable, and the basic menu items are clearly marked and appropriate. Whether you're a customer wanting to know about their latest cutting edge industrial bleach products, or a potential investor wishing to learn more about the history or investment opportunities available with Clorox, the selection you need to make is non-ambiguous and obvious. These are consistent with the ideals of Web 2.0, a standard that even now has not been fully realised, and I'm prepared to wager that at Web 2.0 conferences this site is featured time and time again as an example of what web designers young and old should all be aspiring to.

A look at some of the other websites available in 1996 shows that Clorox was a shining beacon in a sea of mediocrity. Let's hope that more companies will be like Clorox as rage through the 21st century.