As you might have heard by now, AOL has officially been cut loose by parent Time Warner. While it isn’t necessarily the “online powerhouse” that it once was, AOL still has a respectable following. This got us to thinking: what about the “other” big sites from days gone by? What are they up to? Are they even still around? Needless to day, the answers will no doubt surprise you. With that said, here we go:

Site #1: Compuserve

Website: http://www.compuserve.com (Compuserve Information Services)
Service Provided: ISP/Content provider
Back Then: Before there were dial-up Internet Service Providers, there was CompuServe. This revolutionary service from Columbus, Ohio provided users with all of the text-based bliss they could handle at once. While the service was definitely on the “decline” in the late 90’s, it was still popular enough to warrant a mention here.
Now: The old Compuserve web address leads to a sad looking web portal. There are a few articles and a webmail login, but that’s about it. Look a bit deeper, however, and one will find something truly amazing: an advertisement for CompuServe Internet service. It still exists … in a way!
What Happened?: Changing times and changing tastes, mainly. Many users simply decided that the old service did not fit their needs anymore, and switched to either AOL or a local ISP. Due to this unfortunate fact of life, CompuServe was put up for sale in 1996. It was first purchased by H&R Block, who sold it to WorldCom. WorldCom, in turn, sold half of the company, now called “CompuServe Information Services,” to rival AOL. The other half, CompuServe Network Services, became an official WorldCom subsidiary. WorldCom, complete with the CompuServe spin off, was bought by Verizon in 2006. The other half of the company — CompuServe Information Services, aka “the link above” — is still owned and operated by AOL today.

Site #2: Lycos

Website: http://www.lycos.com
Service Provided: Search engine
Back Then: Lycos was the first true “search engine superstar.” It delivered exactly what you were looking for in a timely fashioned. The later addition of popular web hosts Tripod and AngelFire didn’t hurt matters any, either.
Now: It’s all still there, albeit in a decidedly less original, fairly unimpressive format.
What Happened?: Yahoo. Everything that Lycos attempted to do (save for search), Yahoo did better. They simply could not compete. Ironically, the same exact thing happened to Yahoo a few years later when a young upstart called “Google” burst upon the scene. Isn’t it interesting how history has a nasty habit of repeating itself?

Site #3: Talk City

Website: http://www.talkcity.com
Service Provided: Online chat
Back Then: Let’s pretend for a second that it’s 1998. You want to get on the text-based free-for-all known fondly as Yahoo Chat, but your parents will simply not hear of it. Or worse yet, you don’t even have a computer at all. You have an aging WebTV box that does not support Java-based chat software. What to do? The answer is simple: you go to Talk City. Not only did Talk City not carry the stigma of “adult chat rooms,” it was completely WebTV friendly. Everybody wins!
Now: Much to our surprise, nothing has changed. It’s exactly how we remembered it.
What Happened?: Changing times and changing tastes once again. Who needs chat rooms when you have MMOs and social networking?

Site #4: PointCast

Website: http://pointcast.com/
Service Provided: Push technology
Back Then: PointCast was deemed by many to be the “future” of the Internet. Instead of going to a physical web page to get the daily news, all you had to do was turn on your screen saver. And then connect to the Internet using your “ultra-fast” 28.8k dial-up modem. And then sit through a line of advertising. Still, the idea was so promising that Microsoft eventually worked in line of push technology applets called “The Active Desktop” into Windows 98.
Now: The address leads to a glorified squatter site.
What Happened?: Simply put, PointCast was way ahead of its time. The standard home computer, even ones connected to the then-powerful ISDN line, could not handle the bandwidth PointCast and its contemporaries were pulling at the time. Still, don’t get the wrong impression here. Just because PointCast was a bit “early to the party” doesn’t mean that it was a bad idea. Believe it or not, push technologies are still around today. You just don’t know it. You know that handy little WeatherBug icon that sits in your system tray? Or that handy little stock ticker that occupies the top left hand corner of your desktop? Or how about that little applet that keeps track of your Gmail account? All three of those things mentioned are prime examples of push technology. So we ask you: before you visit Wall Street, stare blankly at your inbox, or check out the weather in sunny Acapulco for no other reason than to kill two minutes at work, please take a few moments to remember PointCast. In a strange way, we wouldn’t be anywhere without it.

