New Site Gives Users Chance to Attach Some Reality
to Media Depictions of the Internet Economy
VENICE, CA - July 2, 2001- A non-profit Web site launched today, www.rini.org is hoping to provide an even-handed, realistic environment for Internet Professionals and others to read about, discuss and share their impressions about the actual state of the industry -- minus the hype, positive or negative.
Rini.org which stands for The Real Internet News Initiative, is a co-venture of two veteran Southern California Web and technology companies WindowSix and Imagistic. The site is a labor of love and the result of several months of frustration on the part of the creators, who are optimistic about the future of the Internet space. The free site allows any registered user to post a reference and/or link to a news article, editorial or other media and add a short description and commentary about it. Any posted article can then be commented on by other Rini.org visitors.
In addition to commenting on the articles, Rini.org users may also rate those who make comments, elevating or lowering a commentator's "Karma" points. The higher a commentator's "Karma" rating, the more attention and cache that user's comments will presumably engender. The intention is to create a "human collaboration filter" whereby the extreme, exaggerated point of views are dissected and subjected to a dose of reality from the professionals working in the industry.
"When the Web craze began, the media hype was absurdly optimistic, then reality set in," states Imagistic's CEO Michael Weiss. "Now the hype is going in the opposite, negative direction. Both of these positions were, and are, extreme and we wanted to give interested users a place to have a realistic dialogue."
Window Six is a full service technology consulting and professional services firm specializing in helping Internet and wireless companies. Window Six's management brings with it extensive experience with multi-media and content streaming tools, e-commerce, content publishing, and backend systems.
Founded in 1997, Imagistic (www.imagistic.com) is a boutique professional Web and technology services company with an emphasis on design, e-business development and online branding. The company has developed numerous Web based initiatives for such clients as Bank of America, UCLA, CarsDirect.com, California Pizza Kitchen, and Estee-Lauder. Imagistic is based in Venice, California and works with local and remote clients in all businesses and industries.
