Post #2 - Web/Mobile App Critique

Reddit - A Critique of this Useful and Oftentimes Controversial Web Application

    Reddit functions as a website as well as a mobile app (personally, I am a mobile user). Reddit is made up of "subreddits"(subs) that all have specific themes or subject matters they specialize in. The categories range greatly. From r/dadjokes, which is filled with people sharing jokes they have heard, or making up their own and sharing them, to politically motivated subs that keep people up-to-date on recent news. There is no paywall to viewing content, which many services now implement these days. There are ads as you scroll through your feed, but never so many that it becomes obnoxious. Once you have created an account, you are able to post within your own profile or within a subreddit of your choosing, as long as you have joined them first. 

    The "satisfaction" system used by Reddit has "upvotes" and "downvotes". This is similar to the thumbs-up and thumbs-down system used by YouTube, and they generate Karma for the users they have interacted with. Positive Karma results from a majority of upvotes and vice versa, negative Karma comes from downvotes. In some cases, your profile's karma will actually determine which subreddits you can interact with, and this could include posting or simply commenting. Additionally, users can "award" individuals' posts or comments if they see them as especially significant. Some awards are freely obtained and then gifted to others, but the majority of awards actually cost money. Creating your profile avatar is also free of charge to an extent, but there are certain "skins" that are considered more unique and special that do cost money.

    Reddit is relatively simple to use once you have gotten the hang of it. It is admittedly not beginner-friendly due to its unique set-up which closely resembles a blog. As a new user, Reddit introduces different subjects in an effort to determine what subreddits would interest you. There is no limit to how many subreddits you can join, and every single community you have joined will have posts populated to your main feed. 

    As a user, the main feed is on your main page and auto-populates a variety of posts from the subreddits you have joined. This will also include any subs you may have shown interest in. Reddit will try and broaden your feed by suggesting related types of posts from similar subs, catering to your interests more. 

    Some recommendations I can make for a better experience would include a better introduction to new users. When I first made a Reddit account, it was more confusing than anything. So much so that I did not touch the app for months. Eventually, I opened it back up and began to figure it out for myself but I know others may not be as willing to try again as I had been. My other idea, which a fellow classmate agreed with, would be categorized feeds. Due to the versatility of the subreddits I follow, my feed can be all over the place in terms of types of content. From cute cats to dad jokes to true crime stories. There are times I may want to escape into the world of cute internet animals and not be abruptly reminded of my own mortality. My last recommendation, which was inspired by a reply from a classmate, is suggesting more work on Reddit's mobile app. It is no secret that the web browser for Reddit is drastically different from the mobile app. This is even more obvious when it comes to ease of access and use. The mobile app crashes often and will oftentimes require a restart of your phone to get it working properly again. 

    Below are screenshots that compare the web application to the mobile app, which showcase previously mentioned features like upvotes, subreddits, and feeds: