We've mentioned the new Netscape here on Slashfood before. In case you haven't heard, what used to be an alternative web browser to Internet Explorer, netscape.com, got an extreme makeover in mid-June and has become a social bookmarking site, similar to del.icio.us, digg (technology) or flickr (photos), but for news. In case you're not familiar with social bookmarking, it is the concept of users collecting bookmarks of their favorite websites, and sharing them with the community. Users can collect, categorize, and "tag" bookmarks, which makes it easier for other users to find similar bookmarks. On sites like digg and newsvine, users can "vote" on each others' stories.

Over on Netscape, it's mostly about news, but users can also submit stories in a number of "channels," or categories - from Art & Design to Careers & Jobs to Health & Fitness to Popular Videos. It goes without saying that Slashfood's favorite channel is Food & Travel, but we'll get into more detail about that shortly.

But where many other popular social bookmarking sites stop at users voting on stories and making comments on the bookmarks that others have submitted, Netscape takes it one step further by adding an editorial layer. Netscape has a team of dedicated "Anchors" (like a news anchor, get it?) who manage the daily inflow of submitted links. They use their subject matter expertise and personal opinions to highlight important and interesting stories that users have submitted to Netscape. They "pin" these links to the top of each page, and may even give their own commentary. Thus, Netscape fills in that middle layer between traditional news that simply fed to the masses, and the masses informing each other.

The new Netscape allows you to register, submit stories and tag them, comment on other stories, vote, add Friends (other users who may have similar interests), send messages to Friends, and even has a cool little feature that shows you if other users have added you as a friend (presumably, you'd reciprocate by adding them to your list of friends).

From Slashfood's perspective, we love Netscape from two angles. Many times, we peek over at Netscape's Food & Travel channel to see what kind of food news is pouring in from users all over the world. Sure, we can get the "big" news from google news, reuters, CNN, or the BBC, but that is exactly the beauty of Netscape. Netscape users are submitting interesting stories they find themselves that don't come from the traditional sources, but from places like blogs. There are links to food porn, recipes, lists of helpful kitchen and household hints, and how-tos.

From another angle, we love Netscape because Users can submit Slashfood stories to Netscape! I have seen users who must have found some post on Slashfood interesting, then submitted it to Netscape's Food & Travel channel. It's kind of cool to see one of our stories on the front page after other users have found the bookmark helpful or interesting in some way and either voted on it or commented.

So how do you play on the new Netscape? As with any social bookmarking site, the first thing you have to do is register, and don't worry, you don't have to come up with some creative "handle" or some unusual variation on your name because there are 14 other Sarahs out there. Your registration will still be unique.

One you have registered, you will have your Profile page. This page is all you. You can add an icon, or an "avatar," from the pre-set ones available or you can upload your own, fill in your "bio," and then from there, away you go! You can start submitting stories, voting on stories, and commenting. Submitting a story is easy. Look for the button that says "Submit" (it also looks like a small + sign). On the Submit page, you fill in the URL (the address of the web page), a title (which you get to make up), and short description. Once you hit submit, the system does a little check to make sure that the same story hasn't already been submitted. If not, you're done! And all you have to do is tell all your friends to go vote on your story!

So what are you waiting for?! It's another place to get your foodie fix!