If a getting on WASP can put in two cents worth…Google allows one to choose search parameters for a custom browser.
I share finds with friends via Del.icio.us links and Google Reader. The social networking sites trade info back-and-forth all the time.
http://delicious.com/OPIT/black
That is a ‘tag’ after OPIT. The index can also be searched in friends’ files. Click on tag options on the upper right.
I can also access friends’ choices on Google Reader.
Educators and scientists have blazed a trail of search options that just needs to be known.

Clipmarks is interesting, and StumbleUpon.

There may well be a use for ‘black news’; that browser doesn’t sound like it is a solution I’d use, however.

All of the good things they mention about the browser, including that search thing, could have all been accomplished without a browser, though. i keep coming up against this fact — why is the software necessary? No one has yet given me a compelling reason. And with the ads being there, the only thing i can come up with is that there’s something going on in the code itself that benefits the people who made it.

Interesting points about ads and such. Did you hear the News & Notes segment in which Farai Chideya spoke with Blackbird CEO Ed Young and Media Assassin blogger Harry Allen? It seemed to me (from my perspective of having not previously heard of the browser or any of the discussion about it) that Chideya was trying to get Young and Allen to disagree about the browser, but the two of them kept agreeing that it was a good thing. I found their arguments pretty compelling; if I remember right, they were discussing it in terms of things like helping relevant search results appear near the beginning of the results list (which I assumed they did using something like Google’s custom search engines). But nobody mentioned the ads at all; I’m now wondering whether the discussion would’ve gone differently if someone had brought up that aspect.

They also mentioned the White Bird browser (“A Browser for White People”) in passing; from their description, it sounded (intentionally) pretty funny, but I haven’t had a chance to look at the site yet.

…The Ars Technica review of Blackbird also doesn’t mention the ads; I wonder what’s up with that.

And while “ben” seemingly laughed at the essay posted at http://www.racismreview.com, i walked away, after reading it, with a far more reasoned response. I actually agree with the points the writer makes.

I will continue to use BlackBird off and on unless something outrageous happens like the report ABW shared. I’m not down with programs that hijack.

But I do have a question for the community here: How exactly do you guys and gals go about finding new and interesting black websites (for those who bother to do so, of course)? Is there a more convenient way of accomplishing this goal outside of the usual methods–Google, link follow, social networks, word of mouth, etc.?

I’m not sure how high up this is on the priority list for the Blackbird browser, but if it can make discovering new blogs and websites from African Americans–further exposing me to interesting and thought provoking perspectives–then, at least for me, it’s worth it’s weight in gold. Until then, I’m prepared to wait before I make a firm stance on Blackbird.

You seem to have missed the point. It never ceases to amaze me how often that happens in this discussion.

The objection to BlackBird isn’t: OMG there shouldn’t be things aimed at just black people!

Well, not from me and any non-racists. The objection is that the concept is dumb. Why do Black people need a separate piece of software to access the internet? How does using this browser make the internet better for black people? It doesn’t.

Now, if you want me to support a black business, I am (usually) there. A bookstore aimed at black people? Why yes, I am all about that. But what if you opened your bookstore and someone came in and said “You know, you should use my special cash register for black people. It takes their money the same as a regular cash register, but it’s all black instead of beige. Also, it will flash ads at them while showing how much they should pay.” You would tell that person to get the fuck out of your store, wouldn’t you?

Or how about, when you’re building the store, if someone came along and said “You need these special shelves to put black books on. they’re designed for black people who read black books. Also, you need a special door for black people to walk through. Whenever it opens it plays hip hop.”

You would find that stupid as well, wouldn’t you?

Of course, you may decide to buy your hardware or other equipment from a black-owned business, but the shelves and doors and cash registers and computers and whatever else you buy, regardless of the race of those who sold them, would not be in some way different because the seller is black or white or asian or whatnot.

No one needs a special black cash register.

No one needs a special black browser.

How many times do I have to say it? WEB PORTAL.

It never fails to amaze me how some people will trip over themselves to defend something just because it’s black owned.

One of the major reasons Black people lag in quality schools, political clout, and even quality retail shopping experiences is because we don’t force people to respect us. And the way people gain respect in America is with the dollar bill. So at every viable opportunity we recieve to support a legitimate black business and re-route dollars through our communities we should jump at it.

Until we do that our schools, public policy, housing standards, crime prevention, health care, and everything else will lag behind every other cultural group in this country.

I am starting an online bookstore that caters to Black people and almost every prospective investor I went to said: 1) black people don’t read, & 2) why would Black people support you versus B&N, Amazon, or Borders.

None of them thought about the fact that Black people read more than Urban Lit or books about Hep me get a man. That type of target marketing never quite gets the same response as Blackbird. Its really sad that we can not find it within our hearts and minds to support black people.

And for anyone that says well, Black businesses do not offer quality products or services…I say find the right black business and support them. (And it’s not like all white owned businesses always treat us better and provide superior products.) This is the only way that we will affect change to our current standards of living. Barack cannot do it by himself. WE have to take responsibility for ourselves and pull each other up by the boot straps.

Stop complaining and BE THE CHANGE