Directories of websites are not useful or relevant anymore...
A typical online directory is automated. So, there's no reliable way to feature the best resources and hide bad ones. Also, it only shows a link and a very short generic description. This makes it impossible to get an idea of each site in a directory without actually clicking each one. But nobody has time for that.
The business model of a traditional directory forces its content to become a bunch of paid content rather than a curated list of most useful services. Directories work well for local in-person services (Yelp and Google Maps are just sophisticated directories of local businesses) because there are not too many businesses in one neighborhood. Directories for online services and resources however, could not compete with web search. They all fell into obscurity soon after Google Search came out.
Good article about the history and downfall of directories:
Are Web Directories Still Relevant for SEO in 2021?
Web Directories have been the norm for the world wide web and for search engine optimization for a long time. But are they still relevant in this age of advanced AI Google Updates? Â Well, as Head of Web SPAM at Google John Mueller said,'in general, no'.
https://cognitiveseo.com/blog/21291/web-directories-seo/
Techy tools is written like a blog rather than a directory. Each article has the advantages of a directory (links grouped by category) without the disadvantages (spammy or irrelevant content, expired links, not enough context). And each link has a paragraph describing what it's about and why it made the list.
Web Search is a great tool, but it can't do everything...
Keyword search oversimplifies the problem. Search engines are amazingly useful. They're a great way to find information... but only if you know exactly what to search for.
Unfortunately, people now use it as a way to discover new information and browse the web. It's actually a terribly inefficient way to discover new ideas. You have to read through a lot of content which is simply elaborating on the keywords you entered. It creates confirmation bias. It leaves you doing things the same way as always. It's difficult to discover a new way of doing things or a new way of thinking, unless you're already enlightened enough to search for the right keywords.
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.”
Albert Einstein
How to discover new ideas?
Life hacks and new perspectives can make your life more enjoyable, prosperous, and free. New perspectives and new ideas are incredibly powerful. People get this mostly from friends, family, and social media.
But what if you don't have any friends (or don't chat with your friends and colleagues very often)? You probably should work on that. It's good to get out and network, meet more people you can learn from, talk to new people in order to get new ideas. It's hard though.
Meanwhile, how do you gain new insights and find new ways of doing things now? Techy.tools to the rescue!
It is a knowledge-sharing tool. Learn from others' experiences.
This site will evolve and grow into more categories than just technological life hacks. This is only a start.
How is Techy.Tools different?
There used to be a site called StumbleUpon. It was an amazing and enlightening resource - to find new and interesting websites and resources. It was shut down, like many others. The business model changed as online ads stopped being a realistic way to generate revenue. The way it worked is people would submit websites, by category and keyword. As a user, you would be presented with a random website from the collection, based on categories you liked. If you liked the website, it would suggest to you similar ones like it. It was a fun and enlightening way to browse the web and discover new ideas and resources. It was however, very inefficient, and could not keep up with our increasingly fast pace of life. It didn't feel like a directory because it was not boring, and not for profit, but actually it was a directory - only with community added content.
Techy.Tools learns from others' mistakes. See our article about online business models.
Please contribute!
This site is currently in development. I (Paul Shorey, founder, developer, editor) am working on a better way for people to share ideas. For now, all content here is manually curated. It's a cross between a blog and directory - with the benefits of both, but none of the disadvantages.
Please contact me if you have an idea, website link, or some writing that you think might help people live better lives. I'll post it, and credit you if you like.