Comments on: Blackbird: The African American Web Browser and Philanthropry on the Web

By: mike

mike — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:54:08 +0000

I know my comment wont be published but Fabricio Zuardi you other white separatist present a one sided argument, I wonder what your thoughts are on the all caucasoid basketball team, of a so called “whites only” golf park, yet you attack the African American community with such vigor for what ? a web browser its a shame small minded imbeciles such as yourselves still exist hopefully in the future genetics will advance enough to not make defects such as yourself.

By: All Talk Radio Network

All Talk Radio Network — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:52:09 +0000

Ed Young will be live on all talk radio today if you want to call in call 702-309-6127 or 702-942-7371 listen in at http://www.alltalkradio.net you ca also email after or during the show at alltalkradio@gmail.com

By: All Talk Radio Network

All Talk Radio Network — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:01:41 +0000

I’d like to invite you in on the discussion of the blackbird browser and get your feedback. The show begins at 10 am PST this morning if you’d like to participate please call in at 702-309-6127 or 702-942-7371 if the line is busy. The show will be live on all talk radio network and you can hear it at http://www.alltalkradio.net you can also download a copy of the show in the Coffee With Caryll Radio Show archives. We’d love to have you in on the discussion.Have a good one!

All Talk Radio Network
http://www.alltalkradio.net
alltalkradio@gmail.com

By: Blackbird Is Not About Tech, It’s About Being #blck | SheenOnline

Blackbird Is Not About Tech, It’s About Being #blck | SheenOnline — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:34:05 +0000

[...] Nukirk already talked about why Blackbird is not that special and they share a lot of my views AroundHarlem, but here is how you make [...]

By: Tracey

Tracey — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:45:21 +0000

Hi!
Tracey from BlackGivesBack here! Thanks for this post because I am seriously technologically challenged…

By: Brick City

Brick City — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:09:34 +0000

I find something very disturbing about our people at times and it relates to our inherited self hatred. I see comments about this web browser promoting segregation but I do not see a movement of folks talking about closing “black churches” especially if your Christian being that we are worshiping the same God. Or perhaps closing all of the “black universities” since education is suppose to neutral. I can go on and on with many examples but anyone with any commonsense about using a web browser is that your choices in terms of search features are limitless, you can use google, yahoo, aol, msn and some many others.
But often times what you hear when someone black comes up with something for their own people, “they are setting us back” or “they are promoting segregation.”
It is sad that we cannot see that all this is is a tool which allows some people who not as technically savvy to search for content associated with African Americans more easily in addition to bridging many of the causes and programs that we want to promote within our community more effectively.
What I also find interesting is the name of this site “AroundHarlem”, well if you haven’t been in Harlem lately then you better get there soon because not long from now you will need an African American web browser or site to tell you about when there were black people living in Harlem.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:22:22 +0000

Hello,

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By: Ghada

Ghada — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:29:36 +0000

hmm….the verdict is still out for me as to if I will try it or not. Someone else commented above – would it touch such a nerve if it was a browser for moms? The answer for me is that I don’t think it would. I have downloaded the Gloss Edition of Flock as well – its pink, and geared toward people who love to consume fashion, gossip and entertainment. I downloaded it mainly to see how it would work, but I haven’t installed it yet. With the Gloss browser, I never flinched at the thought, but with Blackbird something just did not ring true. Is there a difference in the subsets? Ethnicity and Subcultures (i.e fashionistas and gossipers in this case) do not seem to be the same thing.
I will test drive at least one of these, at least just to see what its strengths, if any are.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:36:08 +0000

Would anybody here have a problem if this browser were geared towards women? How about children?

Does anybody here really think that having a black browser is going to cut us off from white society?

Geez.

By: Adebisi

Adebisi — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:16:37 +0000

I don’t think African Americans need a seperate web browser. To me this looks foolish. As if we can’t function properly on a regular web browser.

