DISQUS

AfroLANTIS · 6 months ago

They are Wiggity Wack Jack. How can you be search engine and not be able to sell key words? That would be the game changer for them. That would set them apart or put them in the game with the big boys. Until they do that. I don't see how they can make it. Stop focusing on what makes you pretty and work on developing or creating technology that works. I agree with your analysis Markus. I want to see them win because I believe it's a good idea. The people in charge are running the business in the ground.

markusrobinson · 6 months ago

I agree with you to a certain extent. The technology is important, but so is presentation. They will never be able to sell keywords if no one is searching. The new design is a lot less distracting and hopefully gets people searching more.

Jonnie · 6 months ago

OMG! RushMore and Globalgrind = same ish. Adwords funds won't last forever.

Cybersurfer · 6 months ago

I like Rushmoredrive's new design. It looks so much better than the other one that looked like a kid designed it. I'm a college student and I felt like we could design better than that. It was way too cluttered. I agree with Markus. Presentation is everything and the initial design was terrible. I'm a journalism major and hope to work for a web site after I graduate. Is it ethical for you to be posting anything about Rushmoredrive since Angela Benton, owner of Black Web 2.0 used to work there?

Angela Benton · 6 months ago

Thanks for commenting Cybersurfer (or lurker at RushmoreDrive)! I agree, I do like the current design better, the previous design was horrible in my opinion.

While I agree with most of Markus' thoughts a good web product needs a balance of great UI (design) and the technology that powers it. In the case of RushmoreDrive the new design pointing out search is great but part of the overall user experience that needs to be accounted for is if the user can actually find what they are looking for when they do search...regardless of how the search box is designed. If anyone has ever tried to do a search you will see what I mean.

Also as a journalisim student when you get into the workforce you will learn that balancing your personal beliefes and philosophies with your coullegues is something that you will have to do, especially for someone who is in a "creative" field.

Black Web 2.0 covering RushmoreDrive is not unethical at all. If you take a look at the archives you will see that I have never written about RushmoreDrive, even our podcast with Johnny Taylor I was absent from for this reason. In fact this comment alone is probably the most anyone has seen or heard me speak of RushmoreDrive on Black Web 2.0. We'd never want to do anything unethical hear, I can assure you i take Black Web 2.0 very seriously and would never want to compromise or have any question about whether or not we are ethical. Great questions and statements though, I can see you will be an awesome journalist when you grow up! :)

DigWiz · 6 months ago

This is the problem with blogs. Aspiring (i.e. wannabe) journalist with no clue how to write a piece with fully researched information. The opinions and speculation associated with this post are very dangerous. While the speculation may be fairly grounded, one should be careful about the speculation posted here, especially if you are a so called supporter of products like RushmoreDrive, GlobalGrind,etc. What is clear about the benefit of BlackWeb2.0, is that it is a great place to foster discussion about the African American online space, but the responsibility that the site has is also a big one in being diligent about what is reported. Good luck to RushmoreDrive. BlackWeb2.0 and the entire AA digital community.

Markus Robinson · 6 months ago

I'm not a journalist, nor do I aspire or want to be. My conclusion was drawn from the very tough IAC Q1 09 earnings call (link was provided in the post) and based off the fact that IAC in their Q3 08 earnings call mentioned they were considering shedding some of its emerging businesses and planned on "rethinking" some of their original investments. It doesn't take a genius or in this case a journalist to see the writing on the wall.

I also reached out to Kevin Mcfall, a VP @ Rushmore Drive for comment, you can see the direct quotes in the article.

If you want to read a journalist's coverage of Rushmore Drive, check out CNN or NYTimes...Oh wait they don't care about Rushmore Drive enough to cover them. We do! So please don't mistake my opinions of Rushmore Drive for lack of support. I care enough about them to talk about them.

D.Michael Lee · 6 months ago

Rushmore Drive was/is a good idea, but at the end of the day, it truly has a large hill to climb to make itself relevant in the day to day lives of Afican Americans.

Barry · 5 months ago

Something tells me we could hear about rushmoredrive in the next few hours/days ;-)