Trying to read an article on Birmingham Live feels like a battle.

It's so slow & hardly responsive.

I was just reading an article about Birmingham City Council's supposed ban on busking.

I wanted to leave a comment, so I logged in.

As I scrolled back to the comment box, the page practically turned to sludge. It's absolutely stuffed with advertisements, which ground my web browser to a halt.

My computer fan's speed picked up significantly, something I usually never hear.

Honestly, it's a miracle anybody else managed to leave a comment.

When I compare this to the BBC's site, the difference is night & day. It's fast. Snappy. Usable.

Birmingham Live makes me question if its articles are meant to be read, or if they're just there to prop up ad space. It feels less like a news site and more like an obstacle course built for ad revenue.

Web developer Guangyi Li illustrates this feeling perfectly through his website how-i-experience-web-today.com. It replicates the annoying (and often invasive) practices used by major websites to generate profit & gain attention.

Of course, if you're willing to wrestle Birmingham Live to read its content, it will (eventually) deliver.

With that said, it's disappointing that the experience is made to be so painful.