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Perhaps just to be an ass, I want to post a quick column criticizing this site. Yes, I have spent all of one day as a member and I am already posting a critique. Why?
a. I'm gonna test their patience. See if they let negative comments stay up or intend to enforce a pro-newsvine atmosphere. This is what is known in the business as "teasing out the fascists." What business, you ask? Mine.
b. It's always cool to be the first dude kicked off of a site.
c. The obvious purpose of being in on the beta-test is to offer constructive criticism right?
So here goes -- my first impression criticisms...
1. Lack of Organization or what I like to call "This Thing Is Going To Rapidly Digress Into A Morass of Links." If, indeed, everyone can post as many links as they want, this is going to turn into a repository of every crappy link in the universe -- particularly if folks is gonna get paid for doing it. There needs to be some process whereby links that are posted are heirarched onto the front page by readership interest, etc. Although I get that the little arrow acts as some sort of organizing principle, it isn't clear how it works -- or how you can "mine" new or under-read stories (like Digg). Moreover, why are the "AP" stories (with no positive hits) at the top?
2. There Needs to be Positive Correlation to Quality of Links, Not Number. Similar to above, I notice there is a "top posters" section. This should be changed to quality of post, not quantity. You should be able to not only vote plus or minus on the story but on the post author as well. Otherwise you're encouraging greedy dudes like me to post every dang thing they run across without spendy the time to write a snarky little comment that shows how smart, world-weary and/or reasoned I am.
3. Don't Pay for Links. This is trouble. I get that it's sort of a marketing deal but I suggest you use NewsVine Points or something like that. Let people trade em in for NewsVine crap, not real cash. Again, this just encourages folks to post as much trash as possible, not to post quality. Plus, who wouldn't want themselves a newsboy cap with the NewsVine Logo. That'd get you the admiration you're looking for with the ladies and what not.
4. Spell checker?
5. What Are My Friends Writing About. Maybe this is because it's an invite site but I really just want to see what my friends are writing and saying. I'm like that -- creepy, reclusive and unfriendly. Is there a myspace-like feature coming where I can ID my friends and view their new posts? This could make this like Myspace for adults. Instead of the real myspace which is a whole lot of adults checking out twenty year old chicks who CLEARLY aren't that hot or at least I just haven't been around.
6. Politics. People tend to view and visit politics pages for stories that reinforce their deeply-held and seldom analyzed personal beliefs. Right now this reads like CNN's politics page. Divide this sucker up. I suggest three separate pages. A red page, a blue page and maybe a purple page (what I would call No Man's Land). Are you a dyed in the wool GOP'er? Then visit the red page and post your self-indulgent lies (err, "opinions"). Same for the blue page. Maybe these pages would have a moderator to ensure that the battle lines aren't crossed or maybe this would be self sustaining. In the middle would be the place where you try to antagonize your compatriots on the other side. Just an idea.
7. Sports. Right now this is just a rehash of every other dang sports page in the world. I suggest you make it local and/or tailored to the users' particular preferences. E.g. it should be set up so that I only see: a. the top five stories nationwide (by reader preference); and b. All local stories about the teams that I have indicated. Right now the top story is something about the Jags not caring about something or other...guess what? I don't care about the Jags not caring about something or other...
Is such a thing even possible? Cuz that would rock.
8. Get Local. You guys are from Seattle so I see a lot of Seattle junk on their (like a car crash on I-90?) I mean, I guess that's cool to me but it's pretty fricking meaningless to 90% of your readers.
In short, I had about three valid criticisms but since nobody takes you seriously unless you say some sort of oddball or high number I went with 8. I expect to see about fifty responses saying that I'm a moron and how you guys have already thought this through and how I'm a moron and how I should spend more time before I criticize and again with the moronity but so be it. It's Friday, I'm bored and I'm hung over like the wolf. Adios dudes.
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(By the way, this was originally title 8 problem I got with Newsvine or something like that but after I read the article about the guy complaining about the Newsvine CEO not saying please and thank you I decided to rename it. Plus, this is more appropriate to what I have to say.)
