TechMeme Sucks On Days Like Today
Written By Mike on Nov. 6, 2007.
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I like TechMeme, I visit everyday and generally find the site to be worthwhile. I read so much content from independent blogs and opinion sites that sometimes it's nice to head there and see what's making news at the New York Times, CNET, The Register, WSJ, Reuters, etc., since those huge media sites are usually the ones with articles on TechMeme. TechMeme doesn't highlight the small memes within the independent web, they find the big stories and then link to all the blogs regurgitating the big stories.
Of course the "big" announcement today was Google's Android platform for mobile phones, open source, lots of phones coming but nothing actually here yet (<- great post from Derek Powazek) and lots of people talking about what-ifs and stock prices and who will be joining the deadpool, etc., etc.
Okay I read the transcripts from the announcement, read a few articles, and wrote an overview article here on Notes. Over 12 hours after the announcement I headed to TechMeme to see what else was going on and I'm greeted by this monstrosity:
And that's just the head of the snake, the tail articles continue a few thousand pixels below the headline link orgy. When news like this breaks, every single technology blog feels the need to jump on board and give their two cents which may or may not be actually worth two pennies.
It's too bad there's not some type of human filter at TechMeme, one that could throttle the takeover a news item like this has when it's just not all that interesting. Oh wow, a platform that has no apps available for it that can't be used until phones "ship" more than 6 months from now. Cool! Sounds about as interesting as Java. Do we really need 3-4 page scrolls worth of echo chamber articles? Do articles like this really need to monopolize the entire site for more than half a day?
I like TechMeme but it sucks on days like this.
Scrivs
Written Nov. 6, 2007 / Report /
Thing is do you blame Techmeme or the hivemind of the blogosphere all working in a concerted effort to always talk about the same stuff?
raphy
Written Nov. 6, 2007 / Report /
I would blame the blogosphere. I remember seeing twenty different posts on Skype being down temporarily, and most only suspected something was going on behind the scenes. Thats interesting and all, but after reading the same thing twice the interest is gone.
A human filter would be really good, or for Techmeme at least a "more" link that kicks in after 3 related news posts.
Devin
Written Nov. 6, 2007 / Report /
To echo Scrivs, don't hate the player--hate the game.
Rich
Written Nov. 6, 2007 / Report /
I don't use TechMeme, but I'm inclined to echo what those above me have said. TechMeme is just doing what it says on the tin.
Tyme
Written Nov. 7, 2007 / Report /
TechMeme isn't useful on a good day. Not to me. The site is only displaying what it always does - it was just more pronounced.
That's the problem - people tend to drop into the bubble and never crawl their way out. I remember when Winer said TechMeme was down and the internet was quiet. WTF? To me the internet was full of activity, the news kept flowing to me, I didn't notice TM was down.
I felt it more when Reddit was down lol.
Scrivs
Written Nov. 8, 2007 / Report /
I feel it more daily now everywhere because not much is interesting me.