It doesn’t have to be Friday the 13th to enjoy a little of the magic we like to call “News of the Weird:”

- After a fairly long period of research and reflection, the folks at McAffee have finally compiled a list of the top ten “riskiest” search terms on the Internet today. Screensavers take the top spot with a mind blowing 59.1% minimum risk. Out of every ten links that promise such classics as flying toasters and crudely drawn cats, six aim to fill your machine with malware. Coming in second is “free games,” which clocks in at 24.7% minimum risk. ” Hackers will create related Web sites laden with adware and malware whenever a particular topic increases in popularity,” McAffee Senior Vice President Jeff Green told WebProNews. “Unsuspecting consumers are then tricked into… blindly handing over their personal assets to cybercriminals.” Other notables include “work from home” (15.6%), Powerball (9.3%), and President Barack Obama.

- As many of you already know, running a business, especially one that is based on the Internet, is far from easy. Every now and again, something very, very bad is bound to happen. Hardware networks break down. Malware gets accidentally loaded on a random office computer. It’s regrettable, but it’s a fact of life. Still, all of the server crashes or low-level hacking attempts in the world pale to the catastrophe facing the folks at social brainstorming service Imindi. See, the up and coming service was featured on TechCrunch yesterday afternoon. Naturally, a plug coming from a site of this magnitude is all but guaranteed to make people stand up and take notice. Unfortunately, the service wasn’t entirely ready for the influx of people a TechCrunch article would garner, so the servers started to show signs of strain. During the digital “red alert” caused by the new users, an as-of-yet unnamed employee accidentally deleted all of the user accounts. “We are extremely embarrassed by this mistake and we have purchased more capacity and instituted safer backup processes to handle the increased demand to prevent a recurrence of this incident,” writes CEO Adam Lindemann. “It’s a private beta, and it will be a while before this service is ready to be launched in public but we hope that you will be kind to Imindi as she grows.” Anyone who wishes to experience Imindi’s “second chance at a good first impression” can do so by clicking here.

- Sometimes, talking to a random person is fun. After all, nothing says “get to know your fellow man” quite like striking up a conversation in a checkout line or at a bank. Still, there are times that random small talk crosses the proverbial line from “pleasant fun” to “extremely creepy.” Leading the charge over said line is Omengle, a chat service that promises a “100% anonymous chat atmosphere.” To partake in the service, users simply have to press the big blue button that rests comfortably in the center of the page. Once you physically enter the site, you are greeted by some random person. From there, the sky is the limit. Bizarre and rather unsettling, Omengle appears to be one of those ideas that might have looked a bit better on paper than it does in real life. Omengle is available now for anyone brave enough to try it.

As you might have heard, Firefox isn’t the only browser that uses the Gecko rendering engine. On today’s browser-centric edition of the Showdown, we take a look at four of the strangest Gecko-based browsers available today.

Browser #1: Sea Monkey

Website: http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
Programmer: The SeaMonkey Council
Special Talent: Looking and acting as close to the old Netscape browser as humanly possible.
First Impression: “No sir, I don’t like it.”
Positives: The nostalgia factor is high on this one. Those who long for the days of Netscape Communicator 4 will find a lot to love here. Everything is exactly how you remembered it, from the low resolution icons to the built-in IRC client.
Negatives: Not everyone was a fan of Netscape Communicator 4.
Overall (Out of 10): 4
Final Thought: “Long live the 1990’s.”

Browser #2: Flock

Website: http://flock.com/
Programmer: Flock, Inc.
Special Talent: Social networking
First Impression: “Oooh … Networks!”
Positives: Those who enjoy social media and networking will no doubt love this browser. Links to all of the major social sites, from MySpace and facebook to Flickr and YouTube, have been given its own frame at the side of the screen. Need to update your blog? Send a tweet? Post something new on Digg? Flock allows you to do all of those things and more without even batting an eye.
Negatives: Remove the social media aspect, and all you’re left with is a slightly modded version of Firefox.
Overall (Out of 10): 7
Final Thought: “Flock is the perfect browser for social networking fans.”

