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April Fools At Stack Exchange

April Fools Day always proves to be a favorite of some tech outfits.  Google is usually one that likes to play along.  (See Gmail Blue)  Stack Exchange has done a good one this year though, with its flashback to the nineties theme for Stack Overflow.

The company has pulled out all the stops by resurrecting a raft of tired old gimmicks.

  • Gaudy scrolling banners
  • Obnoxious repeating backgrounds
  • Mixed typefaces (Comic Sans and Times)
  • Click counter
  • Under construction
  • Flashing icons (or animated in general)
  • Cursor animation
  • Guestbook
There's a lot going on here, to be sure.  As such, this list is not exhaustive.

Load a Stack Exchange page and click on any post to be teleported.




 Welcome to the 90s.




Wonderful trails behind the mouse (mouse not shown).




The woeful disregard for consistency of typefaces.  Welcome back Comic Sans!


There must be a click counter!


Animated and obnoxious icons (fire animation not showing).




The ubiquitous, Under Construction banner.



The perfect touch, a guestbook.


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