FWD FYI>from Yahoo re Netscape & Vlib

Hi fellow V-Lib maintainers,

Thought you might be interested in seeing this considerate response from the
good folks at Yahoo re Netscape's decision to remove the VLib from its Directory
page.

--Fred Z

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Date: Thu, 16 Feb 1995 19:14:29 -0800
From: Jerry Chih-Yuan Yang <jerry@akebono.stanford.edu>
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To: lou@umich.edu, ibic@sunsite.unc.edu
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950216102258.3719S-100000@sils.umich.edu> (message
from Lou Rosenfeld on Thu, 16 Feb 1995 10:57:06 -0500 (EST))
Subject: Re: Netscape delinks from W3 Virtual Library
Reply-To: jerry@terminus.stanford.edu
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hi lou and fred,

we've added our own "short" list of internet directories to the top
page of yahoo, in response of netscape's move.  we'll also send them a
note.  please check it out and let us know if we missed any obvious
ones....  (http://akebono.Stanford.edu/yahoo/) thanks for the feedback
lou, and would agree VL offer in many ways much better service than we
do.  we are only one view of the world, and should be interpreted as
such.

let us know how we can further improve yahoo, or any other discussions
regarding indexing the web... thanks again.

jerry yang
------


>
> 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 Tuesday, 28 February 1995 06:40:50 UTC