In his epic poem, "The Divine Comedy," Dante Alighieri outlined -- based on earlier religious writings -- what Christians call the "seven deadly sins," a classification of vices to educate and instruct followers due to man's tendency to stray from the righteous path. Centuries later, these sins -- gluttony, envy, lust, pride, sloth, anger and greed -- still remain front and center in theology and have also been a source of inspiration for writers, artists and filmmakers.

But webmasters as well? Over the years, I have seen my fair share of websites, both good and bad. Interestingly enough, there's often more to be learned from "sinful" websites -- those that violate clear principles of good website design, create frustrating experiences for visitors, drive customers away and damage their overall brands or businesses. Although the consequences of website sins may not include eternal damnation, many businesses are committing these same seven deadly sins online, thereby diminishing their ability to connect with prospects and customers.

Let's take a look at how each sin applies to the fundamental do's and don'ts of website design.