CNet.com’s Top 10 Web Fads
CNet.com lists the Top 10 Web fads. Boy, some of these bring back memories - including some that I don’t want to remember…
Here’s the Top 10 list in a nutshell. Check out CNet.com for more details about each one.
- Hampsterdance
- Mahir
- All your Base are Belong to Us
- Dancing Baby
- Hot or Not
- Friendster
- Ellen Feiss
- Star Wars Kid
- Blogger
- JibJab
Ugh, Hampster dance…I remember the summer of 1999 when I worked at a computer camp for kids 6-16 and all I heard was that stupid song.
I still remember the first time I saw that dancing baby on Ally McBeal.
Believe it or not, Hot or Not is still around and going strong. It’s now been hooked up with Google Maps.
Aren’t fads something that comes on strong for a while, hits the spotlight “big” if you will, and then disappears? Blogger, JibJab and Friendster don’t seem like “fads” to me. I would classify Xanga or MySpace as more of a fad than Blogger, though they haven’t gone away. Actually, Geocities was probably more of a fad than either of those, now that it’s mainly been replaced be the blogging craze. I’d be tempted to put You Don’t Know Jack on that list, too. How many hours did I waste playing that online, before they started charging for it and putting it out mass produced. Nothing like the original with David Spade, though.
Anyone else have memories on these fads, or something else they would put on the list?
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Jul 25th, 2005 at 21:42:57
I had only heard of Star Wars Kid, Blogger, and JibJab. Of those, I would only consider Star Wars Kid a fad.
Jul 25th, 2005 at 21:54:14
I don’t think Myspace is a fad… it’s been around for a few years now (2003)and most of its users are loyal. I know tons of people that attempt to start a blogger blog but just can’t keep up with it. But they always check and interact on their myspace everyday.
Xanga is definitely a fad for some, but not for most. I don’t know why so many people are attracted to it, but nearly all of my friends’ blogs are on xanga. (which frusterates me ’cause my mom blocked that site, but that’s irrelevent) And most of those people have been xanga users for a few years now and update reguarly.
The community factor and the length of time my friends have been useing myspace and xanga are what makes them stand apart from a fad and be long lasting services.
If anything, Blogger is a fad in my opinion. Like I said, tons of friends have started blogger blogs but haven’t been able to keep up with it.(i can give you examples if you want) But are able to start a xanga and/or myspace and absolutly love it. Again, I think this is because of the community/group, lots of traffic and feedback aspect of them.
This is all from my own perosnal experience and observations. Just thought I’d share it…
Jul 25th, 2005 at 21:55:27
I remember the dancing baby from way back in the late 90’s…
ah, the memories…
Jul 25th, 2005 at 23:45:33
i don’t think blogging is a fad. what about mudders and telnet chats? (91 - 97).
i think classifying jibjab as a fad is stupid since it was simply a flash animation and you can bet the next time a political evnt comes up, there will be another.
Geocities wasn’t a fad, it was more of something that didnt’ keep up with the times. They could have easily kept up if they can make some kind of easily usable gui to a blog.
You don’t know jack was an online game? I only played the CDrom version. In fact, I still have them and they are great fun!
Jul 26th, 2005 at 07:04:49
I don’t think blogging itself is a fad, just some of the companies/services/websites that offer it, that have millions of people signing up for it, but tons of dormant blogs now. Blogging itself, at least the idea behind it, will be around for a long time.
Yep, You Don’t Know Jack was online and had weekly episodes.
JibJab has had at least three animations released that have gotten a lot of attention, and several more than have gone unnoticed. I don’t think that’s a fad either.
Jul 28th, 2005 at 19:43:39
Wow some of this makes me start to feel old.
Geocities was eaten up by Yahoo and it did just kind of fall off the side. It required work for one, which Blogger doesnt as much.
Telnet chats….I do remember those especially at 1 in the morning trying to figure out a program in your room while your roommate slept.
You Don’t Know Jack - Lindsey played that for hours and hours, thats the only place and time I ever played it.