6 Unique Web Communities That You Won’t Forget

You may be well familiar with biggies like Youtube, Digg, Wikipedia, and StumbleUpon. They are all big and 100% user-powered websites. However, what about the smaller ones, focused on a single aspect and still able to attract a huge user base. So here you go, six really cool and fast growing communy-powered websites that you should definitely see.

1. Instructables - Extremely useful, entertaining and rather addictive online community where people share what they do and how they do it. Here you can find hundreds of excellent home-made DIY (Do It Yourself) guides detailing how to turn some of the garage junk into cool stuf, like invisible book shelf, hairspray-powered potato cannon or even making a wallet (from an old keyboard). See pic below.

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Read more: Instructables - The Web’s Biggest Show & Tell.

2. Scribd - The best way to define Scribd would be to call it a Youtube for documents. It is an online document library where users can search, browse, rate, upload, and share all kind of documents: jokes, facts, stories, document templates, presentations, and even amazon bestsellers.

Scribd - Online Document Sharing Community

Read more: Scribd - Document Sharing Community

3. UrbanDictionary - UrbanDictionary is basically a community-powered dictionary for slangs and all kinds of sayings and jargons that you won’t find in traditional dictionaries. Basically anything people use in daily talk.

  • Dude: A word that americans use to address each other. Particularly stoners, surfers and skaters.
  • Geek: The people you pick on in high school and wind up working for as an adult.

Read more: UrbanDictionary - Define Your World.

4. eHow / wikiHow - HowTo manuals for the everyday life. Lots of useful stuff here, everything from computer fixes and tips to personal finance and health tips. You will also find some not so usual but still essential tips, like how to take a punch or ungoogle yourself. In case the stuff you’re looking for isn’t there and you’re too lazy to digg for it on the web than ask it on Yahoo Answers.:-)

5. Sidereel - The aim of Sidereel is to create an ultimate directory for Movies and TV shows. Here you can submit or edit episode reviews, follow-up on favorite TV shows release dates, get links to watch episodes online (both free and paid), get personalized ‘to watch’ recommendations and more.

Sidereel

6. 43things - Active web community where people can set, track, discuss and share their goals. It can be something as simple as ‘watch all Simpson episodes’ or more serious stuff like ‘pay off my credit card debts’ and ‘climb mount Everest’. It’s also a place to discover like-minded people and learn from the experience of others on how to achieve your goals.

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Filed Under: Cool Websites

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    53 Comments Leave a Comment

    Comment by Pachecus
    2007-11-23 08:52:35

    excellent.. thanks for share

     
    Comment by Woz
    2007-11-23 10:31:04

    Scribd and UrbanDictionary are very useful, I have been using them a long time ago. Let me check the other links to see what happens :)

     
    2007-11-23 13:23:23

    [...] read more | digg story [...]

     
    Comment by nomeus
    2007-11-23 13:47:36
    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:38:53

    Nothing really, it’s dead. Good web community should have lots of traffic, Forbex has none.

    Comment by nomeus
    2007-11-30 03:28:04

    what the hell is a forbex, you idiot. and are you saying flurbex doesnt have any traffic? how about you go play in traffic……tool

    (Comments wont nest below this level)
    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-30 15:19:50

    “how about you go play in traffic”… WHAT?

     
     
     
     
    Comment by yakso
    2007-11-23 13:52:25

    Great list. Thanks

     
    Comment by Speedmaster
    2007-11-23 13:57:13

    That was fun, thanks. ;-)

    also check out:
    timezone.com
    thepurists.com
    fountainpennetwork.com

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:42:17

    Well…. I don’t thing any of them can qualify for an active web community. Firstly they cover too narrow field, and secondly there is not enough traffic.

     
     
    2007-11-23 14:03:10

    [...] read more | digg story [...]

     
    Comment by Vincent Hawkings
    2007-11-23 14:06:23

    I like Gyminee.

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:44:18

    it’s not a community. ;-)

     
     
    Comment by Draylon Murr
    2007-11-23 14:25:17

    err what about bragster.com ?

    jeez some list ¬_¬

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:47:24

    looks good, but needs more users.

     
     
    Comment by Bipedal
    2007-11-23 14:34:40

    Fails for lack of 4chan

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:45:02

    4chan is the toilet of internet.

     
     
    Comment by kwapor
    2007-11-23 14:56:02

    last.fm anyone?

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:45:42

    yep, last.fm definitely qualifies

     
     
    Comment by josh
    2007-11-23 15:29:00

    midomi.com where users record themselves singing

     
    Comment by Jimmy
    2007-11-23 15:43:58

    Checkout canvas2.com a giant collaborative drawing - early beta but looks like it could be cool.

