The Testing Range is a site in my initiative, "Take Back the Web!". It's a sister site to Webmastery 101, which teaches new webmasters everything they need to know about making their own Neocities site, making their web browsing experience safer, and all sorts of other valuable information.
I wanted to provide new webmasters with a repository of layouts to use, play with, and learn from. Based on my own experience building and tinkering with other people's layouts, I've noticed that those layouts aren't responsive, are hard to read, and are difficult to customize. Some layouts I used even came with JavaScript that I couldn't trace, or make sense of— creepy. If new webmasters are going to enter the scene, they deserve layouts that are accessible to everyone browsing the web, easy to read through and customize, and are purely CSS and HTML. No mystery JavaScript.
"Take Back the Web!" (TBTW) is an initiative that I'm working on that explains the enshittification of the modern web, why it's wrong, why we shouldn't stand for it, and how we can still stake our claim out here. Many people grieve the death of Geocities, but don't realize that Neocities is here, thriving, and welcoming new webmasters all the time. TBTW also explains how the same thing has happened to social media, where to find community, and how to safely navigate the web (it involves a lot of adblocking and a lot of Firefox).
TBTW is based on my experiences growing up on the internet and watching it become bland, cold, and lifeless. It's based on that realization I had making my site, Noctivagant— anyone can make a website. I know I sound a little bit like a certain Pixar movie right now, but it's true. Anyone can learn to make a website. Plus, you get to call yourself a web developer and/or webmaster. It's an awesome feeling and a wicked cool title to have.
Websites aren't just for businesses, or for making portfolios, or companies— definitely not just for companies! If you want to make a website dedicated to your special interest in telephones, you can just do that. If you want to make a website for your hyperfixation on an obscure indie game, you can just do that. There are no rules dictating what websites you can and can't create— obviously barring Neocities's rules, but you know what I mean.
If you have even the slightest interest in making a website, do it. You have nothing to lose except maybe time, but that time will be spent trying something new. Neocities is 100% free. The layouts here on this site will always be 100% free. There is software out there like Krita that you can use to make art assets for your site. There are so many sites, and so many other resources out there that you can learn from. Of course, if you're ready to take the leap and get your site a full domain name, pay to support Neocities (which I recommend, they are doing wonderful work), or pay for software like Aseprite, or really whatever you please, that is an option.
Just... don't get too into hunting for domain names like me. I am an adult and I will use my adult money wisely, I have bills to pay, I am a responsible adult...
If you'd like to learn more about TBTW, go visit Webmastery 101.