Warning: Opinions stated =)

Ok lets get right to the point. Splash pages. Some people love them and some people hate them. Let's put ourselves in our visitors shoes for a moment. I click a link and get to a site. That site has a 200k image on the front page and nothing else. Hmmm, I guess I have to click on that image to enter into the site. Ok, I'll click it now that 40 seconds have passed and that image has finally loaded. By now I am already frustrated because I waited for this stupid image to load up. Yes folks that is the feeling many people have when expecting to get right to the meat of the site but instead have to look at a picture.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm an artist and I love to show of my work any time I can. But think of your visitors. Can't they view this image inside of a gallery or portfolio. Just because we make something cool does not mean that we need to paste it on our index page. Do yourself and your visitors a favor and at least consider putting it some place else.

Splash pages do have there place in our wonderful internet world today. There are many times where the user must make a choice. Do I want to enter into area A. or area B.? Do I want to view the flash version of this site or the HTML version of it? Are there certain requirements I must meet before entering the site? Do I need a 5x generation browser? These are all valid reasons to have a splash page. The bottom line is it is "your" site so you do what you want with it. Think of your target audience. Are they going to mind waiting for a picture to load on your front page with no content. If the answer is yes then fine, do as you wish. But at least think about it. If nothing else throw a cookie out that only displays the splash page once and then the next time a visitor goes to your site they get right in. But then again that's just my opinion...