The great debate: animated GIFs vs. JavaScript for 90s site menus

I just rebuilt a 1998-style site and spent two full days trying to make a JavaScript rollover menu work in Netscape 4. Some say the authentic look is worth the hassle, but others argue swapping in simple animated GIF buttons is the practical choice. Which side are you on?

2 comments

2 Comments

allen.amy1mo ago

Netscape 4 didn't really support JavaScript rollovers well at all! The real period fix was using Dreamweaver's behavior tools to generate the code, or just giving up and using GIFs. I remember the classic "broken image" icon appearing constantly. For a true 1998 look, those clunky, slow-loading animated GIF buttons are actually more authentic than a script that barely worked.

taylor.betty1mo ago

Yeah @allen.amy, that's so true. I mean, did anyone actually get those Dreamweaver behaviors to work right across different browsers back then? It always felt like a total gamble to me. Maybe it's just me but the broken images were almost part of the charm, ha.