Monday, November 15, 2010

RockMelt Browser Review By Zennie62: Better Than Apple Safari



The RockMelt Browser, the result of a team led by Netscape developer Marc Andreessen. The idea is to create a one-stop system that "melts" the social network with Internet browsing, and in such a way that desktop widgets to control, for example, Twitter tweets, are no longer necessary.

The browser is at once easy to use, smooth, and fast. Based on the Google Chrome platform, it can literally cause you to have pages and well-managed pages of information before your eyes, yet not feel overwhelmed by it all.

This video blogger has already logged more time using it on the brand-new MacBook Pro than the Safari, Firefox, and Opera browsers put together. Part of the reason, aside from its speed and feel, is the addictive way information is presented at what the creators call "The Edges" of the page, or the sides. But what's impressive is the layering of the panels that open when cursor contact is made.

RockMelt is a terrific, innovative upgrade of the Internet browser. It's flexible design means you can add new social networks and blog feeds to the pages and never miss a step in performance.

There's only one problem with RockMelt...

The Need For Diversity In Its Staff

The RockMelt team posted a photo of themselves that opens when you go to a webpage with the download information. It features a group of about 60 or so people, two woemn, perhaps three "of color," and the rest mostly white male. It's hard, really hard, to understand why real racial diversity isn't the order of the day in tech, at least in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Microsoft Founder Bill Gates and Apple CEO Steve Jobs could take a page from the book of the late great San Francisco 49rs Head Coach Bill Walsh, who recognized that it was stupid to have almost no blacks in coaching positions in pro football, yet knew their were capable people. To change that Walsh worked to establish the NFL Minority Coaches Fellowship, which bears his name.

Why not the same for tech? After all, a sane person can't possibly enjoy this lack of diversity.

Sane. Person.
Posted by at

5 comments:

  1. Watson10:39 PM

    I too find myself addicted to RockMelt!
    The best feature has to be the Facebook Messenger updates.. really makes it worth using for the first time.

    Don't you find that sometimes the updates can be overwhelming? I mean I follow some 120 people on twitter... updates every 2 mins can get annoying if you're trying to accomplish something. I find myself spending my productive time on Chrome, and then my Fun Time on RockMelt.

    ALSO! I go from a home desktop, to a home laptop, and then my school netbook... so having RockMelt save my passwords, bookmarks and other settings to a cloud makes my transition much easier!

    I would disagree with you about the edges though. I found that if you're on too small a screen (I spend some 20 hours a week on a 9' NetBook) that the Edges can be a little overbearing. When you've only got so much space to work with, you need to hide the edges until you need them (especially the left edge.. definitely don't need to see that all the time).

    I have a few invites to Rock Melt left if anyone is interested! Just Message me and I'll shoot you one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous1:26 PM

    Why can't you evaluate a browser based on its virtues and vices instead of who made it? Genetic fallacy alert.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Zennie3:56 PM

    I only approved the comment above to remark that it's stupid.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Paladinette8:20 AM

    LOL

    ReplyDelete
  5. swapnil11:33 AM

    here's our review of the Rockmelt Browser

    http://thepointlessblog.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/hands-on-rockmelt-a-social-media-browser/

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)