Beginning today, you can opt-in to take part in the brand-new YouTube home page. According to the press release, this new layout offers a homepage that has a real emphasis on a personalized video browsing and watching experience. It’s quite different looking, definitely. The question is – is it something we really need in order to have a better experience on the site?

So, what’s in store with the new shiny page? Plenty, according to the powers-that-be:

• Combined list – Merges your subscriptions, friend activity, and recommendations into one easier-to-scan list (and a “Subscription uploads” tab if you only want to see subscriptions)
• Don’t miss a video – If a channel uploads 4 videos in a day, you’ll see all 4 – instead of just the latest video
• Delete anything – Hover over any video you don’t want to watch and click ‘x’
• Or just grey it out – Videos you’ve already watched will be grayed out – so even without deleting, you’ll know where you left off
• Help me re-find stuff I just watched – Your homepage will include your recent likes and favorites so you can easily get back to them
• Easy inbox – Links to your inbox (personal messages & comments) are front and center

My question is, though, is all of this eye candy really necessary in order to improve my experience while visiting the site? It’s a well-known fact that YouTube has tried too hard in the past to “fix” things – only to make them worse. What do you think? Is this new home page a step in the right direction – or not?

New YouTube Home Page

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As we get older, the world wide web gets newer. We find ourselves not able to keep up with the new world because we’re still stuck spending senseless hours checking 20 emails and trying to figure out how to install a program on Vista. For those of you like me, going on 21 for the 9th year in a row, here are 5 tips to help you get through the old stuff so you can stay hip with the new.

• Book it before you book it. Now let’s say you are in the bored surfing mood, and you come across a cool website that you like. You think you would like to go back to it. The little “favorite” button or “bookmark” button will remember it for you. That way, you don’t spend 30 minutes to an hour getting frustrated, trying to figure out the website. So just book it before you book it. If it was just a “mood” website, you can always right click and delete it later!
• You have the “best” pop up blocker installed and are certain nothing that shouldn’t is getting through. If it does… you just hit cancel… and what the heck you’re at their site!4. So, not only does crap still get through, you also have to read it before you click it. For example some will say, “to continue to the website click ‘cancel’.” Them sneaky sons of www dot coms did it again! Don’t waste another 15 minutes of what you have left of your life playing click that pop-up!
• The dreaded Email. You always check your email when you get online. Yesterday, even though it took you two hours, you got your email down to 0 and now it’s back up to let’s say 20 new messages. Now, you don’t want to waste another two hours checking and replying and wondering who that “Jim” is that says he knows you and has been looking for you. So, you probably didn’t know this like the “hip” kids do… but not all spam messages make it into the spam folders. Them sneaky sons of www dot coms can sure sneak them in there. Trust me, 9 times out of 10 you are not the lucky winner in a drawing, or have been selected in a special giveaway. And honey… even though your memory’s going… you don’t know Jim! I personally hit the little spam button on those emails and eventually after a couple times they go away.
• Not that this has ever happened to me before… you find yourself in let’s say Chris’s chat room. And let’s say the topic is gadgets. Now all the “young’ns” in the channel are chatting and swapping gadget ideas, and you find yourself lost asking “hey, what is an iPod?” or “hey, what is a 3g card?” Of course, nobody answers you. They are busy thinking, “You gotta be kidding me right? They’re just messing around.” Well, here’s a tip: make Google your new best friend. When you are lost, Google will help you find your way. Taking a few minutes to google something is a lot better than looking dumb or like an old fart in chat.
• Watch your links. You’re chatting with one of your online buddies and they send you a link to lets say rnicrosoft.com. Earlier, you had Googled some new software that just came out, and you would like to buy it. So, you click on the link, find the software and give all your info. Weeks later… your CC is maxed out! If you carefully look at the link it’s r n i c r o s o f t . c o m. The r and the n are pushed together to look like m. This is just an example. though I’m pretty sure with your protection maybe something that drastic won’t happen, but that is one way your passwords and info. can get stolen. Sometimes, you are better off to type in the link yourself that way your not wasting even more time online and off trying to get this mess resolved.

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Tips for Internet Newbies (and General Reminders)