     
    Comment by ben
    2007-11-23 17:21:48

    http://www.boardgamegeek.com - a community driven database covering data,pictures and reviews for every board game ever printed.

     
     
    Comment by Tim
    2007-11-23 19:25:44

    @Bipedal

    No. Wins for lack of any chan. There’s too many of them around these days to be considered unique.

     
    2007-11-23 20:23:50

    [...] cool community-powered websites that you should definitely see.read more | digg [...]

     
    Comment by j.w.
    2007-11-23 21:20:44

    work.com is really useful community-powered resource for small business owners and other entrepreneur-types.

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:53:28

    yep, looks good.

     
     
    2007-11-23 21:56:47

    [...] | http://www.makeuseof.com    Arturo Jamaica      [...]

     
    Comment by nabin
    2007-11-24 00:08:27

    StumbleUpon?

     
    Comment by Kelly
    2007-11-24 00:47:37

    you forgot SantaMatch. Not exactly a community but certainly one of the best things on the internet - a free dating site where Santa Claus plays a matchmaker. It works surprisingly well.

     
    Comment by josh
    2007-11-24 02:57:34

    midomi.com I love this site you can record yourself singing songs and others can listen

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:51:18

    Thanks, I will check it out.

     
     
    Comment by Lee
    2007-11-24 04:17:51
    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:56:17

    Good concept …. needs more users though.

     
     
    Comment by Josh
    2007-11-24 12:17:29
    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 12:57:30

    I think the above mentioned sidereel is way better.

     
     
    Comment by John
    2007-11-24 12:26:21

    This is pretty great photography site…

    http://www.pixalo.com

     
    Comment by subcorpus
    2007-11-24 22:05:40

    have not even heard of some …
    gonna check them out …
    good share … thanks …

     
    Comment by Leandro
    2007-11-24 22:09:49

    Great, people love to submit ideas! :)

    There are some for pictures and photos:

    FFFFound.com
    vi.sualize.us

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-25 13:00:29

    I like FFFFound, found lots of cool images there.

     
     
    Comment by Victorin
    2007-11-25 06:00:18

    Check out http://www.moneytrackin.com an online community of people who share his tips and fauvorite places to save money

     
    2007-11-25 18:27:46

    [...] read more | digg story [...]

     
    Comment by John McGrath
    2007-11-26 00:46:48

    Urban Dictionary is fantastic, but it isn’t really a community. You can’t talk to other members, for instance.

    Wordie.org (full disclosure: I built it) lets you make word lists, list words, comment on all words and lists, and talk to other members. If it’s a word community you’re looking for, please come by.

    Comment by Aibek
    2007-11-30 15:17:08

    Hi John

    Wordie is great, but I restricted this post to ‘highly trafficked’ communities only. ;-)

     
     
    Comment by John McGrath
    2007-12-01 12:25:34

    Aha. I can respect that. Volume, volume, volume, a good dictate to live by. Wordie is definitely quality over quantity. At least that’s what I tell myself whenever I check Alexa :-)

     
    2007-12-16 07:48:33

    [...] Wibbels uncovered an interesting post the other day about some unique web communities – in fact, six of them where you can find out about some very interesting things.  Take a [...]

     
    2007-12-19 20:37:05

    [...] 6 Unique Web Communities That You Won’t Forget | MakeUseOf.com (tags: community education guide information) [...]

     
    Comment by Jon
    2008-01-03 07:30:09

    good stuff

     
    Comment by Tracy
    2008-01-04 03:22:56

    43Things is a neat website. I like I like.
    Another one I just discovered along the same lines is http://www.QuickieClick.com

    You can organize your favorite websites into your own launchpad.

     
    Comment by SC
    2008-02-03 17:36:12

    urbandictionary is a very racist web site created by and for white, suburban “hipster” youth culture for white suburban youth culture.its the 21st century equilvalent of blackface. it has very little to do with urban/black culture and if it were an honest site it go by suburbandictionary.

     
    Comment by dennis
    2008-02-18 18:50:25

    This site is appropriate for this list (imo) - http://www.reliablesource.org
    Give your two cents on free software at Reliable Source - a community driven site where users can share and discover reliable open source alternatives to proprietary and commercial software.

     
    Comment by Troy
    2008-03-04 20:24:48

    I happen to be a huge fan of all of these, thanks for getting the word out! My favorites would have to be Instructables and Sidereel, it’s good to unwind :).

     
    2008-03-10 11:29:26

    [...] cool community-powered websites that you should definitely see.read more | digg [...]

     
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