I’ve been following the complaints about Netscape for a few weeks now, and my position is starting to harden. The main complaints have been that “old users” don’t like the new page. They were forced to register, they can’t find their old page and now they have their panties in a bunch. The change was several weeks ago, yet the “Old Netscapers” are still there, threatening to change their home page.

I understand what type of folk these are. They’re the same people who try and order “hamburgers” when they go out for dinner in a new restaurant. Why? Because they’re afraid they might not like something new. They’re the type of folks who read an opinion on a website, and erroneously decide that the company that published the comment has a “lefty leaning”, when in reality they could add their opinion and reduce the “bias” they see. They’d rather complain than participate.

I think why I know why these users are like this. They came up on one of AOL’s different account options and had Netscape set as their homepage. Now it’s different. And they’re mad. These are the same people I used to call “AO-Yellers” back when I ran an ISP business, because they typed all in capital letters, and could rarely make heads or tails out of even the simplest technical solutions. How do I know these are the same folks? Easy, I can follow all the clues:

1) They’re commenting at other websites as if they’re at Netscape. Imagine the level of someone who can’t even figure out what site they’re at.
2) They’ve repeatedly ignored the fact that I posted the location of the “old Netscape” several times. They ignored the solution and complained
3) These people think because Netscape linked to a story on my website, that I’m somehow working for Netscape
4) They’re turning ugly on me, getting more personally insulting in their comments

Okay people. Time for the pity party to end. You don’t like the new Netscape? Feel free to leave. It’s obvious to me that the new management of Netscape could care less if you leave, and neither will anyone. The site has been changed to a new type of community website. If you don’t like it, you quit using it.

So that’s it, Old Netscapers: I’m calling you out. What are you still doing here if you hate the website so much? Why are you reading this 2 weeks after the change, if you plan on changing your homepage?