The "Cheap" Web

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A manifesto for a “cheap” or “small” web has revived arguments over what the web should prioritize: expressive, bespoke personal sites versus fast, uniform, easily readable pages that work on low‑power hardware and with assistive technologies. Commenters debate whether HTML/CSS/JS are inherently too complex for non‑experts, how much blame to place on modern tooling and corporate platforms, and whether alternatives like Gemini or markdown-over-HTTP offer a realistic path forward. Many express nostalgia for the simpler, more experimental early web, but differ on whether the answer is stricter minimalism, better accessibility, or just easier, more maintainable ways for ordinary people to publish.

Aesthetics, Personalization & “Sameness”

  • Debate over whether personal sites should be visually expressive or mostly standardized and reader-controlled.
  • Some want more uniform, book-like layouts for comfort and readability; others like playful, even “ugly” designs (Comic Sans, tiled backgrounds, music) as legitimate self-expression.
  • Tension between users who want information with minimal “experience” vs. creators who enjoy experimenting with layout and interaction.
  • Reader modes and custom stylesheets are seen by some as the right place for personalization (user, not author).

Goals of the “Cheap/Smol Web”

  • Support for principles like: easy maintenance, low resource usage, long-lived sites, easy entry and exit, and compatibility with old/low-power devices.
  • Critics question metrics like “pleasant on 1W of power” or “works on a Wii” as arbitrary or unclear, but others like efficiency as a proxy for simplicity and accessibility.
  • Some feel the manifesto tone slides toward telling independent site owners how they “should” design.

Tech Choices: HTML, JS, and Alternatives

  • Many argue simple semantic HTML (with minimal CSS) already achieves most “cheap web” goals and is accessible if used well.
  • Others say HTML/CSS/JS have a complexity floor that blocks non-technical people; proposals include simpler markup languages, HTML/CSS subsets, or markdown-over-HTTP.
  • Gemini/Gopher-style protocols are discussed: praised for simplicity, criticized as too sterile or niche; “fun” standards tend to accrete complexity back toward the modern web.
  • JavaScript is defended for enabling rich shared experiences, but also blamed for unnecessary bloat and forcing programs where documents would suffice.

Hosting, Platforms & Control

  • People drift to Facebook/hosted platforms because they’re cheaper and easier than learning web tech and managing hosting/DNS.
  • Static hosting (S3 + CDN, simple HTML, static generators) is proposed as a low-cost alternative, but still demands technical skills many don’t want.
  • Analogy: relying on a “bus” (platforms) vs. owning a “bike” (self-hosted site); platforms are convenient until they change or ban you.

Accessibility & Usability

  • Accessibility is often an afterthought; even simple “cheap” pages can fail screenreaders (e.g., decorative hearts read aloud repeatedly).
  • Practical tips surface: use role="presentation" or aria-label, avoid noisy ARIA “point scoring,” and actually test with screenreaders (VoiceOver, NVDA), ideally with the monitor off.

Discovery & The Lost Indie Web

  • Many miss early personal sites and blame both Google’s ranking choices and the loss of curated directories, blogrolls, and tagging systems.
  • Smaller, non-commercial sites still exist but are harder to find amid corporate and SEO-optimized content.