Browser #3: Wyzo

Website: http://www.wyzo.com/
Programmer: Radical Software Ltd.
Special Talent: Downloading interactive media of all shapes and sizes.
First Impression: “Are you sure that I just didn’t load Firefox again?”
Positives: Wyzo is designed to make the free exchange of copyrighted intellectual property as painless as possible. Every file — BitTorrent, music files, photographs … the list goes on and on — is downloaded within the confines of the browser instead of in a separate “downloading” box. Not only does this make things a bit easier for the user, it cuts down on the number of open windows. Wyzo also makes good use of CoolIris, a Firefox add-on that specializes in the dissemination of online video. Thanks to CoolIris, getting to sites such as Hulu and Mevio are as easy as pressing a button.
Negatives: Wyzo looks and acts like Firefox a bit too much for our tastes.
Overall (Out of 10): 7
Final Thought: “It’s interesting.”

Browser #4: Kirix Strata

Website: http://www.kirix.com/
Programmer: The Kirix Corporation
Special Talent: Data analysis.
First Impression: “What the heck is this?!”
Positives: Kirix Strata combines the so-called “traditional website experience” with the thrill of spreadsheet creation and cost report analysis. Despite everything, Strata truly is a nice spreadsheet program that many hardcore accountants will no doubt love. It just happens to be attached to a web browser.
Negatives: We seriously doubt that there is a huge market out there for people who wish to read the Drudge Report or CNN and crunch numbers at the same time. Another thing: Unlike the multitude of browsers we’ve reviewed over the past few days, the full version of Kirix Strata costs a mind numbing $249.
Overall (Out of 10): 2
Final Thought: “It costs that much? What were they thinking?”

…And we’re back! On today’s “one day late” edition of the Showdown, we take a look at four “mainstream” web browsers that are trying to take the digital world by storm. After much discussion, we have decided to forgo Firefox at this time. The reason for this is simple: it’s our browser of choice. Expect a full, unbiased Firefox review in a few weeks. What that said, here we go:

Browser #1: Internet Explorer 8

Website: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/Internet-explorer/default.aspx
Programmer: Microsoft
Rendering Engine: Trident
First Impression: “Is this really IE 8? It looks like IE 7.”
Positives: The overhauled “I’m not a toolbar” style toolbar adds some much needed screen real estate. The “safety” menu is now found inside of this toolbar, making it easy for users to change their settings on the fly. On the feature end, there’s the much hyped “Web Slice” option. For those unaware, the Web Slice tool bookmarks specific sections of a website, allowing users to revisit that particular piece of information instead of the entire site. While it might seem a bit odd, the Web Slice option is perfect for sites that are frequently updated, such as stock quotes or auction prices.
Negatives: It’s Internet Explorer. If you didn’t like the previous editions, there is a good chance that you will not be a fan of the new one.
Overall (Out of 10): 7
Final Thought: “It’s gotten better.”

Browser #2: Safari

Website: http://www.apple.com/safari/
Programmer: Apple
Rendering Engine: WebKit
First Impression: “Apple says that Safari is the fastest browser available. That’s great. Do I believe them? I don’t know yet.”
Positives: It’s a solid as a rock, which is unsurprising considering the source.
Negatives: Despite the interesting graphical enhancements and oddball “most visited” sites list, Safari doesn’t really feel like anything special. Now we’re not saying that it’s a bad browser or anything. It just comes off as rather “uninspired” and boring.
Overall (Out of 10): 7
Final Thought: “The Mac version is probably better.”

