I don't like this distinction much. The way you use the term website here is as a descriptor for splash pages nobody cares about beyond their use as a business

I don't like this distinction much. The way you use the term website here is as a descriptor for splash pages nobody cares about beyond their use as a business card. You can see it in the way you're talking about them like "they don't matter - so do whatever you want". And you're right. But I find that unsatisfying. We should be able to have it both ways - interesting aesthetic alongside utility.