Introduction to StumbleUpon: Extension for Firefox and Internet Explorer

Many internet use the internet simply to "surf the web". These users go around the web mindlessly without the slightest idea about what they want to find. If you are one of the masses that have become lost in the web, then there is a program that may be of help to you. Stumble Upon finds random websites that may interest you based on a number of categories that you select upon first use, and then update periodically over time by rating websites.

Stumble Upon functions as a browser extension, and is available to both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox users. I have found that the Firefox browser is normally far superior to internet explorer; therefore all of the information in this review will pertain to the Firefox version (although the two are probably very similar). The extension installed quick and flawlessly. Within a few minutes I had set up an account by providing creating a username and providing an email address.

Upon my first use, I selected a wide variety of social topics that interest me. These topics were as broad in range as to include architecture, left wing politics, and my favorite topic, finance. There was a wide scope of around 30 initial topics to choose from, and I am quite sure that any user would be able find a plethora of topics that interest them. After the initial selection of topics I felt that I was ready to click the "Stumble Upon" button in my browser.

After clicking this button for the first time I was instantly transported to a very interesting website about architecture. The most interesting thing, however, was that I had already been to this website in the past, and I really liked it. Anxiously awaiting more interesting websites I kept clicking the Stumble Upon button. I was rewarded with more very interesting websites.

Throughout this entire time there is a thumbs up and a thumbs down button on your browser, if you like the web page you are recommended to click the thumbs up button and vice versa. This is not necessary, but it is how the service learns who you are better. I decided that I would "thumbs up" every page that interests me. After a few minutes of stumbling I was presented with another list of categories that Stumble Upon had guessed based upon my ratings. Most of these were correct, and I quickly added them in my interest profile.

Overall, Stumble Upon is a very interesting service that allows people to find websites and information that interests them, without knowing what they are actually looking for. I would highly recommend that anyone that uses the internet on a regular basis try out this intriguing service.