You might remember us writing about sk*rt last year, when they launched a kind of girly alternative to Digg. Working on a similar recommendations basis, it was designed to create a slightly more friendly atmosphere for women on the internet. (Not that Digg isn't friendly. Oh no, I would never say that. And also? Fark. Fark is also one of the most female-friendly places I have ever come across on the internet in all of my life, just so we're clear).
Anyway, since then sk*rt has been having legal ishoos with Skirt magazine, who seem to have gone all "we are so setting our lawyers on you" and forced Sk*rt to change their name. And where do you go for your girly recommendations now? Kirtsy.
And it is a whole world away from Digg....
As you'd expect from a site in its infancy, stories get to the top of the page with about 40 recommendations. Like Digg, there's both a front page for overall popular stories, and tabs for areas such as 'politics, world and business' and 'mind body and spirit'. And it's when you look at the type of stories recommended that you really get an idea of the different ways men and women use the internet.
On the front page, almost half the stories are shopping recommendations, with weddings, celebrities and women in politics also getting a nod. And please don't think that I'm condemning this - I think social shopping sites are one of the most useful and interesting things out there on the internet. In contrast, Digg's stories are heavy on the science and modding, with sports and lifehacks also featuring.
It gets really interesting when you delve into the internet/tech section of each site. Digg features product announcements, rumours and more modding. In contrast, the women using kirtsy are really living up to that 'all girls together', community feel. A quick look at the stories, and it's very evident you're unlikely to see and 'p0rned retard!!1!1!!' here - title headings include "How to Win Brownie Points with your Favorite Blogger" about voting for BlogHer nominees and "I like this blog rule: only nice comments" about Jezebels new commenting rules. There's also gift ideas for mums who blog and a post about how blogging can help the grieving process.
What comes across is that in it's current incarnation, the site is like the great conversations you have with your friends whilst you're lazing about reading magazines in the sun - there's advice, there's support, but nothing is too heavy or current. If you're looking for the kind of stuff you get sitting in a bar after a bottle of wine - dissecting the day's news, bantering, arguing and the like - you're still going to be more at home on Digg.
Susi Weaser is the editor of Shiny Shiny and is adding kirtsy to her bookmarks
Nikon S1000pj: World's First Projector Camera
Too bad they had to change the name... I liked it much better than any of the suggested ones. Kirtsy is ok, kind of difficult to remember though. But some of the others were bloody awful...