I agree with what you're saying Dale and I find that it's often something to do with the use of non-HTML (eg. Flash) that tempts designers/site producers (whatever you wish to call them) away from the more traditional layouts. I have read your comments in the NOF thread about the (un)commercial use of Flash on the web and I think you put it very well. I personally find very little use for Flash and have never really had much time for it. There are plenty of ways of producing exciting and easy-to-use navigation methods without things like Flash.

I think the style of interface probably (nearly always) depends on the site itself. For example a great deal of art/portfolio/media-related sites use more unconventional interfaces to help create an "experience" for the viewer, whereas the more information/resource sites plump for the horizontal/vertical bars.

For the usability-stretcher : I have visited a site where the menu appeared in its own little pop-up window, and the first time i visited the site i closed it by accident thinking it was an advert, i then spent about five minutes or so wondering how to browse the site, how about that for clever design!!

d-sine

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