In today’s blog post I’m going to be talking about one of the most recognizable layout models on the web today, its flaws, and some suggestions for retiring this old chestnut.

The culprit here is the reliable fall-back of web layouts: 3 columns, with the main content centered. It’s used in a wide range of websites, from e-commerce to news outlets, and has become the default model for many content management systems. Although there are times when the 3-column layout is appropriate, more often than not the layout is abused, degenerating into a poorly implemented default.

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