Ryan Kanno: The diary of an Enginerd in Hawaii

I’m sick and tired of the abundance of $hitty Hawaii-based websites that continue to appear year after year.

Not to mention, I’m tired of keeping quiet about it. Someone really needs to educate upper-management that not only is there a myriad of intangible benefits to having an online presence, but there’s been an Internet revolution with the rise of Web 2.0.

Welcome, my friend, to 2006.

It always seems that when it comes to technology, Hawaii is often always years behind the rest of the world universe. I just can’t take it anymore. So without further adieu, I present a gallery of the ‘best’ (sic) Hawaii has to offer.

And if you’ve had the input on design for any of these sites, I’m sorry. They suck.

• Anytimegrinds.com - Whoever thought searching restaurants by page numbers was a good idea has quite apparently never searched for a restaurant before. Not to mention, design updates are always nice once every decade.
• Hawaiieventsonline.com - Whoever thought a weekly calendar with vertical days was a good idea must be sleeping and surfing online. Can anyone ever distinguish anything on this site?
• Servco - For being a dominant player in the Hawaii automative industry, it’s apparent they don’t have an IT budget. And without an IT budget, I can only imagine how manually intensive their back office processes are…
• Hawaii State Bar Association - You know, for as much money lawyers make, you’d think some of those dues might be put to use. And if they can’t figure out why an association should have a decent site (think networking, collaboration)… you wonder how they actually got their JD.
• Hisurf.com - Just click on the link, you’ll know what I mean when you get there.
• Iolani School - As an alumnus, it really hurts to put my alma mater on this list, but it’s quite apparent that there isn’t a need for an online presence. We all know demand is high, but it’s a shame when you surf their site and 5 different designs appear… anyone ever heard of the term site branding?
• Hawaiian Host - The artsy-fartsy part is nice, but what in the world is all that text doing on the bottom?
• Pearlridge Shopping Center - For a shopping center, you’d think they’d be a little more up-to-date. You can’t even purchase a gift certificate online to be sent to your residence!
• Oceanic - Now, if they’re targeting an OLDER crowd, then I guess, they’ve done an good excellent job.
• East Oahu Realty - Obviously another company targeting an older crowd… wow, a real old one @ that.
• Hawaii Democrats, GOP Hawaii - And people wonder why nobody votes in Hawai`i? Everytime I surf these sites, I think of some high school intern who got stuck with a summer job.
• Aloha Airlines - Seriously, this is one of the larger airlines on island. I know, I can’t believe it myself.
• EHawaii - As a site representing the state of Hawai`i… *lowers head* *shakes head* (I’m referring to the one on my shoulders, btw.)
• KHON - As Greg points out, seriously, seriously disappointing for one of Hawai`i’s top-rated news stations.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are a few sites that are doing things right and making Hawaii proud…. such as Chipin, Kindfish, but they are so few and far between.

Can anyone out there please make Hawai`i 2.0?

Anyone?

*Update*: Please feel free to add your own sites to my comments. I know there’s many more out there…