Re: Netscape delinks from W3 Virtual Library

If Netscape wants to take their "Net Directory" button literally, then 
listing Yahoo makes sense, although there are other resources that could 
fit under that moniker.

But I think it makes more sense to call this button "Net Browse" (which 
balances quite well with "Net Search").  After all, that's what folks do 
with Yahoo.

And if Netscape is trying to provide access to browsable content, then 
*both* types of browsable content should be represented.  The 2 types are:

1) directories (e.g., Yahoo): these cast their nets broadly and are more
comprehensive, but don't include any sort of quality descriptive or
evaluative information, and are weaker in terms of organizational 
schemes.  In the case of Yahoo, self-entry of content also means that the 
organization and bits of descriptive information are biased and skewed.

2) virtual libraries/collections (e.g., WWW Virtual Library, 
Clearinghouse): these are more narrow and focused, are less likely to be 
comprehensive, but provide access to higher-quality resources and include 
more descriptive and evaluative information.

Both of these types of browsable systems should be covered, as they serve 
different and complementary purposes.  I really hope folks at Netscape 
will consider this, and I'd be happy to continue this discussion in this 
or any other context.

Lou Rosenfeld
Administrator
Clearinghouse for Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides
http://www.lib.umich.edu/chhome.html

On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Internet Book Information Center wrote:

> All,
> 
> Anyone else unhappy that Netscape has removed the VL from its Directory page?
> Now they only list Yahoo.  This is not good considering the high % of Net users
> who use Netscape.  (Anyone got the latest stats?)
> 
> IMHO Netscape is misunderstanding the evolving nature of Internet Directories.
> It's clear that Yahoo has a huge comparative advantage at being the
> self-registering de facto yellow pages of the Internet.   But that's not all
> there is to directories (as I'm sure the Yahoo maintainers would be the first to
> acknowledge); there's also a place for value-added resource selection and
> presentation.   I think the VL maintainers have a comparative advantage in
> thoughtful selection and presentation of information aimed at serving a coherent
> user community, and that Netscape users deserve to get the benefit of our
> efforts!
> 
> I hope Netscape will reconsider and relink the Internet Directory to the W3 VL
> as well as to other great subject-oriented resources like Lou Rosenfeld's
> Clearinghouse  for Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides
> (http://www.lib.umich.edu/chhome.html).
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Fred
> URL http://sunsite.unc.edu/ibic/IBIC-homepage.html
> 
> 

Louis Rosenfeld, President                                  lou@argus-inc.com
Argus Associates, Inc.                                  http://argus-inc.com/
902 Miller Avenue  Ann Arbor, MI  48103-3349            voice: (313) 913-0010

           co-editor, The Internet Compendium (Neal-Schuman, 1995)
                  http://argus-inc.com/compendium/main.html

Received on Thursday, 16 February 1995 17:55:30 UTC