Browser #3: Opera

Website: http://www.opera.com/browser/
Programmer: Opera
Rendering Engine: Presto
First Impression: “What will I ever do with all of this extra browser space?”
Positives: Opera’s positives can be summed up in one word: widgets. These handy little pieces of programming bliss make Opera less of a web browser and more of an “application platform.” Want to play a little Tetris, both circular and traditional? Opera can make it happen. Want to use a modified version of MS Paint or a Spirograph? That’s available as well. Need a word processor? A calculator? A ten-gallon fish tank complete with digital fish? It’s all here. The browser is great and everything, but let’s be honest here — we’re not running Opera just so we can look at sites. We want the widgets.
Negatives: Not everyone is a fan of widgets.
Overall (Out of 10): 8
Final Thought: “We apologize for being redundant, but this must be said yet again: widgets!”

Browser #4: Chrome

Website: http://www.google.com/chrome
Programmer: Google
Rendering Engine: Gecko and WebKit
First Impression: “Why is it showing me thumbnails? And where did the bookmarks go?”
Positives: Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you the single most controversial statement ever uttered in a Free Line, whether it be written or spoken: This browser has nothing really good going for it. Sure, it “tries” hard, but it ultimately falls flat on its proverbial face.
Negatives: To say that we were thrown off is an understatement. Everything that one would “expect” in a browser is either hidden, in some foreign menu, or missing completely. As we mentioned above, the programmers are trying so hard to be revolutionary that they essentially “forgot” how to make a usable piece of software. Although the overall experience might improve over time, Chrome botched the “first impression” stage completely.
Overall (Out of 10): 4
Final Thought: “Thanks again for playing. Try again next year.”

As many of you know, digital audio formats are not just limited to the “vanilla” MP3 or iTunes files. They come in all sorts of sizes, bitrates, and licensing agreements. Still, it all boils down to one question: what’s the best audio format for me? We are about to find that out now.

Seated below are six of the of the most well known “lossy” audio formats available — MP3, WMA, MP4/AAC, OGG Vorbis, Musepack, and WavPack. Each file type will be tested using two songs: “Seven Deadly Sins” by Irish folk rock band Flogging Molly and “French Navy” by Indie band Camera Obscura. The files will then be compared to the “base” CD copy in order to see how much of the song was “lost” in the conversion process. The overall winner will be crowned the “King of Digital Audio” and will be used henceforth in official Free Line business. With that said, here we go:

File #1: MP3

Created By: Karlheinz Brandenburg
Visibility: 10
Popularity: 9
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1 (“Seven Deadly Sins”): Not nearly as “full” as the base CD copy. Many of the background instruments, including the accordion counter melody, seem to “get lost” in the drums and guitars. Because of this, the song comes off more as “high powered noise” than an actual song.
Audio Test #2 (“French Navy”): Hollow. The lush, 1960’s-style production and orchestration are barely audible. Without it, the song is nothing but echos and drum hits.
Overall (Out of 10): 1

File #2: WMA

Created By: Microsoft
Visibility: 8
Popularity: 7
DRM Friendly: Yes
Audio Test #1: Slightly more faithful to the CD than the MP3 file. Both the accordion and violin melodies could be heard clearly, and the drums were not as heavy. The main problem was with the volume. For some reason, the codec equates “fullness” with being as loud as possible. While this might be good for a track that’s meant to be played at 11, it does more “nuanced” material no favors.
Audio Test #2: Much improved over the first song, but still not great. It would work in a pinch, however.
Overall (Out of 10): 4

File #3: MP4/AAC

Created By: Fraunhofer. AT&T, Nokia, Dolby, and Sony
Visibility: 9
Popularity: 9.5
DRM Friendly: Yes
Audio Test #1: There is a reason people flock to this codec. Most of the instruments were recognizable, and melodies that we thought left town were suddenly there in full force. On the negative side, the audio seemed a bit “muted” as compared to the CD. It’s nothing major, but audiophiles will definitely pick up on it.
Audio Test #2: The bass is a bit heavier here for some reason. It’s a nice little surprise, but can get to be a bit too much. The track also has a soft, “airy” sound, which is a good thing in this case.
Overall: 7

File #4: OGG Vorbis

Website: http://xiph.org
Created By: Xiph.org Foundation
Visibility: 6
Popularity: 6
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1: Very nice. With the lone exceptions of the violin at the beginning of the track and the banjo, every instrument could easily be heard. It actually sounded like a real song this time, and not just loud noise.
Audio Test #2: Perfect balance between the bass and the rest of the instruments. The guitar work and vocals are also “featured” more heavily here than on the previous files, which is nice. All in all, this is a great codec that does not get the respect it so richly deserves..
Overall: 8

