Flock vs Firefox : Round 1

Once upon a time…. Forget that this is not that kind of fairy tale so lets get right to it.

I would like to start this off with a bit of a disclaimer: “I, tigg76, am in no way (by affiliation, association or any other form of real or superficial relationship) to be referred to as a trendwhore .” I’ve seen the term floating around about cyberspace for a while now and it commonly refers to maybe a good 99% of those who use the web (not including those who produce things for the web). The reason I am proclaiming my exemption from the ranks of “trendwhoredom” is that I refuse to do something just because it is popular. Sure there are your “web givens” (and even blog givens) like Delicious, WordPress, Blogger, Google, Yahoo, Technorati and others that if you aren’t part of the trend then you better have something better going or prepare to sit in a dark little corner of the internet all by yourself [insert cheesy Eric Carmen “All by myself” verse]. But I’m not one to just jump off the bridge with the rest of the lemmings and sheople because I like for things to be tested and tried before I even lay hands on it. Except in this case.

For years Internet Explorer was the definitive defacto web browser of choice. The only real competition you had at the time was Netscape Navigator and its obvious flaws and shortcomings (which in the end sealed its fate). Internet Explorer was the “future” and Microsoft sat mightily on its throne as king of all things computer. That is until not to long ago. People, I guess, began to get tired of being told what the future was going to look like and decided that they would rather design the future themselves. The people wanted change but not the mandated variety that Microsoft and the “Legion of Nerds” handed down from upon high but the kind that was designed by the creative 16 year old in his disheveled bedroom between after school rounds of doom and internet porn. People wanted the hard edged creative force that the once young “Microsoft of olde” had promised them. So eventually Internet Explorer began to lose its luster. People grew tired of their tyranny and talk of mutiny was on the horizon…

Then came along the new class. The web was still a place of freedom and creativity but it was restricted by what your local browser (and of course bandwidth) could provide. The People wanted a new experience and that’s what they were delivered. I remembered the time where there were so many browsers to choose from that it almost felt as though browsing for “browsers” was going to be the new thing. But most were simple remakes of the two original juggernauts (IE and Navigator). It was depressingly more of the same old same old. That is until in snuck the fox. FireFox, in the beginning, was almost an urban legend. You heard people talk about it, but it was the same as those people that talk about Linux and Unix and you really don’t understand what they mean until you experience it yourself. It seemed like a product built specifically for the nerd elite and anyone that doesn’t know how to bake up some C+ or Java will be left with an empty stomach and empty pockets. Firefox was everything to the contrary. It was one of the most accessible browsers I had ever used. It did anything you wanted to and the best part about was that you could teach it tricks. If you wanted Firefox to fetch your email then you could download a plug-in for that. If you wanted Firefox to do your taxes then there was a plugin for that. If you wanted Firefox to go to bed with you then you needed psychological help. Firefox gained momentum and seemingly became an overnight celebrity. Alternative internet browser were no longer the play toys of “nerdom” but now they were the power tools of the layman and the average man. Slowly the kingdom of Gates began to fall.

Firefox was at the head of the pack. You were considered lame and out of the loop if you even mention anything about IE. Firefox was the in thing. Notice how I said “was”. Although it may seem like the sly fox may be immortal and untouchable we should know from the lessons of history itself that nothing stays at the top forever. Rome, Egypt, Michael Jackson (sorry about that last one), over time everything must pass its baton down to the ones on the come up. So what’s on the way up now? Well, in case you didn’t notice the web is now almost an adult and as a functional adult you must learn proper communication. Now you can make phone calls, send emails, watch movies, buy groceries, look at porn (I don’t do that) all on the web. An entire world of adult activity to make adult life that much more simple. The web is now more social. There are blogs and things like Myspace, Twitter, Delicious, Facebook, etc. All these ways of doing one simple thing, communicate. So with the web becoming more social Firefox has a task of catching up, right? Well, just like IE clawed its way to the so did the fox but the issue is that anyone who wears the crown becomes vulnerable. Fire Fox is now a target but who would take a shot at the “untouchable”.

Ladies and gentlemen feast your eyes on the future of “social” web browsing! All the way from the furthest reaches of the Internet right here before your very eyes! I present to you the one, the only, FLOCK.

What is flock you ask?

Well Flock is probably everything you do right now bundled into one place without the use (or need) of plug-ins and extensions [*remove sexual innuendo from the preceding statement]. Flock has potential. The idea behind it is simple; give those that use the web all the things that they want to do and all the things that they do already a home on the web and let them decide how they want to access those services all from just one place. Flock integrates a long list of social networking and blog sites into the browser interface itself for easy access and quick posting to any of your frequented URL’s. Whether you are a MySpace addict or a Celebrity Blog God, Flock has it built right in to the magic window you use to watch your OK GO videos and check your email.

Sure Flock is not perfect and it is almost a Firefox clone down to the button design but Flock takes the best of Firefox and adds its own flair. Flock, I believe, is what the people want with the same ability that Firefox has with the ability to add even more usability with plug-ins of all sorts (mostly Firefox plug-ins themselves as most are already compatible with Flock already). Flock, if it plays its cards right, has the steam and drive needed to be the next trendwhores’ object of desire. Some of the services built in to the browser itself are Myspace, Flickr, Twitter, You Tube, Facebook, Blogger and of course everybody’s favorite Word Press. It’s built so you can be in the midst of your standard web travels and see an item of interest that you would love to share with the world and just like that (with the simple right click of a mouse) you can shoot it on over to your blog and keep on surfin’ without skipping a beat. Flock has the right spirit but can it become the “best”?

So far Flock is at the same point that Firefox was at the same age where only “nerds” and “know it alls” have anything to do with it but under the surface there is an epic struggle a’brewin’. I myself would love to have front row seats to that battle.

[*Insert Michael Buffer impression]

“In this corner, weighing in at 5.73MB is the ‘Sly Slithering’ ‘Sexy is even the half of it’; ‘Browser champ of the decade’; ‘Quicker than the thought of the speed of light’; FIREFOX!”

“And in this corner weighing in at a hefty 10.2MB of ‘Pure time waisting fun and fulfillment’; ‘The surprise from the skies so you better open your eyes’; Ladies and gentleman, FLOCK!”

Flock versus Firefox sounds like a battle to see. Its too early to tell but I think FLOCK has enough of the goods to bring the pain. Check it out for yourself if you don’t believe me. Oh yeah…

…And they lived happily ever after (but we’ll see). Flock

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