GenXr Review on Internet Websites

I remember my first email was [email protected] and I got it during a computer class I was taking at Junior College. I was still typing my essays on a word processer. (I didn't have a cellphone or a laptop.) I got my first E-machines computer after I transfered from Junior College to the University -- during the time when "The Matrix" movie was gaining popularity. I had dial-up service with AOL and the first social media type of platform was a college version of Facebook because most of us online were doing our chatting through AOL chatboxes. I've had many computers since that first E-machine, and many servers since AOL, and I've seen lots and lots of new websites. I've watched how powerful computer technology has been in regards to shaping our communities, our politics, our economy, and our futures. Those who choose to unplug or go off-grid, I don't blame them for that choice. I understand completely why the soul needs to recharge with a nice road trip or camping trip or just retiring in a log cabin up in the mountains without the beep boop bops and other technical headaches.

I unplug a little bit each day --- but for almost 30 years now, I've been a computer and internet junkie. Though I really did struggle to learn how a cellphone is useful to me, I have spent enough time on the various devices (flip phone, smart phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop) to feel competent enough to use these modern devices for whatever they have to offer. I think mostly they are meant for educational reasons (replaced the old encyclopedias) and for shopping experiences (replaced the need for three cars in the driveway) and for entertainment and social experiences (replaced the need to put ourselves in dangerous social situations like getting a DUI or being accused of something we didn't do). So the internet and all of the world wide web websites are still relevant because the problems that the internet was created to solve, still exist.

I would like to talk about "user-friendly" and "reliable" websites as those that I frequent, spend money at, and trust. I believe that loyalty should be a goal of any merchant (especially if subscriptions are important) so I believe that techies and business people should understand why some websites stand the test of time and become classics and some fail miserably and disappear without most people even having a chance to try them. "User-friendly" and "reliable" are the key describing words. That's what I truly believe makes internet surfers try and stay at any website. If it's too complicated, I'm out. If it takes too much time to learn, I'm out. If it's always unreliable and consistently causing distrust and poor service, I'm out. I am like many people --- we like ease, comfort, and things we can trust and rely on. (Ford still has Mustang, but not the Pinto. Ever wonder why or how that happened?)

The following list are the websites I give a thumbs-up to:

1. Kikoff (a credit score monitoring website). They are better than Credit Karma. They have multiple ways to assist whoever is trying to tighten up their budget and score. They show you what you need to know.

2. Temu (a shopping experience for discount hunters). Similar to wish.com and amazon.com but I think Temu is much better. User-friendly with an assortment of products that discount shoppers like me are usually looking for. I know that most people prefer amazon.com, but I don't really consider amazon.com my friend because they ate up one of my favorite websites (www.createspace.com) and basically wiped out a great resource for English teachers and entrepreneurial writers. I try to like amazon.com and forgive them for that, but it still nags my memory.

3. Wix.com (a user-friendly website making assistant) -- I like Wix.com much better than WordPress. It's designed for entrepreneurs who have skills or products that they want to promote, yet they are not Website designers or computer gurus. With the help of Wix.com I was able to create and promote a wonderful website with a blog that assisted our landscaping company LBN for two years before we sold it.

4. Listia.com and Ebay.com --- There are lots of places to sell items online if you don't have your own website. I like Listia.com and Ebay.com better than Facebook Marketplace, better than Etsy.com, better than Craigslist.com. I have found the professionalism and standards at Listia and Ebay to be more user-friendly and reliable than the other three that I mentioned. Though I still look through ads on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, it really depends on what you're looking for. If you want to look for a used car or bike or a roommate, Craigslist is still pretty good. If you want to see what Facebook people are promoting, then a glimpse at their marketplace is educational. Etsy.com is not that great in my opinion because the crafters that sell there are so perfect and professional about what they craft and how they sell that you may as well go to a store.com or look through any catalog at new merchandise. I'm more interested in the little guy or girl who isn't that perfect at crafting. When I can't tell if it is homemade/handmade or just came out of some factory machine, then I don't really want to donate to the cause.

5. X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. I still think that for Social Media, X and Facebook are still more user-friendly and reliable than TikTok or Instagram. I tried to explore TikTok and Instagram but I think the Millenials who prefer those have made them specifically anti-GenX or before. That's fine with me. I don't like you as much as you don't like me.

6. Meetup.com --- It used to be a lot better and it seems that the prices went up way too high. I prefered it over dating apps or other "let's plan an event" websites, but over the last two years I've noticed their prices going sky high which is turning me off of their website/app and socializing in general.

7. vocal.media and allpoetry.com ---- I've been a member and writing contributor at allpoetry.com for 15 years. I've been a member at vocal.media for the past 4 years and I've learned a lot at both writing websites. If you're here at vocal.media because you like reading what we write, then I say thank you and that is proof that the website is user-friendly and reliable. I've looked at other sites for writers, but they seemed very complicated and not user-friendly.

That's all I've got for now Techies. I'm not a hacker or tech type of person. I'm a writer and entrepreneur. I like writing articles and poetry, though I don't think poets should get paid for poems online. I think poets should be published in a book and paid that way. That's why the end of www.createspace.com bothered me so much. As for dating apps, I think they are a big rip-off and scam, and social media sites are still less expensive and easier to navigate.