File #5: Musepack

Website: http://musepack.net/
Created By: Musepack Development Team
Visibility: 4
Popularity: 4
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1: Extremely nice. The sound is surprisingly crisp, with every melody and counter melody making its presence felt. The only real problem we ran into was with the codec itself. It took us ten minutes to find a supported player.
Audio Test #2: See above.
Overall: 9.5

File #6: WavPack (Lossy Version)

Website: http://wavpack.com/
Created By: David Bryant
Visibility: 2
Popularity: 1
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1: Disappointing. While it doesn’t exactly sound like the “noise” produced by the MP3, it’s not close to the standard set by the likes of OGG and Musepack. Most of the extraneous instruments seem to go missing in the middle of the track, only to suddenly reappear towards the end.
Audio Test #2: Not nearly as disappointing this time around. Every instrument is nice and even. Sure, it didn’t “wow” us, but this is leagues better than what we encountered earlier.
Overall: 6

…And the Winner Is: This is an extremely tough decision. Musepack has everything going for it, save for one minuscule detail — audio players that support the codec are few and far between. Because of this, we have to give the title of “King of Digital Audio” to OGG Vorbis. Converting files is a breeze, the sound is top notch, and getting a compatible player is easy. If you’re in the mood for something a bit more “experimental” however, be sure to check out Musepack. We guarantee that you will not be disappointed … provided that you can find a suitable player, of course.

- The world of Top-Level Domains has yet another superstar name on its hands — .ME Originally designed for the Eastern European country of Montenegro to signify its independence from Serbia, the fledgling TLD has become a hit with users who wish to give their sites a “personal touch.” According to industry site WebProNews, the relatively new .ME domain has been registered roughly 250,000 times since the initial “sunrise period” last year, and is only continuing to grow in popularity. The .ME TLD is available now through several registrars, including GoDaddy, Afilias, and the Montenegro-based Me.net.

- Despite rumors to the contrary, advertising will not be coming to a Twitter account near you anytime soon. In a post on the official Twitter blog, co-founder Biz Stone says that running banner ads “have always been low on our list of interesting ways to generate revenue.” Still, he’s not quite ready to close the door on ads just yet. Writes Stone: “We say traditional web banner advertising isn’t interesting to us which is true. However, to say we are philosophically opposed to any and all advertising is incorrect… [F]acilitating connections between businesses and individuals in meaningful and relevant ways is compelling. We’re going to leave the door open for exploration in this area.”

- The search engine known as Kumo might be making a public appearence sooner than anyone has ever expected. According to those close to the situation, Microsoft is planning to unveil the much anticipated replacement for Live Search as early as next week. In addition to the new name, Kumo is expected to bring a few much needed “enhancements and innovations” to the table, including the ability to group search results by category. The folks at Redmond reportedly have high hopes for the new engine, which could conceivably put them in the same elite category as Google and Yahoo. Microsoft is currently third in the “search engine arms race” with a disappointing 8.2% adoption rate.

- Cable network ESPN has struck a content deal with YouTube. According to the terms of the agreement, the sports giant will provide the online video megastar/Google subsidiary with original, ad-sponsored material designed to “compliment” the network’s programming. All of the videos in question will be available on the base YouTube site, but will feature a video player designed especially for ESPN. No live games or programming events are currently planned, but many believe that content from the broadband network ESPN 360 will be added in due time. A solid launch date is as of yet unknown.

- Popular music service Pandora has received a major upgrade. Called Pandora One, the new strategy is designed to “reward” paying customers while not “punishing” those who prefer the free-to-use player. Aside from the total annihilation of both banner and audio advertising from the site, the “pay service” has one major thing going for it — a desktop application powered by the Adobe AIR runtime environment. Thanks to the app, users can now stream their music at a higher bitrate (192 kbps), fill that space left by the advertising with fully customizable backgrounds, and more. Critics  point out that while the program does improve the overall desktop experience, Pandora’s penchant for repitition makes long-term use difficult. Others say that the app’s price ($36) might be a bit too steep for many users. Still, there is one thing that almost everyone can agree on: despite its faults, Pandora One is a nice little antidote to the predicable, sanitized nature of most FM broadcasts. Pandora One is available now for all paying customers.

