New Web Browser "Blackbird" Caters to Black Americans

[Bustin]

OMG

For African-American Web surfers who just can't relate to their browsers, there's hope: the Blackbird Web browser.

Billed as "the Web browser for the African-American community," it's a modification of Mozilla Firefox with a different color scheme — black and earthy shades of green and brown — as well as certain built-in features meant to appeal to black Americans.

These include "Black Search," which brings up results tailored to what its backers assume are African-American interests; "Black News Ticker," which does more of the same; and "Blackbird TV," which is "the best of Black video on the Web."

"We believe that the Blackbird application can make it easier to find African American related content on the Internet and to interact with other members of the African American community online by sharing stories, news, comments and videos via Blackbird," reads a press release posted by 40A, the somewhat mysterious firm behind the browser, on the CrunchBase Web site.

Downloads (for Windows XP and Vista only) are free; the project claims to be funded by ads and targeted links.

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"Wait, why do I need a special Web browser?" asked Gizmodo writer Adrian Covert. "Last time I checked, I don't physically browse the Internet any different than anyone else."

"The way this browser is marketed, the language, and the very idea that Black people somehow need a different piece of software to deal with the Internet all rubs me the wrong way," wrote K.T. Bradford of Laptop magazine.

The BlackWeb 2.0 blog was more supportive.

"There is a Black culture and a Black Experience, and this naturally translates online and into any other medium since we are all a part of the human race," regular poster "Markus" wrote. "In 2008 it is not wrong to want to identify with your culture regardless of what that culture may be or how you choose to identify with it."

But the angriest reaction came from a commenter on Gizmodo who calls himself "Cordfucious the Ubuntu Walker."

"I am offended at this," he posted. "As a Black man in this country I don't need a browser to help my kids find culturally relevant material... it's the damn WORLD WIDE WEB... not the Black Web, or White Web or Yellow Web. ... It's s--- like this that burns me up. I need to tell my wife (who is Hispanic) that the[y] need the BlackBean browser for the Hispanic community."

As posted on CNN and Fox News

[ShArP]

ummm ok lol

[.Simon.]

If i was black, ide find that quite patronising lol.

[Luckz]

My god, that's something jesse jackson or al sharpton would design...I'm laughing right now...that's gotta be so demeaning to black people...

[Bustin]

Race and ethnicity is spiraling out of control imho...this idea alone was terrible. Someone is looking to make a quick buck by targetting uninformed people.

[Hellfighter]

"I am offended at this," he posted. "As a Black man in this country I don't need a browser to help my kids find culturally relevant material... it's the damn WORLD WIDE WEB... not the Black Web, or White Web or Yellow Web. ... It's s--- like this that burns me up. I need to tell my wife (who is Hispanic) that the[y] need the BlackBean browser for the Hispanic community."

i remember long all go we had fools running around say power to the people waring a leather patch of African hanging around their necks

pride is one thing but this is going over broad, god i can see it now a KKK Bloody browser coming out soon as will.

the racist wars are dead gee some people pride can lean that direction..

[atholon]

you guys should read A Nation of Victims

[Scott]

Originally posted by atholon
you guys should read A Nation of Victims

That would make me sick.

[teej]

So the white ppl made the internet too "white" so they made a browser for black ppl? Stupid. I just see it as someone trying to make money. I think I would be a little offended if I were an African American.

So from what I understand from this, this is a browser that is concentrating on the black community and their general interests giving them news, media etc from a black perspective? Okay, thats fine but how would they do this without using some typical black stereotypes. How would they decide what the black community as a whole are into? Are they taking notes from BET? Are they going to black communities and asking what they want out of a internet browser? I would like to know.

I am not a fan of any special needs or special treatment because ppl are different. Since this was made does this mean the white community can expect a "white american" browser? How about a Latino browser or an Asian?

If I install this browser does that mean I am trying to act black lol?

Originally posted by William
the racist wars are dead gee some people pride can lean that direction..

I do disagree with this statement william. I was not alive when the black panthers and the KKK were in full swing and I agree that racism today is not remotely close to what it was in the 60s but I do think racism is still a big problem in the US. I do not think prejudgment will ever be solved. I, myself was raised to believe that everyone is equal no matter what color they are and I still think that 20 years into my life.

I do not know where you are from but I still experience racism every day in North Carolina and it still bothers me. I have been around it pretty much all my life and what is bad this is that I have grown used to racism. To ponder on that sentence I just wrote bothers me. I know of black and white ppl that will judge someone right away without even talking to them. I like to hunt. I go hunting with my uncle, you guys should hear the stuff I have heard from this one man. How he will judge another person without even knowing his/her name. I have called him out many times on it but there is not use. What is bad about this is that there is no changing his opinion. He is this far into his life so there is no changing him. He has three daughters and they are taking after him and his opinions. This is how the racism goes down in families. Parent to child to grandchild and so forth. Their opinions are already made for them and they do not even realize it. Have you guys ever noticed this chain in certain families? it is just like fears. Example: Spiders.

There is a mother that is very much afraid of spiders. She has a child around the age of 4 or 5.

When a child is young, around the age or 4 or 5 when they are just starting to learn about the world. They are not scared of spiders. They are fascinated with creatures like this. They will hold them and interact with them at a young age. But explain to me why when he/she grows older that they will also become afraid of spiders? Even though just some years back they were not. Negative exposure. Basically the mother has gave her fears to the child without even realizing it. Not giving the spiders a fair chance.

Now of course this is not always the case but you get my point.

I also understand that to judge someone is human nature and I will do it too but for gods sake, it is getting out of hand.

Racism = ignorance.

Has anyone realized how much better the world would be without racism and religion?

Ok I am sorry guys that is my rant about race and I will not dare go into religion. I am not trying to become the next mauser98. Racism and prejudice just bother me. This is my opinion and I hope the rest of you guys don't take offense to it.

[Hellfighter]

Racism = ignorance.

it is 100% when people ever learn that the human race can breed with other race of people and bring new life into this world.

the word is human race its not singular at all

take the animal kingdom breed of monkeys for simple have 99.9% of the same gens as the human race have! but they can't inter breed with each other race of monkeys unlike the human can.

black browser is really dead item to do

besides my Firefox browser is skin black and Grey in color, i like it that way do to i like the dark side of life being nasty is so fun to live. party, doing the nasty things with women of all race of humans is so much better!

[atholon]

Originally posted by Scott
That would make me sick.

Why's that?

I hate when people pull the race card to get out of crap. Too bad I can't just pull the white card and do the same. My final paper was on people who do not accept responsibility for their actions. It is the same deal with this racial debates, the african americans blame the white people for their situation, the whites blame the latinos for all the gangs, and the list goes on.

You guys ever watched Crash? That puts it into perspective, everyone is racist; we however can change our own views.

[Hellfighter]

only a reminder lets not go over broad with this ok, it more about this so call black browser only the id of it can be talk about.

[Scott]

Originally posted by atholon
Why's that?

Becasue it's true...