
New browser RockMelt oozes into beta - davewiner
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20022020-36.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheSocial&utm_source=web&utm_medium=twitter
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alanh
I’ve been saying for a while now that browsers should have native support for
sharing content. I love the idea here.

I’m not sure that a row of faces is the best way to do it.

(I’m sure it’s hysterical (and counter-productive) to have those faces staring
back at you during, er, _adult_ browsing. Just don’t drag anything onto one of
your friends…)

* * *

Edit: A lot of people are assuming this = Flock.

They may be making a fundamental error. We nerds tend to think in feature
descriptions sometimes. “They both integrate social.” But if the UX / UI are
different enough, that _could_ make all the difference.

(Edit2: Removed Gecko remark: “Not only is based on a different rendering
engine, which hardly matters…”)

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callahad
> _Not only is it based on a different rendering engine_

Actually, Flock switched from Firefox / Gecko to Chromium / WebKit earlier
this year.

That said, my comment _is_ a bit flippant, and for exactly the reason you
mention.

Edit: I'd really like to see the RockMelt team discuss why they think Flock
has failed to gain traction, and how they plan to address those issues.

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callahad
Oh hey, it's Flock! (<http://flock.com/>)

~~~
webwright
When Google came out, I'm sure you'd say "Oh hey, it's Alta Vista!". I
literally can't count the number of products and companies who attacked
markets where others had largely failed (or at least not blown the doors off)
and won big. YouTube, Google, Facebook, iPad, etc.

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iamjustlooking
I'm not social enough for this browser, I can't "connect" for an invitation if
I don't have facebook and there is no other method to get an invite? I hate it
when websites do that.

~~~
samdk
Normally I'd agree with you, but in this case you're signing up for a beta for
a web browser that is (at least right now) almost entirely built around
Facebook. If you don't have a Facebook account, why do you want an invite?

( _quick edit:_ I'm genuinely curious--sorry if that came off a bit mean, that
wasn't my intention.)

~~~
iamjustlooking
The on site video shows twitter and other sites. You're right though. I think
I was more complaining about about site doing this facebook connect only
thing.

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alexobenauer
Not a huge fan. Already in a web browser, no real reason I can't just go to
facebook the website, which automatically supports its new features
(obviously).

Also not sure I want to see my friends faces all the time beside every webpage
I visit. Definitely worth a try though.

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kin
If the rendering speed in any way reflects that in the video then the social
features would just be the icing on the cake for me.

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bl4k
those vertical toolbars look horrible

facebook connect is forced? no thanks - browsers should be enabling more
privacy, not handing it away

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twapi
do we need another browser?

~~~
epoxy
I'm sure a lot of people asked the same question when competitors to Netscape
hit the scene, and look at how much they've changed in that time.

I've only read a little about RockMelt, but it's not clear to me why they
didn't develop this as an extension ... aside from perhaps being able to claim
the search revenue.