On today’s special edition of the Showdown, we take a look at four web browsers that are a bit more “specialized” than the average install of Internet Explorer or Firefox. Before we do, however, we should take a look at the muscles behind the browser — the rendering engine. For those unaware, a rendering engine is the program that physically displays a website on a screen. Major engines include:

• Trident – Designed by Microsoft exclusively for Internet Explorer.
• Gecko - Designed by the Mozilla Corporation for Firefox. Several major browsers also employ this engine, including Chrome, Mozilla SeaMonkey, and later versions of Netscape.
• KHTML – Designed by the KDE Team, Apple, Nokia, and Google for use in the Linux-based Konqueror browser. The engine was eventually forked into two separate projects. Project number one kept the KHTML name, while project number two became…
• Webkit – A modified version of the KHTML engine used in Safari. Chrome and Free Line favorite Epiphany also use WebKit, though not nearly to the extent of Safari.
• Presto - Designed by Opera Software ASA for the Opera browser. Unlike the other engines listed, Presto is not usually ported to other web browsers. Instead, developers simply modify Opera itself to suit their own needs. To date, modified versions of Opera can be found in a variety of different hardware and software platforms, including Adobe products, mobile phones, and on various Nintendo gaming consoles.

With all of that said, here we go:

Browser #1: Maxthon

Website: http://www.maxthon.com/
Programmer: Maxthon International Limited
Rendering Engine: Trident
First Impression: “It looks like Lotus Symphony … and the name sounds like a line of bug sprays.”
Originality (Out of 5): 5
Special Features: A Facebook sidebar plugin and an XMarks-style bookmark synchronization service is included in the installation.
Positives: Maxthon is probably one of the most unique browsers we have ever come across. It employs several cutting edge features, including mouse gestures, a built-in feed reader, and a completely customizable interface. It’s also very social media friendly, which could potentially make status updates a breeze.
Negatives: Maxthon likes to refer to itself as “Internet Explorer” a bit too often. While it might be small, it is bound to throw more than a few people off.
Overall (Out of 10): 7;
Final Thought: “It’s a very well put together browser, which is nice. You don’t see that much anymore.”

Browser #2: K-Meleon

Website: http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/
Programmer: Christophe Thibault
Rendering Engine: Gecko
First Impression: “These tools are interesting.”
Originality: 5
Special Features: Instead of utilizing the “standard” XUL interface, K-Meleon relies on the Windows API. The intended result is an experience closer to Safari in OS X and Konqueror in Linux than the everyday installation of Firefox. Like Maxthon, everything from the tab bar to the menus is customizable. There are also some innovative mouse options, including a tool that modifies the scroll wheel. Users also have the option of “saving” sessions for later use.
Positives: K-Meleon makes Firefox look like Internet Explorer. The browser practically begs the user to fool around with it. Users also have the option to activate Opera’s patented Hotlist technology, which adds an entirely new level of usability to the browser.
Negatives: It’s a tad intimidating at first.
Overall: 9
Final Thought: “If I felt like switching browsers right now, it would be to this one.”

Browser #3: Sleipnir

Website: http://www.fenrir-inc.com/us/
Programmer: Fenrir Inc.
Rendering Engines: Trident and Gecko
First Impression: “This is neat … I wish I could get it working right.”
Originality: 4
Special Features: Before starting the browser, the user is asked if they want to use either the Trident or Gecko rendering engine. Although we really have no desire to use Trident, it’s nice to have the option available. Sleipnir also has the ability to run extensions from both Internet Explorer and Firefox in addition to its own proprietary add-ons.
Positives: It’s fast … really, really fast. The native Sleipnir plugins seem to be a bit odd at first, but are extremely useful and powerful.
Negatives: It claims to be “for advanced users only.”  We suggest that you heed that warning.
Overall: 7
Final Thought: “Make sure that you read all of the instructions first.”

