Splashpages. Love them, hate them. Since the dawn of the web I have always been fascinated by them. For that handfull of folks who don't have any idea what a splashpage is all about: splashpages derived from software applications. It is the screen that pops up onto your desktop while you start the app. On the web, a splashpage is like a cover of a book. It is designed as the first page you see at a site. The "wow" factor is a key goal; allowing the designer much more creative freedom than with the rest of the site.
But the popularity of splashpages decreased when websites became more user friendly and search engine optimisation topped the priority lists. With Web 2.0 making its entrance there won't be any demand for splashpages at all.