Layout and design as random as a monkey with a typewriter

May 30, 2003 3:12 AM

Looking for a design for your next website? Strange Banana is a generator that randomly produces XHTML transitional, CSS-layout-driven webpages. Hit "refresh" repeatedly, and find that one layout that matches your inner web designer's dream. (Found on Zeldman's Daily Report.)
posted by Katemonkey (20 comments total)

Katemonkey you are a legend, I was just going to have a glance at Metafilter on my way to study as many sites as possible for inspiration for the Press Bureau at New Scotland Yard's new web site. You have saved me mucho time
Thanks!!
posted by Samuel Farrow at 3:22 AM on May 30, 2003

I hit one design I liked on the 4th try. Then...nothing for the next 20 "refreshes". Sort of like playing a slot machine (only free). But after I reopened the page I saved, it didn't render the same way and was no longer any good! Nice idea, but it needs a bit of refinement.
posted by troutfishing at 3:41 AM on May 30, 2003

it would be cool if you could capture a result that was pleasing.
posted by folktrash at 4:01 AM on May 30, 2003

I've always suspected that many website designs were created this way. Now the cat is out of the bag!
posted by Zonker at 4:25 AM on May 30, 2003

That's a neat idea, but deep down inside I feel like maybe we need to limit the boxy, soulless designs that would-be webmasters can use. The web's gotten really ugly!
posted by catfood at 4:35 AM on May 30, 2003

Gah, my eyes! Give me designed over random any day. Clever toy though.
posted by walrus at 4:46 AM on May 30, 2003

I refreshed like 35 times and they were all UGLY. Ick. I'm all about WC3 standards, but this stuff looks like it was made in FrontPage.
posted by eustacescrubb at 5:53 AM on May 30, 2003

Yeah, those are all nasty. Layout, color scheme, fonts. Eesh.
posted by dobbs at 5:57 AM on May 30, 2003

Another vote for clever, but ugly.
posted by monkeyman at 6:03 AM on May 30, 2003

just what are you guys expecting from randomness?
posted by crunchland at 6:09 AM on May 30, 2003

I had a lot of fun with the n_gen design machine a few years ago.
posted by planetkyoto at 6:22 AM on May 30, 2003

Reminded me of the old Atari "Tank" game - lots of garish colors splashed over an extremely limited template.
posted by GreyWingnut at 6:24 AM on May 30, 2003

It tastes like burning.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:25 AM on May 30, 2003

just what are you guys expecting from randomness?

Lots of watches. And the complete works of Shakespeare.
posted by walrus at 6:43 AM on May 30, 2003

It's like an Atari is driving the table database.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 7:14 AM on May 30, 2003

We are all Ataris. Together we drive the table database into the sunset of our love. The time is now!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:21 AM on May 30, 2003

(the previous post was created by a generator that randomly produces XHTML transitional, CSS-layout-driven Metafilter comments)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:25 AM on May 30, 2003

And the complete works of Shakespeare.

1. We have no proof that this random page generator was designed by monkeys.

2. Are Shakespeare's works standards-compliant?
posted by DrJohnEvans at 8:21 AM on May 30, 2003

I prefer CSS Zen Garden. Not random, and looks that way.
posted by jessamyn at 8:35 AM on May 30, 2003

Troutfishing, if you're using IE you have to view source and save from the notepad window. Otherwise IE will change the HTML and the CSS as it saves it.
posted by Nothing at 12:16 PM on May 30, 2003