Author Topic: Downloadsquad shutting down - Another one bites the dust (Read 35,552 times)

paulobrabo · « **on:** April 12, 2011, 06:04 PM »

Downloadsquad (the popular tech blog with an emphasis on software) is closing down, as a consequence of the AOL/Huffington Post merge. Will anyone miss it or I am alone here?

http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/12/farewell-internet/

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2011, 06:24 PM »

Whoa.. wow that is crazy. it was a good site.

I wonder what the decisions looked like -- was it just not profitable enough? or?

paulobrabo · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2011, 07:41 PM »

Quote

As part of the AOL merger last month with Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington became Editor In Chief of 56 sites and took the reins to make major changes. These changes included her decision to fold 30 brands (blogs) into other properties that Huffington saw as “stronger” than the absorbed brands.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/aolhuffpo-shuts-down-download-squad/16797

The decision is probably as stupid as it sounds. Downloadsquad IS a powerful brand, and was a balanced, hugely popular blog. Should we file this in the "goes up in smoke" category?

wraith808 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2011, 07:51 PM »

It would seem to make more sense for HuffingtonPost Tech to shut down. I've never even heard of, let alone visited the HuffingtonPost Tech blog... I always thought of them as more esoteric.

40hz · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2011, 08:31 PM »

After following her antics for years, I've since given up on reconciling what Ms. Huffinton says she believes with much of what she does as a business owner. I'm afraid she really has come to think she knows all the right answers.

jaden · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2011, 10:12 PM »

Quote from: paulobrabo on April 12, 2011, 06:04 PM

Downloadsquad (the popular tech blog with an emphasis on software) is closing down, as a consequence of the AOL/Huffington Post merge. Will anyone miss it or I am alone here?

You're definitely not alone. I was a daily reader, and noticed there weren't (m)any posts yesterday, then saw their announcement this morning. I spent a good 30 minutes searching for a site that covered similar topics and am trying out Wired Software and Addictive Tips.

If anyone hears where the authors are headed, please share.

allen · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2011, 12:50 AM »

I, too, followed that blog. Was there any warning this was coming? Caught me quite off guard today. . .

wraith808 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2011, 03:27 AM »

Quote from: allen on April 13, 2011, 12:50 AM

I, too, followed that blog. Was there any warning this was coming? Caught me quite off guard today. . .

The Huffington bit was a bit of a giveaway that *something* was going to happen. But this...?

rgdot · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2011, 04:18 AM »

One of my daily visited sites.

Everything goes down the drain when the AOL name becomes attached to it <-----I don't know if this deserves a

or

or $:-\$

Renegade · « **Reply #9 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:06 AM »

How can any of you say anything like that~! Shame on you~! They're delivering stock holder value~!

$:-\$

jaden · « **Reply #10 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:12 AM »

Quote from: Renegade on April 13, 2011, 06:06 AM

How can any of you say anything like that~! Shame on you~! They're delivering stock holder value~!

I know your comment was tongue-in-cheek, but it made me wonder if they really are. I'm not impressed.

Ath · « **Reply #11 on:** April 13, 2011, 07:07 AM »

(Wrong thread, re-posted correctly

)

Renegade · « **Reply #12 on:** April 13, 2011, 07:07 AM »

Quote from: jaden on April 13, 2011, 06:12 AM

Quote from: Renegade on April 13, 2011, 06:06 AM
How can any of you say anything like that~! Shame on you~! They're delivering stock holder value~!

I know your comment was tongue-in-cheek, but it made me wonder if they really are. I'm not impressed.

Well, judging from that link, it appears that my post and the AOL stock price share 1 thing in common. They're both bad jokes~!

ghacks · « **Reply #13 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:13 AM »

I have talked to a few of the writers and they were notified about cuts about a week ago, but completely stunned that cuts meant the whole site. They still cannot really believe what happened and have no explanation for it, but you can be sure that they find homes somewhere else pretty soon.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2011, 01:43 PM »

Quote from: ghacks on April 13, 2011, 08:13 AM

you can be sure that they find homes somewhere else pretty soon

I wonder where that might be

40hz · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2011, 02:19 PM »

^Anyplace but Windows Secrets I hope. $:-\$

wraith808 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2011, 02:45 PM »

^ Has windows secrets become bad? I stopped my subscription long ago, but at that point thought they were going downhill... not there(!)

jaden · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2011, 07:15 PM »

Quote from: ghacks on April 13, 2011, 08:13 AM

I have talked to a few of the writers and they were notified about cuts about a week ago, but completely stunned that cuts meant the whole site. They still cannot really believe what happened and have no explanation for it, but you can be sure that they find homes somewhere else pretty soon.

Thanks for the update ghacks. Please do let us know where they find homes. They had great articles and I already miss reading them.

sajman99 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:55 PM »

What a shame.

I wish all those guys the best.

johnk · « **Reply #19 on:** April 15, 2011, 01:33 PM »

They appear to have landed here: Browser Scene

40hz · « **Reply #20 on:** April 15, 2011, 01:55 PM »

Quote from: johnk on April 15, 2011, 01:33 PM

They appear to have landed here: Browser Scene

Yay!

Quote

What's all this, then?

Well, when Download Squad shut down, we needed somewhere to write. Immediately. This is what we've done for years, and we wanted to keep doing it.

Because we love writing about and playing with all the amazing Web browsers and apps out there, we decided to zero in and make that our focus.

The design will change, we may switch publishing platforms, and the Earth could be overrun by zombies. But we'll still be here posting.
The Crew
Lee Mathews
Vlad
Matthew Rogers
Sebastian Anthony
Erez Zukerman

Curt · « **Reply #21 on:** April 15, 2011, 02:19 PM »

Quote from: paulobrabo on April 12, 2011, 06:04 PM

DownloadSquad (the popular tech blog with an emphasis on software) is closing down, as a consequence of the AOL/Huffington Post merge.

This is one of those situations where my little square brains are getting confused. I have visited DownloadSquad every week for maybe 3 or even 4 years, so in my imagination every software lover in the world will be familiar with DownloadSquad. But I have never ever even heard of this huffington thing.

phitsc · « **Reply #22 on:** April 15, 2011, 02:28 PM »

Quote from: Curt on April 15, 2011, 02:19 PM

Quote from: paulobrabo on April 12, 2011, 06:04 PM
DownloadSquad (the popular tech blog with an emphasis on software) is closing down, as a consequence of the AOL/Huffington Post merge.

This is one of those situations where my little square brains are getting confused. I have visited DownloadSquad every week for maybe 3 or even 4 years, so in my imagination every software lover in the world will be familiar with DownloadSquad. But I have never ever even heard of this huffington thing.

I've never heard of either

Not that it means anything

wraith808 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 15, 2011, 03:06 PM »

Quote from: johnk on April 15, 2011, 01:33 PM

They appear to have landed here: Browser Scene

I wish them the best- but their narrowed focus unfortunately means I won't have as much of a reason to keep track of them.

jaden · « **Reply #24 on:** April 15, 2011, 05:14 PM »

Quote from: wraith808 on April 15, 2011, 03:06 PM

I wish them the best- but their narrowed focus unfortunately means I won't have as much of a reason to keep track of them.

I agree. I'll still read it, but I wish they hadn't restricted their topic to browsers. If we're lucky, the change is in name only and they'll continue writing about the same topics.