The Wife recently suggested I rely on Patch.com for my local news. I was complaining about not having enough local news in my news feed, a common problem now that newspapers have gone the way of the dodo. When I first looked it over I thought/said to her “Ah. Another news aggregator like Nuzzel or Feedly. Just what I need.” …The Wife was annoyed at the observation and I closed the browser and all was right with the world that day.
The tab stayed open on the browser though, and over the next few weeks I would notice it and go “Oh yeah. That local news aggregator. I probably should check that out.” Then I would close the browser and all was right with the world again.
Today I open the browser and just for a lark I scrolled through some articles. The site immediately demanded I allow them to send me notifications. Every website does that now. I hate it, but it is accepted site behavior for some reason. I blocked the notification request and kept scrolling.
Then I opened an article. As soon as I did that the site pops up to ask me to join their newsletter. Again, I hate it but every site does this now, so I decide to bite on this lure and give them my email address. Of course that prompts them to tell me to create an account, and after creating the account they want me to verify my email address.
So I go to my email account and click on the verify link. Directly under that message is another message asking me to fill out a survey. The first question was “how likely are you to refer someone to this website?” Following my guidelines for ratings I say four out of ten because: a) I’m three tangents deep into a whim I engaged in while distracted and now I’m regretting the time investment; and b) I still haven’t read a single article on a website that I dismissed as “just another news aggregator” several weeks ago; and c) the site is every bit as demanding of my attention as every other site is these days and I don’t like being shanghai’d every time I sit down at the computer to look something up. A legitimate source doesn’t need to keep your eyeballs on the screen 24/7. A legitimate source is something you come back to without being prodded.
I’m dissatisfied so the rating is less than five. I’m still planning on reading the article so I’m not really that disatisfied. That’s a four. Now, take it or leave it Patch. That’s the answer you get at this juncture. I’ve got other things to do in real life and I don’t have time to write anything else today.