RedditReviews 542

Web 2.0 tools have made sharing tastes, interests, and more than anything stories more possible than ever. Social news and networking sites are the primary vehicles for this exchange of information, with different sites geared toward different methods of distribution.

Reddit accomplishes this by focusing on separating the wheat from the chaff. Rather than subscribing to and individual's account and following their postings, you subscribe to groups called "subreddits" focused on areas of interest. Claiming to be the front page of the internet, they allow you to control what content you see on your personalized homepage by which subreddits you subscribe to. Subreddits vary wildly in size, seriousness, and topic of interest (with everything from the general r/funny sub-reddit to r/hardcoreaww, which hosts content of normally terrifying animals like lions being adorable).

In order to separate the wheat from the chaff, Reddit uses a point system it calls karma. As long as you have an account (which is free and doesn't even require an email address), you can either "upvote" or "downvote" a submission signifying your approval or disapproval. If the submission is a link to another site on the internet, an upvote earns the author positive karma and a downvote earns negative karma, ensuring quality content. In addition, each subreddit has its only rules regarding what can and cannot be submitted, with dedicated moderators enforcing them.

Reddit is best used as a resource for discovering information and crowd-based opinions. Its weak points are arguably in its poor interface for viewing a specific member's contributions, and re-posting of content by users in an attempt to gain more karma on their account (even though it has no real world value).

The self proclaimed "front page of the internet" is exactly what it claims to be. All the hottest links/videos/stories/music/etc. Are here before they become big in mainstream media. It's the news before the news. It's basically ran and governed by the users too, which is a great touch, and it also acts as a "forum for everything". There are subreddits (basically a specific forum) for everything you can possibly imagine. You can customize which ones you're subscribed to and keep up on (and take part in) the discussions/what's happening in all of your favorite subjects/hobbies. Find a cool link or picture that you feel the internet would love? Post it in the appropriate subreddit and reap the massive mounds of Karma (points based upon users upvoting/downvoting your link or comment). You can also download Reddit Enhancement Suite which gives you even more control and customizability over the site and begin to peruse through the internet in style. Beware though, Reddit is the biggest time sink you will ever encounter. StumbleUpon can't even compete against it.

Finally, the front page to the internet. OK, so that doesn't explain much. Basically, you find something online you want to share with others, you click on the funny little alien head. You input a title to explain your find, along with additional text, and there you go: you've shared a bit of your life with the world. Reddit has a rating system (upvotes, downvotes) to control how interesting and relevant your link is to the community, and the most interesting, funny, or touching links usually makes it to its coveted "front page" (the first page you see when you visit the site). Because of the various "sub-reddits" available on the site, you can register a screenname for yourself and start personalizing what information you want to see on your front page (i. E. If you're a fan of jazz music, http://www.reddit.com/r/jazz has posts of jazz-related finds).

This site is notorious for having a massive following and a simplistic design, making it easy to use. Commenting on others links allows you to give your opinion on the post or ask questions. You don't even have to post a link to an image or video to ask a question, search for help, or contact other users. After a few days of trying it out, I'm sure you will be as hooked as I was because there is so much original content floating around on the site that it keeps you coming back.

Great site overall. I would like to see some design changes so that it doesn't look so. Simple and non-artistic. On the surface it just looks like a bunch of links. Sort of like a search engine's results. For this reason I bypassed it the first time around and didn't go back for some time. I kept hearing of reddit on various other websites though and had to come back for a closer look. As it turns out, reddit is a very addicting, content driven site that I could browse for hours. And it will probably become part of my weekly routine in some form or fashion.

There is a boatload of content and it is safe for work. I don't think it's necessary to describe what the site does as anyone curious can learn more quickly by visiting. It clearly has good reviews already.

REASONS TO USE:
[1] Boatload of content
[2] Simple navigation system
[3] Has the "addiction" factor (you'll see what I mean if you visit)

REASONS TO LOSE:
[1] Minimal ads and slightly boring interface

Hilllaarious! It's quiet amazing actually how one site can generate so much conversation over blogging really. I mean you blog your opinion about SNUGGs... Spandex, North face jackets, and UGGs and the conversations turns into an evaluation of what all the fuss is about in regards to The North Face. Everyone lists their opinions and stories and features they love the most. Not only is this a site for people to laugh, vent, or just start some internet conversation its excellent for business to review the type of work they are doing. Its like a round about public survey for their products.