What does it take to make a good website? I don't know . I really don't. I move through millions of sites each month putting together this page and its predecessor. Even to make this page represents a significant triumph for a site. My standards are tougher than the Top 5% of the Web people's, I do believe. It takes Top 2% even to make this page.
All of these have a significant cultural impact. Not just on the Web, but on life beyond the Web. And isn't that what it's about? All life is one. On and off the Web.
I cannot explain these rankings. All I know is that they work. I know that I cannot change the ranking on a one. That list is right. These are the best sites I have ever seen. 1-50. In rank order.
I think it has something to do with: Graphic presentation. Color. Design. The above not impinging on the viewer. Fun. Interestingness. The ability to get you what you want. The ability to present a part of our culture that needs to be seen. The ability to communicate.
I need to describe the #1 site on the listing, never.be.your.silent.twirl (its present name -- same kid, different site configuration....), for one reason and one reason only. So all you tech freaks, conglomerates, and big-staffed sites out there will know why you got whipped by a 14-year-old girl. That's right. A kid. Fitting website work in between homework, shopping, and seeing Titanic. She's good. She thinks about every word she says. And she arranges her pages well. And she means it. Every bit of it. Thank you, Kacie.
Okay. Think you got a good site? Go measure your site up against the top ten here. I almost guarantee you'll lose. Technical execution, graphics, description, or any one of a number of things. Wow. You're lying if you think you're better than these guys.
What are you going to do to make your site better? Don't steal HTML source code. Clones never win. Just the originals. Just look at how they do it. Sleep on it for a few days. Then maybe your subconscious will cooperate. Maybe it'll kick up a great idea. Maybe you'll listen to it. Maybe.
Go observe. Weep. And repent. Do whatever you have to do. But remember. Those top sites are updating constantly. They'll stay ahead of you. Ain't no way you're going to beat them. They're too good. And just to make you mad, the webmaster of site #3 is 16. Has he got a car yet?
Oh well. Go look. And have fun.
Why? Because it works. And sometimes that's all that counts.
No, I won't be updating. You're not good enough.
If a site dies on me, another one tends to show up. Weird. A new #13. A new #29. Simple as that. The Net keeps its own order. It just does. Maintains itself.
Well, they're gone. The sites that pissed me off. Weren't available. Somehow just didn't seem relevant anymore. Or were just lagging a little bit.
I hope these will do. They feel right. I've kickstarted them. I've URL-checked them. I've dropped in on them numerous times.
Still ticking along....
Shall we leave it at this? I think they're good enough. Let's just sit back and enjoy.
One more page I don't have to worry about.....
Graphics once again by 
(see above). Get over it and give her a click -- you know you want to!