"If we decide that arbitrary UI representations should stay just because they were historically common, then we will never improve our user interfaces." Puttin

"If we decide that arbitrary UI representations should stay just because they were historically common, then we will never improve our user interfaces." Putting aside the assumption that hyperlinks require improvement, you've mistakenly declared that certain visual attributes were chosen arbitrarily and therefor are fair game to change. But it is those very same attributes that provide the visual affordance required for users to determine the function they perform. That is, whilst the selection of those attributes, in the beginning, may have been arbitrary, they no longer are. Consistency in application is one of the best ways to pass on knowledge. Whilst blue underlined text doesn't have anything that intrinsically suggests its action, consistent application of that visual language builds up the affordance in the user: all blue underlined text is a hyperlink. Look at it this way; at some point in the past someone decided that the highlight on GUI buttons should appear to come from the top-left of the screen. This was a completely arbitrary decision. However, with the rest of the GUI adopting the similar design decision, a cohesive impression is built up. It became obvious to users that this meant that a button was raised and could be clicked with the mouse cursor. But if you design your GUI with the highlight coming from the bottom-right, no matter home much better you think this will improve the GUI and how much more sense it makes, your button will appear to be inset and selected. That is, whilst the selection of those attributes, in the beginning, may have been arbitrary, they no longer are. And so it is with hyperlinks. Hyperlinks are underlined blue text because they are. Unless there is some radical, obvious improvement to be made, any changes to these attributes will be to the users detriment. Most often, these changes are attributed to improving integration with the web page design, introducing cohesiveness, but this is mistaking hyperlinks as elements of the design. They are not, they are UI elements and as such should sit outside the style of the web page. With the politest of respect and IMHO of course :)