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Neowin.net is a technology news website that focuses primarily on Windows and PCs, however Mac and Linux are also topics actively discussed. Neowin runs under the slogan, "Where unprofessional journalism looks better."
Introduction
Neowin was started as a hobby in October 2000 by Marcel Klum and Steven Parker, known within the forums as "Redmak" and "Neobond" respectively. One of Neowin's claims to fame is being the subject of the most viewed story on Slashdot ever.
Sections
Neowin contains three distinct news sections, each having it's own default color scheme:
- Main (Blue) - general news, featuring articles about various tech-related subjects;
- Apple (Midnight) - news articles focusing on Apple hardware and software;
- Gamers (Gray) - news about both PC and console gaming;
- Software (Green) - features mostly Windows software, including updates and beta releases.
(Neowin members have the ability to change these color schemes ad libitum.)
Versions
The servers hosting Neowin were upgraded during December 2005 and Neowin 3.9s was launched. This upgrade, codename "Swift", is a progression from the version 3 theme and introduces subtle visual differences as well as a major overhaul of the content management system, focusing on semantic XHTML and CSS technologies and replacing the out-dated nested table design. The forum system was also upgraded to IPB 2.1.3 as part of this move.
Neowin 5 ("Finity") is due to launch in the near future with a brand new front page and forum theme designed by Neowin's Grafix team.
Audience
Neowin is considered to be one of the great representations of the growth and concentration of enthusiastic users in computing, and of the omnipresent Microsoft Windows Operating System in all its forms. A hot topic of discussion currently is Microsoft's eagerly awaited Windows Vista. The subject of this future Operating System is debated exhaustively on a daily basis, motivating many users to imitate the appearance of this beta OS's GUI.
Neowin Forums
Powered by Invision Power Board forum software, Neowin has an active technology forum consisting of 131,109 registered users (January 20, 2006) and more than 5¼ million posts. At its peak (October 14, 2005 at 2:50 AM PDT), Neowin had as many as 3,048 users online simultaneously.
One area in which Neowin transcends the usual web forum orthodoxy is its large moderation team. As such, its forums are generally considered "safe" for all manner of topics. While the primary focus is generally perceived as being Microsoft and Windows-centric, it has a large community in a number of sub-forums for other discussion, including, but not limited to:
- Latest electronic technology: devices, gadgets, and other hardware.
- Customization and tweaking of Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
- Console and PC gaming.
- Discussion of real world issues (politics, religion, philosophy).
- Hardware related topics, such as overclocking.
- Internet and Web Browser discussion, such as Opera, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
- Support and discussion for bulletin board sofwares such as Invision Power Board, vBulletin, phpBB.
- Linux and Mac technology discussion (even though the website's name suggests a focus on Microsoft related news)
Skinning Scene
Neowin is known by concentrating a great number of adepts and authors of Windows XP themes and skinning Windows programs. Many discover the site when they want to go deeper in this subject. It's there also that projects have been born such as LClock, Desktop Sidebar and Longhorn Transformation Pack.
Back Page News (BPN)
In that forum section, Neowin users can train in writing news stories to be a future site contributor. Some of the official contributors of Neowin initiated their activities in this section.
Criticism
Similar to such criticisms levied against Slashdot methodology, Neowin is likened to a blog-based site with the news presented without proper opinion. Critics of Neowin claim there is an obvious bias towards pro-Microsoft sentiment, as well as equally negative bias against Sony and Linux adopters. In spite of this, Neowin browsers include a significant number of Firefox and Mac users.
Another criticism of late has been the speed at which Neowin.net loads; configuration of the new servers introduced with Neowin 3.9s is a continuing effort to improve the speed and efficiency of the site.
External links
- Neowin.net main website
- Neowin.net forums
- Interview with founders of Neowin
- #neowin IRC channel
- Neowin graphics work request system