Mirsky's Worst of the Web (WOTW) was a
website
A website (also written as a web site) is a collection of web pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server. Examples of notable websites are Google Search, Google, Facebook, Amaz ...
devoted to showcasing what David Mirsky, a former ''
Harvard Lampoon
''The Harvard Lampoon'' is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 by seven undergraduates at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Overview
The ''Harvard Lampoon'' publication was founded in 1876 by seven undergraduates ...
'' writer, considered "the worst web sites ever". WOTW was the first well-trafficked site to feature "bad" web sites for entertainment purposes. His commentary was short on constructive criticism and long on insulting the web site layout, content and graphics, and sometimes the web designers themselves.
Website
WOTW was created by Mirsky in January 1995, in response to sites such as
Glenn Davis's ''
Cool Site of the Day
Cool Site of the Day is an early website created in August 1994 and originally maintained by Glenn Davis. Linking to one single recommended site off its homepage each day, it soon became an arbiter of taste on the Internet.
Within a few months o ...
''.
The format was simple: three days a week, Mirsky would select about three new sites, providing links and one-sentence comments that were "acidic, addictive, and insanely funny". For some time, at least, this was a paid job, supported by web service provider Volant.
The site's tagline was "If it isn't Mirsky's then it isn't the worst!"
An article about the site gives some of its flavor:
According to several interviews, Mirsky expected WOTW to lead to money-making opportunities, and grew frustrated with maintaining it because it never did. On November 1, 1996, Mirsky stopped producing WOTW.
See also
*
The Useless Pages
References
Further reading
* —warns web designers of the punishment for bad design: ending up in Mirsky's
Glenn McDonaldOn Mirsky, the website, and Mirsky's days at the ''
Harvard Lampoon
''The Harvard Lampoon'' is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 by seven undergraduates at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Overview
The ''Harvard Lampoon'' publication was founded in 1876 by seven undergraduates ...
''
Interview with Mirsky
External links
* {{Dead link, date=April 2018
Mirsky's current site
Defunct websites
American comedy websites
Internet properties established in 1995
Lists of worsts
Ironic and humorous awards