“thinking the rest of the world is even 50% as tech-savvy as you are, but the reality is the exact opposite.”

Which would be thinking that 50% isn’t as tech-savvy as you? ;)

But yes, you’re right. This’ll provide a major boost in visibility (of the idea) for such sites. One catch is (that as far as I know) most netscape.com visitors are U.S. guys and galls, so it won’t help as much with global awareness.

(Editor’s Note: Correct me if I’m wrong but I think my grammar is actually correct on that one. I didn’t say “50% of people” I said “50% as tech savvy” which means “most of the world is less tech savvy than you”… or maybe you’re just being sarcastic… in that case, haha! :) )

The day that AOL/Netscape reduces their decade-long focus on squeezing profits from dial-up deals with web newbies long enough to compete with a niche, early adopter site like Digg, is the day that online, participatory communities will have reached th…

Never said that. I just couldn’t understand why people six, seven years ago complained about Microsoft trying to stamp out Netscape but then allowed the monopoly to occur. Netscape never went away but people forgot about it, but also complained about how crappy Internet Explorer was. I just kept using Netscape the whole time so I couldn’t understand the whole thing about “Hey, everyone! There’s this great new browser called Firefox! No need to stay stuck with IE all the time!” Nothing I have said here is an evaluation of the worth of Firefox’s technical aspects.

“I too was a netscape fan but that was long ago.”

That’s just the thing I’m fighting against: the go-with-the-flow attitude. “People forgot about Netscape so I should too. Now Firefox is the in thing so that’s what I’m going to go with.” How long before Firefox isn’t cool and you show how wise you are by ditching it?

I actually use Netscape, IE, and Firefox about equally at work. At home it is Netscape 80%, IE 10%, Firefox 10%. Loaded Firefox on to my brother’s computer recently and noticed it was coming from the netscape.com server. I bet if Firefox stayed exactly the same but changed their GUI to look as though they were branded by Netscape everyone would go, “Yuck!” simply because that is the perception everyone feels the need to adopt. And, yes, I will admit there is little difference, technically speaking, between Netscape 8 and Firefox, especially since in Netscape 8 you can choose to have your pages displayed the way IE displays them or the way Firefox displays them . . . so with Netscape you have the best of all worlds but it is still perceived as outmoded.

I too was a netscape fan but that was long ago.

Ahhh, good ol’ Nutscrape. I remember the days when it was my preferred browser, back in the 4.x days. I’m not quite sure I want to see how sites look in it these days, but like you, I’ll probably fire a copy up later. :)

I see you are one of the people that allowed Microsoft’s monopoly to win back in the late, late Nineties. All the techies back then were like, “Microsoft is being a big bad bully and trying to crush Netscape. Those meanies!” but then went right along with it and forgot Netscape existed and started to use nothing but Internet Explorer. Then Firefox came along and all the techies were like, “Hey, finally there’s an alternate to IE.” I registered for a free Netscape e-mail address back in early 1999 when there was no indication that Netscape would soon be falling by the wayside, fully (and still) intending to keep it as my lifelong e-mail address (so, Netscape, you need to stick around at least another 60 years). Fast forward to 2006 and I was pretty sure that I was the only person on the planet who remembered Netscape until their front page gets revamped and everyone has an opinion about how their news is served up now. Maybe they will become viable again and I can wear my Netscape t-shirt out in public again. Anyways, Netscape 7.2 is an excellent browser. That’s what I have here at home and I’ve got Netscape 8 (and Firefox . . . and IE) on my computer at work.

I am, during that time period, in no mood to filter through a bunch of nonsense to just simply find the headlines. I mean, this new browser is for screwing around like a bunch of high school yearbook geeks.

I also know that what I say has no matter..or will it ever, thats fine, just needed to get it out of my system before I leave this browser for good…tell
the staff, great job!

Thanks, can’t wait to VOTE on meaningless crap for the rest of eternity.
I looking for a new browser, anyone got an idea?…don’t ask ask these folks…

1. we took down a bunch of the ads.
2. we cleaned up the design a bunch
3. we fixed some of the server problems
4. we made the Navigator (the frame) a user option… so you can turn it off with one click and never see it again. We also made it really narrow so it is not as obtrusive.

We’re getting there… this is a real beta!

I didn’t say “50% of people” I said “50% as tech savvy” which means “most of the world is less tech savvy than you”…

Sure, and the exact opposite of that is…50%.

or maybe you’re just being sarcastic… in that case, haha!

Me? Sarcastic?

Such a statement does not strike me as cromulent!

However, I think Netscape is going about it in the worst possible direction. They should be poising themselves as a major news portal – not a nerdy tech niche site like Digg. The one thing they have going for them with this design is familiarity and ease-of-use. I like that it’s easy to vote up stories – that clear labeling drives the functionality of the site home to new users.

I moaned when you guys made the vote button smaller, and although I’ve become accustomed to the interface (more news, less clutter), the small button doesn’t communicate the social aspect of the site to the new user. And no amount of marketing copy/ intro text can replace that communication.

You guys have it 100% right with presentation. The polish of the site not only legitimizes it, but also raises the bar for authors – leading to more quality journalistic content from users. Again, the only niggle I have is with the vote button (and how the conversation tracker is displayed when not logged in – I understand the need to ‘tease’ it, but it might just confuse and clutter the uninitiated – So that’s two things :) )

Netscape, however, is laughable competition at worst, and at best they’re widening the market for everyone.

Agreed, though, that social news is the new Kool-Aid. I mean that in a good way.

..not until they *really* dig in do they find out they can write, seed, and influence the news mix by interacting with it.

And what Jon just said, with regards to the local news …

when I tune into local news, I want LOCAL news!

I think these same sentiments were reflected recently with Jeff Croft’s statements on journalism when he writes

This is where local news sites, that have taken this type of thinking into consideration, have started to flourish in both print and digital media. As you know, Jeff is among those who will quickly point to the award winning World Company as an innovator in this area in Lawrence, KS.

While it’s good to See AOL and Netscape taking an active role in promoting this type of “community involvement”, their user experience doesn’t feel redy for prime time. I could never find a particular video that everyone one was talking about – even doing “find” on the video page it was linked to didn’t bring about any success. The ads feel a bit overwhelming, as does their large “What are People Saying About…” graphic. I didn’t mind the “related stories” at the top, but felt it a bit distracting when it transitions from one story to another.

I’m not someone who visits “Digg” or “Newsvine” as much as others, but they are the first place I often go, because of their community and uncluttered UI experience.