Web browser pioneer backs new way to surf Internet

MyWay ^ | Nov 7, 4:35 PM (ET) | By MICHAEL LIEDTKE

[Red Badger]

The Web has changed a lot since Marc Andreessen revolutionized the Internet with the introduction of his Netscape browser in the mid-1990s. That's why he's betting people are ready to try a different Web-surfing technique on a new browser called RockMelt.

The browser, available for the first time Monday, is built on the premise that most online activity today revolves around socializing on Facebook, searching on Google, tweeting on Twitter and monitoring a handful of favorite websites. It tries to minimize the need to roam from one website to the next by corralling all vital information and favorite services in panes and drop-down windows.

"This is a chance for us to build a browser all over again," Andreessen said. "These are all things we would have done (at Netscape) if we had known how people were going to use the Web."

Andreessen didn't develop the RockMelt browser the way he did Netscape, whose early popularity waned as Microsoft Corp. bundled its Internet Explorer browser with the Windows operating system.

RockMelt is the handiwork of Tim Howes and Eric Vishria, who formerly worked with Andreessen. But Andreessen's seal of approval has been stamped on startup.

The biggest chunk of RockMelt's $10 million in funding has come from the venture capital firm that Andreessen runs with his partner, Ben Horowitz.

Andreessen also sits on RockMelt's board of directors, and his advice has been called upon frequently.

"When you are trying to reinvent the Web browser, who would you rather run your ideas by besides Marc?" said Howes, RockMelt's chief technology officer (Vishria is CEO).

Facebook's imprint also is all over RockMelt, although the two companies' only business connection so far is Andreessen. He also serves on Facebook's board of directors.

RockMelt only works if you have a Facebook account.

[Red Badger]

F I R E F O X RULES!..............

[Red Badger]

PING!................

[ShadowAce]

[ArrogantBustard]

RockMelt only works if you have a Facebook account.

Therefore, its value to me is precisely ZERO.

Thanks anyway ...

[giotto]

RockMelt only works if you have a Facebook account.

That limits his market considerably. What about the millions of people who choose not to relinquish their privacy to a jerk like Mark Zuckerberg?

The basic idea for his browser sounds good. But wouldn't it be a better business decision to make it more flexible, by allowing the user to select which sites he wants the browser to be anchored to?

[BuckeyeTexan]

I don’t do FB. I guess I won’t be doing RockMelt either. So be it!

[rarestia]

I was thinking the same thing. Sad that we’re gearing ourselves more toward this invasive privacy-sucking form of communication, but many kids these days (25 and under) are so entrenched in social media that they’d be lost without it.

Like cell/smart phones a decade ago and computers before them, we’re seeing the new popular technologies take hold and drag us along with them.

[USS Alaska]

RockMelt only works if you have a Facebook account.

Therefore, its value to me is precisely ZERO.

Me too, and will always be zero as I'll never facebook or tweet.

Posting on FR is enough time invested on an electronic device as I care to expend.

I probably spend 10-15 hours a week online and more during an election cycle.

Way too much time sitting and reading and typing.

[jacquej]

I will be interested in your opinion of this...

[shorty_harris]

Well, good luck with all that. I don’t facebook, I don’t tweeter, and I don’t use google.

[Still Thinking]

Um, yeah....no. Now if these propeller-heads wanted to do some GOOD, they could write a FR-optimized browser, but this thing...not so much.

[oh8eleven]

but many kids these days (25 and under) are so entrenched in social media that they’d be lost without it.
Actually, they're lost WITH it. I have several young relatives and their personal skills leave a lot to be desired.
At family gatherings, it's not unusual to see them isolated in various corners of the house with their noses stuck in their cell phones instead of interacting w/ family.
And if you're lucky enough to find one who's "come up for air", talking to them is like pulling teeth.

[kosciusko51]

When I read about the tech-obsessed social media, I wish for an EMP, or at least a cell-phone jammer.

[ReignOfError]

The basic idea for his browser sounds good. But wouldn't it be a better business decision to make it more flexible, by allowing the user to select which sites he wants the browser to be anchored to?

Starting with a limited audience and then expanding outward is a good strategy to avoid growing too fast, crashing your servers and driving away people who won't come back. Not that a potential audience of half a billion is an onerous initial limit.

[tubebender]

the premise that most online activity today revolves around socializing on Facebook, searching on Google, tweeting

Uh, I guess I'll stay with Camino as I don't Twitter, I use Yippy searh and the only reason I have a FB account is because my daughter set it up...

[trickyricky]

Isn't that the truth?
I have a nephew (very bright) who spends hours on end "texting".
This is to his friend across the street, who he could easily walk across the road and talk to.
I asked him, Pat if you're too lazy to walk over to Jim's why don't you just call him?
He gave me this "Are you out of your mind?" look.
I do not, for the life of me, understand the fascination.
Could someone enlighten me?

[rarestia]

Amen to that, my FRiend! I have young co-workers who are more concerned about their iPhone goings-on than with their work. We’ve had to fire two kids who spent more time texting and talking on their phones than working. It’s getting pretty bad out there, IMHO.

My young family members aren’t immune, and they exhibit the same behaviors you describe. I thought that instant messaging would be the death of social behavior as we know, but it seems that social networking is more of a problem than IM ever was.

[Gondring]

Sad that we’re gearing ourselves more toward this invasive privacy-sucking form of communication, but many kids these days (25 and under) are so entrenched in social media that they’d be lost without it.

Seems to be 50% being oblivious to privacy concerns...and 50% exhibitionism.

[rarestia]

I would say it’s more about selfishness than ignorance or exhibitionism. Every kid who went to school in the 80s and 90s (myself included) went through this self-actualization, self-this, self-that crap to bolster self-esteem, and instead of doing that, it made these kids self-centered little brats who cry when they don’t get their way or play the victim card when their bosses give them grief over work habits.

MySpace, Facebook, Twitter... it’s all some self-indulgent need to get 15 minutes of fame over something that a majority of the world public couldn’t care less about.

[oh8eleven]

I think there are two social phenomena going on right now that speak volumes about human behavior.
First and foremost is the cell phone abuse (especially texting) which is so addictive people will risk life and limb to let their friends know - "I just left the mall and some jerk is beeping his horn at me", all while drifting lane to lane doing 45 mph on a 65 mph highway.
The other is bottled water. I think it's replaced smoking to satisfy that hand to mouth habit so many have (or had); and it's also become a security blanket not unlike a baby's "binky."
It still amazes me how many people can't get through a one hour meeting w/o a water bottle. You'd think it was a day long event in the Sahara.