Browser #4: Lunascape

Website: http://www.lunascape.tv/
Programmer: Lunascape Co., Ltd
Rendering Engines: Trident, Gecko, and Webkit
First Impression: “Now I know where Sleipnir got its look from.”
Originality: 4
Special Features: Think “Sleipnir,” but with added Webkit support. It makes a bigger difference than one might think. The browser “skin” can be switched out at a moment’s notice — a nifty feature for anyone who can’t decide on the “perfect look” for their browser. Your favorite RSS feed can also be turned into a “news ticker,” which runs parallel to your tabs.
Positives: The rendering engine can be changed on the fly, similar to the IE/Safari Tab extension in Firefox. The actual viewing window can display several web pages at once, making it easy to compare different sites or products.
Negatives: For some reason, all of the proprietary extensions are in Japanese. Like Sleipnir, it ca be a tad intimidating to those unfamiliar with alternative web browsers.
Overall: 6.5
Final Thought: “It has a lot of potential, but still has a way to go.”

- Popular online movie rental hub and video streaming service Netflix has decided to enter the burgeoning web app game in a big way. The company has rolled out several gadgets, tools, and extensions, all designed to expand and enhance your renting experience. Several major players in the worlds of tech and entertainment are already making their proverbial presences felt, including Facebook, Twitter, and movie review meta-site Rotten Tomatoes. Like with most sites of this nature, each app is able to be sorted by name, ranking, and overall popularity. While it isn’t exactly major of an upgrade, the Netflix App Gallery does add some much needed interactivity to the otherwise “by-the-numbers” site. The new Netflix App Engine is available now for all subscribers. For those who wish to try their hand at programming for the rental giant, a free to use API is also available.

- When discussing modern technology, it’s easy to overlook Silverlight. Although it can’t exactly be considered a “dud” at this point, it’s not a mainstream powerhouse by any means. Microsoft, however, is attempting to rectify that situation … sort of. In a recent press release, the computer giant claimed that Silverlight has been loaded nearly three hundred million times, surpassing the download rates of the Firefox, Safari, and Chrome web browsers. It’s an interesting tidbit of knowledge, provided that you overlook one tiny, little fact: Silverlight is not a web browser. It’s actually a real time multimedia platform, similar to Adobe Flash. While the actual reasoning behind the cryptically worded hype piece is unknown, many within the industry believe it’s a roundabout way to tout the success of Silverlight’s “brother in arms,”  Internet Explorer. Neither Adobe nor any of the browser developers mentioned above have responded to the release at this time.

- As you might have guessed by the multitude of news stories, celebrity comments and late night comedy sketches, Twitter is the “it” web application in the US right now. In its two years of activity, the service has been used to do everything from report on earthquakes in China to insight an Eastern European revolution. Billionaire Mark Cuban uses it to complain about the NBA. Oprah uses it to keep in touch with her fans. President Barack Obama employed it in his most recent campaign. So who is the latest Twitter sensation? Hint: it’s not Moldovan revolutionaries or President Obama. It’s a cat named Sockington. Sockington uses his small corner of the web to discuss topics that truly matter — eating, sleeping, and running from the attic to the dining room and back again. The animal world’s favorite microblogger currently has over 500,000 followers, which is more than controversial baseball star Alex Rodriguez, Vice President Joe Biden, and Neil Diamond have combined. We at the Free Line congratulate Sockington on the achievement. Your catnip is in the mail … possibly.

