Planet of the Internet aims to make the internet a bit more like that virtual world we've all been waiting for. And it does a really horrible job of it.
The concept is straightforward enough. Anyone can sign up for a free account that lets them wander around a virtual map and peek in houses and office buildings. Individuals can purchase a house and create a profile with links to their web page, blog, or other sites. Companies can purchase larger buildings that act as virtual billboards. Except that billboards are only useful if you put them somewhere that people will find them. And since it's pretty hard to tell one building from another and all the streets look the same, good luck with that.
Not only is Planet of the Internet ugly, but the site design is a bit too simple for our tastes. It took us a while to figure out how to navigate the map because we kept trying to drag and drop it until we noticed the scrollbars on the side of our window. How quaint.
We suppose if someone could raise a million dollars selling pixels on his homepage, Planet of the Internet could make a few bucks. But while the site might work as an ugly advertising platform, we're a bit skeptical of the company's claims that the site is "poised to completely change how people surf the Web." Because as much as we'd like to have a direct connection to the internet on a computer chip in our brains, this kind of virtual world just doesn't make any sense.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-09-2008 @ 7:06PM
Uim said...
I think the concept is very impressive. Plus don't need to install any software.
Good start!
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2-09-2008 @ 7:08PM
jm said...
If such an award existed, I would nominate this article for Best Headline. I laughed more at this headline than I than I did at anything else today.
Come to think of it, that's sort of depressing, isn't it? ha.
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2-09-2008 @ 8:36PM
fd said...
Site looks interesting
and Brad, your Article is not true. I advice you to check planet of the internet again.
Because the site and the claim of the site is really different.
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2-09-2008 @ 9:03PM
iz said...
That is a cool idea. I congratulate the owner.
I advice all of you to read the article on the Planet of Internet home page.
It says everything what we need. And really nice website to visit.
Because this article doesn't show us the reality.
I think downloadsquad did not understand the claim of this site.
Anyway.. it's a great idea.
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2-09-2008 @ 9:03PM
Ricky said...
i already grab my land
loved it
good luck
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2-09-2008 @ 9:04PM
Andy B said...
Nope, I can't believe that 4 out of the first 5 commenters would visit that site and come back to refute this review without having some kind of vested interest in it. It seems as if somebody has seen the moneymaking potential of "Second Life" and wished they'd got there first - then tried to achieve that by making their offering look like it's stuck in 1998. Needs a LOT of work to be attractive in any way I'm afraid.
And I agree, that was a very funny headline :-)
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2-09-2008 @ 9:06PM
Brad Linder said...
Wow, I'm shocked. Ricky, fd, iz, and Uim all have the same exact IP address. And the only comments that anyone from that IP address have ever left on Download Squad are comments on this post. Shocked, I tell you.
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2-09-2008 @ 10:09PM
Jason Clarke said...
LMAO - Brad, you kill me! Great post, hilarious comments!
2-11-2008 @ 10:54AM
James said...
Uh, why did you leave them up? I would figure "fraudulent whitewashing of your own site" violates your ToS, no?
2-09-2008 @ 10:09PM
jfjb said...
my IP address is BE-HONEST-THAT-IS-ALL
the rest is a matter of appreciation, subjectivity, imagination and, yes, opportunism for we're in America, aren't we? Or perhaps these comments are coming from Mars. Oops, big brother is listening!
< click >
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2-10-2008 @ 12:45PM
Andy B said...
You're getting honesty in spades my friend. I'm presuming your IP is the same as the ones above
Planet Internet is an unoriginal idea badly done. Either improve it or move on. Personally, I wish you every success in the future but I don't think it will come from this venture.
Did you realise you're not actually making the situation any better by arguing with a reviewer or potential customers?
2-09-2008 @ 10:09PM
jfjb said...
ok, I just come back from it.
My connection is rating at 3037 KBs and the site was (is?) verrrrrrrrrry slooooooooooooow.
Perhaps everyone and his sister are visiting the Planet of the Internet, having beer and a parking tale gate party over the (current US) elections process. WHo knows. That is all i can say cause I didn't see anyone that I even didn't know.
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