Comments on: Idea: alternatives.to http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/ Callum's musings on the world at large... Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:24:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Callum http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28168 Callum Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:54:14 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28168 @<a href="http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28167" rel="nofollow">Pablo</a>: Great ideas. I can add a word to the beginning. I hadn't thought about that. Genius. I think you might well have cracked it... :) @Pablo: Great ideas. I can add a word to the beginning. I hadn’t thought about that. Genius. I think you might well have cracked it… :)

]]> By: Pablo http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28167 Pablo Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:34:16 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28167 how about myaltenatives.to findalternatives.to or morealternatives.to mmm getalternatives.to? how about myaltenatives.to findalternatives.to or morealternatives.to mmm getalternatives.to?

]]> By: Callum http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28107 Callum Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:12:02 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28107 @<a href="http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28104" rel="nofollow">Morgan Tocker</a>: I thought about that <a href="http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28091" rel="nofollow">one</a>! :) @Morgan Tocker: I thought about that one! :)

]]> By: Hank http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28105 Hank Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:55:26 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28105 I like! I hope you have snapped up all of those domain names. If there's one thing I regret is not snapping up alternative domain names to the main trade name. I like! I hope you have snapped up all of those domain names. If there’s one thing I regret is not snapping up alternative domain names to the main trade name.

]]> By: Morgan Tocker http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28104 Morgan Tocker Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:36:11 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28104 I protest. I want an alternative to alternatives.to. Good idea though ;) I protest. I want an alternative to alternatives.to.

Good idea though ;)

]]> By: Callum http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28099 Callum Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:10:09 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28099 Thanks for the links James, some good sites in there. What about names? I really want somebody to tell me what they think about the name. The name, the name I say, what do you think of the name? Thanks for the links James, some good sites in there.

What about names? I really want somebody to tell me what they think about the name. The name, the name I say, what do you think of the name?

]]> By: James Coutts http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28095 James Coutts Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:10:20 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28095 Hi Callum. This reminded me of linux or open source alternative suggestion sites I've seen. They may give you some ideas on naming/how they set it all out: http://www.linuxalt.com/ www.linux.ie/newusers/alternatives.php http://linuxappfinder.com/alternatives or http://www.osalt.com/ http://whdb.com/2008/the-top-50-proprietary-programs-that-drive-you-crazy-and-their-open-source-alternatives/ http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029471,49294100,00.htm JC. Hi Callum. This reminded me of linux or open source alternative suggestion sites I’ve seen. They may give you some ideas on naming/how they set it all out:

http://www.linuxalt.com/
http://www.linux.ie/newusers/alternatives.php
http://linuxappfinder.com/alternatives

or

http://www.osalt.com/
http://whdb.com/2008/the-top-50-proprietary-programs-that-drive-you-crazy-and-their-open-source-alternatives/
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029471,49294100,00.htm

JC.

]]> By: Callum http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28091 Callum Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:05:32 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28091 <p>Jonathan, I was thinking the first page would be alternatives.to/alternatives.to - as in, alternatives to this site! :)</p> <p>I think the vote up / down thing would be good. Also adding the option to let users add new alternatives, etc. Very Web 2.0!</p> <p>My issues with Google are around privacy (if you use all of their really good, mostly free services, they know almost everything about you online) and then censorship (<a href="http://www.google.cn/search?hl=zh-CN&q=Tiananmen+Square" rel="nofollow">google.cn</a> vs <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Tiananmen+Square" rel="nofollow">google.com</a>). The second point might be moot now, they show remarkably similar results, unless Google only censors .cn to Chinese IPs.</p> Jonathan, I was thinking the first page would be alternatives.to/alternatives.to - as in, alternatives to this site! :)

I think the vote up / down thing would be good. Also adding the option to let users add new alternatives, etc. Very Web 2.0!

My issues with Google are around privacy (if you use all of their really good, mostly free services, they know almost everything about you online) and then censorship (google.cn vs google.com). The second point might be moot now, they show remarkably similar results, unless Google only censors .cn to Chinese IPs.

]]> By: Jonathan Hitchcock http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28090 Jonathan Hitchcock Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:50:16 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28090 You're trying to give people choice about sites (which is awesome), so you should definitely make sure you give them choice about your own site. In other words, I agree, you should allow the users to supply the alternatives, and to vote up and vote down. While I'm on the subject, while I'm not arguing that one should have an alternative.to Google, what do you mean by "their politics"? You’re trying to give people choice about sites (which is awesome), so you should definitely make sure you give them choice about your own site. In other words, I agree, you should allow the users to supply the alternatives, and to vote up and vote down.

While I’m on the subject, while I’m not arguing that one should have an alternative.to Google, what do you mean by “their politics”?

]]> By: Callum http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28088 Callum Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:39:45 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28088 Thanks Raymond, some good points. My thought was to list as many alternatives as possible and allow people to add their own. So the format might be something like: <blockquote>alternatives.to/RentaCoder.com - http://www.ifreelance.com/ - http://www.freelance.com/ - http://www.freelancedesigners.com/</blockquote> People could add notes on each site, and potentially vote them up or down. Alternatives to the iPhone, that's an awesome idea. It doesn't just have to be alternatives to web sites. It could be alternatives to anything. I'm not thinking of this as a commercial venture, I can't see it making a lot of money. But I think it would be cheap to put together, and damned useful. What do you think about the names? I reckon alternatives.to is the best one. http://alternatives.to/ I think alternates.to is ok, but not quite as good. Might do to get started though. What do you reckon? Thanks Raymond, some good points.

My thought was to list as many alternatives as possible and allow people to add their own. So the format might be something like:

alternatives.to/RentaCoder.com
- http://www.ifreelance.com/
- http://www.freelance.com/
- http://www.freelancedesigners.com/

People could add notes on each site, and potentially vote them up or down.

Alternatives to the iPhone, that’s an awesome idea. It doesn’t just have to be alternatives to web sites. It could be alternatives to anything.

I’m not thinking of this as a commercial venture, I can’t see it making a lot of money. But I think it would be cheap to put together, and damned useful.

What do you think about the names? I reckon alternatives.to is the best one. http://alternatives.to/ I think alternates.to is ok, but not quite as good. Might do to get started though. What do you reckon?

]]> By: Raymond http://www.callum-macdonald.com/2008/06/04/idea-alternativesto/#comment-28087 Raymond Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:28:37 +0000 http://www.callum-macdonald.com/?p=610#comment-28087 Why not set it up first as a KickApps site to see what the response is. You will also get suggestions and recommendations for other alternatives allowing you to build up your list. Apart from the ones you mention, Google, couchSurfing and Rentacoder what others are there? What's the USP. I mean what you think is a decent alternative might be different to what I think, so are there alternatives to the alternative? How far do you go with it? What's the alternative to the iPhone? I just got artificial grass fitted in my garden as an alternative to real grass..and so on. Why not set it up first as a KickApps site to see what the response is. You will also get suggestions and recommendations for other alternatives allowing you to build up your list.

Apart from the ones you mention, Google, couchSurfing and Rentacoder what others are there? What’s the USP. I mean what you think is a decent alternative might be different to what I think, so are there alternatives to the alternative? How far do you go with it?

What’s the alternative to the iPhone? I just got artificial grass fitted in my garden as an alternative to real grass..and so on.

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