Note: The following edition of the Monday Showdown makes extensive use of the command line. Yes, you read that right. The command line in Windows. If the prospect of this makes you nervous, or if you are one of the millions of people who doesn’t realize that Windows even has a command line anymore, turn back now. For the rest of you, our development environments await…

Language #1: Ruby

Specialty: Ruby focuses more on the needs of the programmer than on the needs of the system. This philosophy is designed to make the language “more accessible” to people who dislike traditional programing.
Based Upon: N/A
Derivatives: Ruby on Rails. Twitter is built upon a base of Ruby on Rails.
Memorable Quote: “Ruby is simple in appearance, but is very complex inside, just like the human body.” – Ruby creator Yukihiro Matsumoto
First Impression: “Okay … I think that I can get into this.”
Command Line Use: High
Installation: Fairly easy for a program that calls the command line home. Everything you need is contained in one nearly automated executable file.
Supplied Documentation: “Programming Ruby: The Pragmatic Programming Guide” — it’s on par to one of those “…For Dummies” books. Easy to read and understand, this “help file” is absolutely perfect for beginners.
Positives: It’s one of the friendliest programming languages that we have ever tried. After five minutes, we felt that we could do anything, even though we actually had no idea what we were doing.
Drawbacks: Everything, from programming to compiling to updates, is done from the command line. As we mentioned above, using a DOS-like command line in 2009 is a rather odd feeling. Mac and Linux users will not experience this awkwardness, as the command line is generally more accepted in those systems.
Warning From the Free Line: Read twice, type once. A mistyped command will net some really funky looking results.

Language #2: Python

Specialty: Python is based around the implementation of interchangeable bits called modules. These modules are then assembled to form a working program. Due to its unique structure, Python programs are easy to port from one system to another, from Windows to cell phones and everything in between. Many major applications are based upon the language, including the Blender line of graphic programs, the original BitTorrent client, and Portage, the preferred package delivery system for Gentoo Linux.
Based Upon: ABC — the programming language, not the television networks.
Derivatives: Django
Memorable Quote: “I have this hope that there is a better way. Higher-level tools that actually let you see the structure of the software more clearly will be of tremendous value. ” – Python creator Guido van Rossum
First Impression: “This is kind of fun.”
Command Line Use: N/A — The Windows command line is not used here. Instead, Python makes users use their own proprietary command line called Idle. It’s like the traditional command line, only color coded.
Installation: Couldn’t be simpler. All we had to do was run one executable file.
Supplied Documentation: “Python 2.6.2 Documentation.” While it isn’t as pretty to look at or as in depth as the Ruby equivalent, it certainly gets the job done.
Positives: Your program is saved in a “PY” file — think of it as a text file under a different name. Why is this a good thing? Well, we don’t know about you, but proofreading our files in Notepad is a million times easier for us than going through Idle.
Drawbacks: It takes a little while to get into. Also, the disperagy between versions 2.6 and 3.0 is enough to make some pull their hair out in frustration.
Warning From the Free Line: To say that Python 3.0 is different from Python 2.6 is an understatement. It’s so different in fact, that some refer to it’s own independent language. While we wouldn’t go that far, there are enough changes between the two versions to make it confusing for new programmers. Our advice: go with 2.6. It’s generally more accepted by the community.

Browser Extension Friday is back! On today’s edition, we take a look at five browser add-ons that truly embody the phrase “cutting edge.” First up, our “featured review:”

Xmarks – For Firefox. Once upon a time, bookmarks were lonely web links that lingered in an obscure folder somewhere on your hard drive. Moving your bookmarks from one system to another usually involved a flash drive (or before that, a floppy disk), a rudimentary knowledge of file structure, and a little luck. Xmarks attempts to change all of that. Instead living on your hard drive, the Xmarks-based bookmarks live on a central server. Because of this, your bookmarks are now available to every computer that you call home. The bookmarks can also be split into several profiles, insuring that those “for home only” links never actually see the inside of your office. As an added bonus, Xmarks has the ability to suggest sites that you might find interesting. Fairly unique and surprisingly easy to use, XMarks is perfect for anyone who wishes to liven up the once boring bookmark menu once and for all.
…And now, the rest of the story:
SmarterFox – For Firefox. Add some serious speed to several common tasks, including organizing bookmarks, copying and pasting text, and even searching Wikipedia.

Tab Sidebar – For Firefox. Turn the innocent looking tab bar into a powerful “preview pane.” Interesting, but not recommended for anyone with a smaller monitor.

Speed Dial – For Firefox. Turn your number keys into bookmark receptacles in no time flat.