Element diversity An Article by Manuel Matuzovic www.matuzo.at Did you know that there are 112 elements in HTML?! It would be a bit too easy to only blame JS frameworks [for the overuse of divs]; there are several reasons we use divs so much: Poor knowledge of HTML elements Lack of understanding why Insufficient CSS skills Default styles JS frameworks We don't care enough about the page Some elements are hard to style html
Essential vs. nice to have Customers have trouble distinguishing between essential features and those that are just "nice to have." Examples of the latter class: those arbitrarily overlapping windows suggested by the uncritically but widely adopted desktop metaphor; and fancy icons decorating the screen display, such as antique mailboxes and garbage cans that are further enhanced by the visible movement of selected items toward their ultimate destination. These details are cute but not essential, and they have a hidden cost. / Increased complexity results in large part from our recent penchant for friendly user interaction. I've already mentioned windows and icons; color, gray-scales, shadows, pop-ups, pictures, and all kinds of gadgets can easily be added. Niklaus Wirth, A Plea for Lean Software Menus, Metaphors and Materials: Milestones of User Interface Designlittlebigdetails interfacesux