By: Blackbird: An African-American Internet at Last? | Roving Hearts

Blackbird: An African-American Internet at Last? | Roving Hearts — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:33:08 +0000

[...] big assertion, so it’s not surprising that the program’s already drawn some pretty hefty criticism. Some see it as an unnecessary attempt to shoehorn “black culture”. Others [...]

By: BlackGayBlogger.com

BlackGayBlogger.com — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:09:33 +0000

Blackbird, The First Web Browser for African-Americans…

I’ll try my best to keep this critical, but let it be known that I think a web browser for African-Americans is just as inane and untenable a concept to bring to market as any other web product or SaaS which tries to commodify African-Americans as a m…

By: the78msj

the78msj — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:41:58 +0000

I was tempted to try the browser out myself because I don’t usually listen to other peoples opinions but after so much back and forth about it I have decided to sit this one out. I still personally don’t think it’s a bad idea, but I think I will watch the back and forth on this and see what the outcome is.

By: Rahsheen

Rahsheen — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:31:40 +0000

How useful would Twitter be if you could only see tweets that have #blck in them? You could only follow people who use the #blck tag. Everyone else disappears. That sound cool?

Ok, now do the same thing with the entire internet. Does that work for you?

Oh! I forgot to add that you have to install software to get to this wonderful version of the net. Your current browser can’t do it.

None for me, thanks. It doesn’t make any sense. I like my internet with #blck stuff AND all the other stuff.

I would really like someone to point out one single feature this browser has that can’t be done otherwise. Tell me what problem this software solves.

Besides, it only works on Windows.

By: Tiffany B. Brown

Tiffany B. Brown — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:16:58 +0000

Dear Black Entrepreneurs (especially the ones behind Blackbird):…

I know you mean well. You want to create tools and communities that empower those left out of the digital divide. You want to be a voice, perhaps even the voice uniting our people. But really: a web browser for the African American community?
I think n…

By: Dumi

Dumi — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:51:17 +0000

From the review I actually don’t see many issues with the browser. The fact the browser filters in some content does not mean that you cannot access the information that you like. I doubt that anyone will find the “preselects” comprehensive but like with all technology, with more feedback, the better it could be. Additionally, the odds that a story or something comes across your desktop that you weren’t anticipating sounds pretty good. I don’t think one needs a “PhD” or any degree to ID some of the stuff that is coming across a newswire, etc that may be of interest or relevance to some Black folks. This is not to suggest that Black people are monolithic, because we’re not, but the folks who will adopt this browser probably share some common content goals or interests. Just as those who don’t, probably have different orientations to their preferred content. From your review It sounds like they have made a number of “customizations” that increase access to specialized information. I think that is a good thing for folks who will not be bouncing around twitter, alltop, or use aggregators. I think of folks like my parents and my sister, who could likely fall into their target demographic. It seems that we are being very judgemental at a novel, though not entirely unique, idea that may provide a different type of information to people. Thanks for tweeting and letting me know the browser exists. Just my two cents … maybe I’ll even download it

By: Flo King

Flo King — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:42:22 +0000

@DryerBuzz Categorizing issues by subject matter is different then culture / skin colour / race / .

By: Flo King

Flo King — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:40:23 +0000

The iPhone internet function is done through a web browser namely Safari, now would it be right if every web browser did a black version?

By: DryerBuzz

DryerBuzz — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:23:46 +0000

I feel you to some degree. But ILuvBlackWomen asked us something about #blck that I’ll use here. If a browser came out today just for “moms,” how brilliant would we say it is?

By: SirDigital

SirDigital — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:18:16 +0000

It’s the very definition of segregation… that wall we fought to tare down for so many years. It’s old thinking in a new world.

Great post. Really constructive views.
Many that I had felt and some I realized after reading.

