About Distractory

I’ve been pretty much permanently online for 30 years. I don’t claim to be an internet historian, but I feel like I could be.

Recently I’ve rediscovered the pleasure of landing on a website and having absolutely no idea what I’m looking at, then losing half an hour to it.

It feels like the last 15 years have shrunk the internet to about ten websites, or at least that’s how we experience it. So much of it has become a bit same-same. The same layouts, the same ideas, the same things turning up everywhere.

Finding independent passion projects is a breath of fresh air. Someone’s made something weird, funny or interesting because they wanted it to exist. There’s still so much of that out there, and I wanted somewhere to collect it. Initially just for myself, but I think a public stash of my favorite bookmarks is even more fun :)

Independent projects are the heart of the collection, alongside a few creative experiments from larger teams. Some of these sites will keep you busy for a minute. Others might cost you an afternoon.

What makes the cut?

I pick everything by hand. It might make me laugh, teach me something unexpected, or leave me wondering why anyone built it.

A site doesn’t have to be useful to belong here. But there should be a reason to send you there.

When a link breaks or its destination seems to have changed, I put it on hold until I’ve had another look. How I choose and check sites →

A little help from you

After a visit, you might get asked whether it was worth your time. A simple YES or NO helps improve the order of the recommendations over time. I choose what goes into the collection; your feedback helps sort it. Votes are never shown as public scores.

Found something I’ve missed? Send it my way.

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