By: L Martin Johnson Pratt

L Martin Johnson Pratt — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:13:37 +0000

thats like saying the internet is only accessible through a browser which is not true IE IPHONE ??? We are definitely not there yet but this is a start education i was a computer consultant from 97-06 before that i was network engineer in corporate america i was on Prodigy and Compuserv and AOL as a member of BDPA we held meetings and seminars for the community so that they would understand BBS vs Internet we did this to allow info to flow thats what my responsibility is. Software/Web Programmer responsibility is to make good software that works. But that just my pov – talking more about it on 90.3 FM WHCR in NYC tonight at 7pm EST – http://www.whcr.org call in 212-491-4685 love to hear from you

By: Flo King

Flo King — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:05:12 +0000

I second that!

By: AroundHarlem.com

AroundHarlem.com — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:02:20 +0000

It’s April again from AroundHarlem.com.

The #1 reason I don’t like filtered browsers because I see it a step backwards in technology.

Anybody get their start online with AOL? Remember at one time lots of people thought AOL was the internet?

Once you control content through a browser you control access to information.

The web is about equal access to info and for all.

I don’t want African Americans to go into a web black hole with content choose by other people.

Remember, the browser is your main access to info.

By: DryerBuzz

DryerBuzz — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:55:26 +0000

I’m just lost in the generation gap i guess. If there are two products and one is provided with me distinctly in the demographic, its conducive to my uniqueness (being that i’m so unique), then i’m gonna go for it. As much as I’ve been complaining about browers lately, I can sure give this one a try.

In my browsing experience I don’t want to see watered down diversity with a few curly heads pictured and peppered here and there. While my brilliance will allow me to conform anything to my uniqueness, I appreciate those who at least attempt to make me a priority.

By: L Martin Johnson Pratt

L Martin Johnson Pratt — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:37:53 +0000

Great article about the Sista behind Mozilla -http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2008-06-17-mozilla-window-snyder_N.htm Lastly @aroundharlem you are always well written and concise luv ya

By: L Martin Johnson Pratt

L Martin Johnson Pratt — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:36:46 +0000

Well you know i am going to disagree but not from the place of #blck but from the techie in me WHY NOT is always the tech place the marketplace is not saturated and the marketing is on point with concept. Further more i dont know if most know but there is a #blck woman behind the security of MOZILLA so again WHY NOT – she is the daughter of 2 techies. I can be so proud of our heritage this year because #blck is not an issue for just being screw ups but we are RISK TAKERS and WINNERS so if you dont want the browser fine but WHY NOT A BLCK BROWSER

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:33:30 +0000

@AroundHarlem-Thanks for your post. I became aware of BlackBird this morning via Twitter and didn’t take offense to a browser targeting African-Americans. I know there are tons of post via Techcrunch that believe this is racist, but BlackBird is bascially catering to a niche marketing such as other products. In the end, this browser may be benefical to marketers wanting to increase their multicultural marketing. It’s certainly not taking America back by offering a web browser that caters to a particular group of people. Thanks again for your insight!

Tiffany
http://www.womenmakingmoves.org

By: Fabricio Zuardi

Fabricio Zuardi — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:32:08 +0000

I just wonder if they are respecting the Mozilla code license, having different Mozilla forks and distributions is a great thing, but having people using volunteer work without making their modifications available to the community is bad.

I couldn’t find source code or the list of Mozilla licensed files that they tweaked on their website. I’ve sent an email to support asking, maybe they are somewhere, but I couldn’t find it.

By: Ms. Aja B.

Ms. Aja B. — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:24:22 +0000

Thank you for breaking down the whole Blackbird Web Browser for those of us just getting into the whole social media movement. When I first saw the posts/tweets about it, my inital response was “why?”

My nosiness might win out on me giving it a test run, but I am not convinced that it is something that is really “necessary”.

By: Allison @ Entry Level Living

Allison @ Entry Level Living — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:20:12 +0000

In my experience the main thing that makes any idea more ethnic is that more ethnic people are using it. The comfort aspect is what makes it unique. When it comes to content it is usually pretty standard. On the front page of the blackbird website it cites the fact that 85% of AAs prefer AA related content. Instead of pushing for major browsers or websites to feature AA interest, separate browsers and websites are built.